Easy newbie VOIP questions

[alec.waters]

Hi,

I'm trying to get my head around some of the fundamentals of VOIP, and I'd like (eventually) to try some stuff out. What I have in mind is something simple, involving an IP phone and a Cisco 2621 with an FXO(?) card connected to the office PBX (a Norstar Meridian). The aim is for the IP phone to be able to dial and receive calls from other extensions on the PBX, and to make PSTN calls. So, some questions:

- Am I mad/stupid? It seems like this might be a reasonable thing to do?

- With such a simple setup, would you need a product like CallManager (is this a VOIP "Gatekeeper"?)

- Does the FXO interface plug into a wallsocket like a telephone would? Does it matter that it would be connected to a PBX rather than an "ordinary" telephone line?

- The "normal" phones we use have a bunch of features like hold, call forwarding, and the ability to select one of three lines to use to call/answer (they're all on the same telephone number). I'd like the IP phone to be able to do the same kind of thing - is this possible?

- With a two-port FXO card, I presume I'm limited to two concurrent IP phonecalls to the PSTN via the PBX. What would I do if I required 100 concurrent IP phonecalls? Buy 50 FXO cards??

thanks a lot,

alec

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[bryanj]

- This is a reasonable thing to do.

-you will need a call manager or something that acts like a call manager if you want to use a true IP Phone (7940, 7960, 7910). But you can load the IOS version of call manager on a 26xxXM series and i believe it will support up to 24 users.

-The FXO interface is an interface that provides dial tone, from the PBX side you will need to set this up as if it were a normal analog line.

-You will be able to put users on hold, call forward, etc....

-You will require 1 fxo port per call, or you can establish a PRI which will give you 23 channels to use, or a CT1 which will give you 24 channels but no caller id.

Hope this helps,

-baj

[alec.waters]

Hi Bryan,

Thanks very much for the response!

Are you talking about the IOS Telephony Service Feature? Is CallManager-like software an absolute prerequisite for IP Telephony on a small scale?

thanks very much,

alec

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[rlbrumm]

Your requests are not outrageous. This can be done. Is your system a PBX (Meridian) or a key system (Norstar)? There is a difference. I have set up our Call Manger through Nortel Meridian Option 11's as a test and in production I have it through a Meridian Option 81. I f you need a lot of port go to a T-1 to the PBX. It sounds like you want to connect analog. If you need a lot try a line-side T-1 card on the PBX.

[alec.waters]

Hi Bob,

Thanks very much for the response!

On the front of the unit it says "Meridian", and on the sticker inside the front flap it says "Norstar Central Control Unit". I think it's one of these:

http://www.phonserv.com/meridian_norstar_824_control_unit.html

...although I can't see the model number 824 anywhere on it!

I can't see us ever needing more than about 3 or 4 IP phones on off-premesis extensions. Would 4 FXO ports do the trick? Can they plug into an "ordinary" PBX extension, or would they need Meridian ATA boxes (like our answering machine and fax do)?

Thanks very much for your help!

alec

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