[VoIP] Recordings / My Asterisk & Router

[windmill]

John,

here in the UK I'm using a Belkin G+MIMO router, prior to this I was 
using a Netgear DG834 which I only changed because it got zapped in a 
storm though I have its replacement kindly supplied by netgear under 
guarantee and I also have a spare Belkin G+MIMO just in case the worst 
should happen again.

Both the Netgear and the Belkin routers have worked well though I have 
at times had issues with my 512Kb broadband service. Both I and my ISP 
see the problems as being on the BT network but BT always claims there 
is nothing wrong. If anything I have found that SIP and IAX works better 
over my broadband connection than either email or website browsing and 
generally I have had few problems talking using IAX and SIP IP phones or 
analogue phones on SIP ATAs. I think my longest call was with Ian Jolly 
a few weeks ago now which was several hours as I recall with just a 
single dropout but excellent transmission each way. Most of my calls are 
around 20-30 minutes minimum but anyone will tell you I can talk for 
England if they let me and minutes soon run into hours.

One thing I will say is that when I have used SIP i.e. when talking to a 
person hosted on my *box and using only a softphone and headset all the 
problems have been audio in nature and due entirely to the headset as 
far as I can tell. One thing is that I have no RTP ports forwarded in my 
router at all so it is up to * to open them as it requires them. As far 
as I can tell this has caused me no problems when traversing NAT.
Strangely I have found that sometimes my IAX2 phones will lock up if I 
call Ian's or Jon Kay's DISA gateways and I haven't discovered why. It 
does very rarely happen to my SIP phones though having said that it has 
never happened with my Aastra 9112 so maybe that is a case of 'you get 
what you pay for'!

One thing I did do was seperate as far as possible voice and data 
traffic, I have my main Windows PC which is online 24/7 connected to my 
router, the only other connection to it being from a Netgear Gigabit 5 
port switch which I installed when I was having lockup problems that I 
associated with faults on the BT backbone somehow affecting my router. 
This has worked well as the Gigabit switch marshalls my local SIP phones 
and FXS port and the main cat 5 network which in turn has a 16 port 
distibution switch connected to two *boxes and further local SIP and 
IAX2 phones and also to an 8 port switch (with my third *box, third 
Windows PC, local IAX2 phone and FXS ports) and a 5 port switch (with 
2nd Windows PC, FXS ports and IAX2 phone). At some point I intend to 
futher split the voice from the data by introducing additional switches 
and wireless routers which I bought last year. Currently I am not using 
wireless anywhere in my network and have it disabled in the router.

Brian

John Novack wrote:
> As many of us know, SIP can be a problem, especially with NAT.
> I have both Stanaphone and Gizmo as SIP providers, one is my portal for 
> users to access CNET, and although I don't often rely on it for my ONLY 
> connection to the PSTN, it mostly works.
> I also have Vonage with their locked ATA on the LAN side of my router.
> I use an 8 port Linksys consumer grade router with no related problems. 
> When I used their 4 port version, with different firmware, SIP would die 
> after about 18 minutes, sometimes killing all Internet access, sometimes 
> coming back. This was with Vonage, Stanaphone and Gizmo.
> Once I changed the router to the 8 port version, I had no more problems.
> It has a completely different problem. My ISP is Comcast, and every so 
> often they go on a tear of changing IP addresses, it seems not simply 
> for me to annoy me, but they are doing some sort of network 
> re-configuration or a fall back network or ??? No sense in calling 
> customer service. I get better answers from my dogs!
> So when they are in this mode, I either have to tell the WAN DHCP to 
> release and renew, or at times power cycle the router.
> I have no high energy RF to upset my router, as Jeff does.
> I have often though of going up a level or two with routers, but just as 
> I explore the current field, things settle down for many weeks/months so 
> the issue moves to the back of the line.
> I currently have built a small MonoWall configuration. I may go that 
> route. The last time I tried, I had difficulty getting CNET to work, 
> though everything else seemed just fine.
>
> Anyone have experience with other routers they would care to share?
>
> John Novack
>
> Spock71 wrote:
>   
>> Everytime I see no messages for a day or so, I think something's wrong with my e-mail client, listserve subscription, or the mail daemon at CNET; but I think it's actually the fact that nobody has anything to say at the time.  So, that being the case, I'll add something.
>>
>> I had planned previously to purchase an Intertex router to solve my SIP problems that I've been having with no-audio calls going out from my box completing over that protocol.  I decided to hold off thinking the problems would somehow be worked-around, and that, according to John I didn't need a costly router to get everything I want to work on my * box, as IAX calls are great with very few or no difficulties.
>>   Now this evening, 2 of my PSTN calls (via VoicePulse) over my ITSP were prematurely cut off after less than 30 seconds.  Now I don't know if that occured as a result of my opening up additional ranges of ports in my Linksys 300N router, or if there was actually a VoicePulse issue.  Since I've very rarely had difficulty with VoicePulse actually failing during a SIP call, I prefer to think it is the 'former', or something related to my Linksys 300N.
>> While not very likely due to routers from Linksys I've used before (and placing them in front of my 3-set windows looking S.E.), it is certainly possible that I may have affected the poor lil plastic-enclosed 300N when I transmitted on H.F. frequencies for the first time last night on SSB on 3 bands (160, 80 and 40 meters) with between 40 and 100 Watts RF.  Previously, I'd used only the VHF/UHF bands of 2-meters and above, which is 144 MHz. and up, with no difficulties.  Additionally, I don't believe consumer-grade routers are built with a high quality of care or components.
>> Since the possibility of damage exists, and since I canNOT tolerate failure on SIP over my ITSPs VoicePulse and BroadVoice, I placed and order for an Intertex SurfinBird IX67 FW AIR GW2 router this morning, which may or may not arrive tomorrow via Priority Overnight FedEx, as I ordered.  This router has 2 FXS and 1 FXO port, along with a built-in SIP proxy mini-server and full total integration of that proxy with the firewall and with NAT hardware/firmware.  This router ALSO supports full SIP and other media types on it's 4-port LAN despite other-brand routers' omitting that support in total favor of built-in SIP ports that a few do have, and the rest who don't have any support for SIP or IAX at "all".  The cost was over $300 but I feel it is well worth it, since this router is a commercial-grade router in addition to it's VoIP/SIP speciality-design.  I also plan to place it at least 3 feet from the edge of the window opening(s).  {I only wish it had a metal case too, for a
>>     
>  dd
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>>  ed RF protection since the case can be grounded}.  This model also has wireless 802.11 b/g support.
>>
>> After the Intertex is installed and configured, the recordings I spoke of previously will be made available.  Some will be put on the * box, but I think alot will be put on this neat lil device I forgot I had until tonight: an AEC (Automation Electronics Corp.) model 712 "The Messenger" mini-IVR system.  It appears in good shape still; it has 6 line-ports (RJ-45), handset port (RJ-11), Remote Change line port (RJ-45), and C.O./PBX switchable termination for each of the 6 lines, and a separate Ext. MIC jack (which can be used as a line-level input via an attenuating mini-phone jack patchcord).  With over a dozen function buttons, a numeric keypad and a 5-digit LED readout, I think it rises above any ordinary consumer-grade voicemail or audio storage system.  I wonder if any of you fellows have had experience with this or other AEC-brand equipment.  It seems heavy and of good sturdy quality (with a metal case, of course).  I found this at one of the many hamfests (Amateur Rad
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>  io
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>>   flea-markets) that I've been to.
>>
>> You should know that hamfests can be a trove for telephone equipments as well, especially collectors.  I've seen manual-ring phones, a couple fan-tail plunger lineswitches, 500- and 2500- type phones, 1A2 and other partial and WHOLE keysystems, and 1 or 2 entire PBXs at some of these hamfests, especially the larger hamfests.  I have yet to find an entire CDO central office, but I've seen a few selectors/connectors since I've been a ham or 20 years, as well as a crossbar switch or two, and some misc. telephone gear and equipment and parts I wasn't familiar with.  If any of you live close or within decent traveling distance to Dayton, OH, you might want to make the journey there this coming Spring, since it is THE LARGEST hamfest in the world with people traveling from outside the U.S. to attend it.  I believe they still have the site http://www.daytonhamvention.com as the official website.
>>
>> At any rate, I'll update on here as I get this lil gem of mine set up for my audio recordings and place it online with 1 or 2 assigned (perhaps more) numbers.
>> 73's,
>> de  Jeff   (KA3RXE)                                                                  Amateur Radio:  A National Resource
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