I am new at all this and am wanting to use PBXiaF as my home phone system. I am going to buy a TDM400P to connect my landline to my server and then use Cisco 7941s as my phones. However, I don’t know how I would connect my ADT alarm system. I need it to always be able to call out, even in case of power outage or other emergency. Would leaving the alarm system connected directly to the PSTN line work, or do I HAVE to connect it to my TDM400P.
Thanks!!!
The alarm should be connected directly to the phone line using using a CA38 jack. If it isn’t connected properly you will get phantom calls when ever the alarm panel makes a call.
My alarm system was set up by ADT, so I don’t really know how it is connected other than it is connected to the AT&T PSTN line. Do you know if I could leave the alarm connected the way it is and then use my Asterisk (PBXiaF) box, connected to the same PSTN, for my phones? Would the alarm still be able to call out in case of an emergency?
There is a site out there somewhere that shows how to use your inside phone wiring with a VoIP device, and includes instructions on hooking up when there is an alarm system present. While that’s not what you’re trying to do, the thing I remember is it has a diagram of the special jack that’s used with alarm systems, and that the PSTN line comes in on one side and then all the phone jacks in the home are connected to the other side. So as long as you connect your card to an existing phone jack inside your home, you should be fine. The thing you should not do is run a new line direct to the network interface box on the outside of the house.
Thank you so much for your help! 