Hi all
Apologies if this is a very simple request, but I’m new to all of this and trying to learn along the way
I am in the process of building a warden call demo rig. Normally we’d buy a “pre built” PBX/DECT set up from our supplier and simply plug and go but in this situation, the PBX supplied would be far too over the top and too big for the kit. So I am trying to build one
The results required are quite simple. The warden call system has a simple phone output and when it requires interaction, it would simply ring a phone if plugged in directly to the control rack. What I am trying to achieve is for this to ring a DECT handset. I’ve got a RTX DECT base set up with a handset which is paired up to extension 501 Freepbx server running on a PI. That side of things works fine. The bit I’m having issue with is the warden call to PBX side.
The warden call control rack is connected to a HT813 on the FXO port. I have created a trunk on the PBX (5000) which is programmed into the FXO page of the ATA. No matter what I do, I can’t get it to dial out, or dial into the warden call. I realise I haven’t “told” the PBX to direct those calls to 501 and I’m not quite sure how to do that, but even dialling 5000, I can’t dial into the warden call system. The system acknowledges the line is seized by the ATA but there’s no speech.
I am not very familiar with warden call systems, but as I understand it, there are two common configurations. When the warden is at a remote site, the system connects to a POTS line or similar and dials out to call the remote warden. If you were trying to emulate this, you would use the FXS port on the HT813. In the other config, the warden is local and the system emulates a POTS line, ringing the warden’s directly connected analog phone.
Your description indicates the latter config, so why don’t you just directly connect a consumer DECT base (which has an analog interface) to the warden system, without using a PBX? Are you specifically trying to demo the system with IP DECT phones?
If so:
For resident to warden calls, you set up an Inbound Route (which for this purpose could be any/any) to send all calls to extension 501.
This would be a warden to resident call? How should that work? Does the warden get dial tone from the system and press keys to indicate the desired resident? By “no speech” do you mean no dial tone? Or did you get far enough to activate the resident’s device but then there is no audio? Please describe the desired call flow in each direction.
Thanks for the response Stewart. Let me fill in a gap about the system.
The system has two outputs. A PSTN line to dial off site to an alarm receiving centre (not in use in this scenario) and a DECT output for onsite calls. The DECT Output will simply “ring” a phone which is plugged into the output when a call is placed onto the system and when it is answered by the user, the user interacts with the system by listening to voice prompts and controlling it with DTMF tones
Now, on a real site, we would install a DECT system throughout using a Matrix PBX to pass the calls through to the DECT extension (often 500). In this demo case, we just want one DECT base station and a small form PBX.
We have a RTX 8660 DECT base station and a RTX 8630 handset both of which are paired successfully. The base is successfully logged onto the Freepbx on ext 501. The warden call system DECT output is wired to the FXO port of the HT813
I have made a bit of progress today. I have made a new trunk (trunk 5000) and set this on the FXO port with an unconditional forward to 501. If I place a help call on the warden call system, the DECT handset rings (albeit after about 5-7 seconds) and I get the speech prompts so we have a successful inbound call with speech. My two remaining issues are as follows
The DTMF from the DECT handset does not work. I have proven the warden call is ok by using a analogue phone plugged directly into the warden call, where the DTMF works
Whilst inbound calls from the warden call to the DECT work, outbound calls from the DECT to the warden call do not. Dialling 5000 just ends up with continuous ringing.
When dialling into the warden call system, if working correctly the system should answer the call immediately and then present a “ready” voice prompt at which point, I could use DTMF to interact with the system. Dialling 5000, the handset just rings and rings. Looking on the HT813, the FXO port is not lighting up in this scenario.
From ext. 501, call *43 (echo test). Confirm that the echo works (outbound audio ok), then press #. You should hear “The echo test has ended.” If either of those fail, we’ll troubleshoot that first. You might connect a softphone to the PBX as another extension, to see whether the trouble is related to the DECT.
The delay is waiting for caller ID info. If no meaningful caller ID is presented, you can just set the delay to 0. Or, if the warden call can send a caller ID format that uses polarity reversal, you can set matching format in the HT and set the delay to 1 second.
5000 is the trunk name. Just because it contains only digits doesn’t magically make it a destination. Set up an Outbound Route that accepts some digit string from the DECT and sends the same or different string, as needed, on the trunk.
For incoming, remove the forward to 501 and set up an Inbound Route with DID and CID both left at Any, with ext. 501 as destination.
If you still have trouble, at the Asterisk command prompt, type pjsip set logger on
and/or sip set debug on
according to the channel drivers you used. Make failing inbound and/or outbound calls. Paste the Asterisk logs for the calls at pastebin.com and post the link here. If you are too new, just post the last eight characters of the URL. Also post a screenshot of the HT FXO page.