I set up freepbx following RonR’s instructions and have been using my gvsip pbx for the last 4 months. I believe that using raspberry pi for my server is much more practical and economical than using a Ubuntu server. RonR says the whole process takes about an hour; for me it took closer to two or three hours. If you have questions along the way to setting up your server (or even after setting up your pbx with gvsip), just ask RonR at the end of his blog/forum (now it would be on pg 25). In any case, once your freepbx server is set up, make sure you follow along in the DSLreports forum (see the website mentioned above). You might have to make an occasional tweak (depending on what changes Google incorporates into google voice).
It comes up all the time. We’ve had a couple of questions on it in the past week.
As has been discussed many times, there are two problems you will run into with this setup.
There are no modules for the RasPBX implementation. Commercial modules, or licensed free modules require you to install the SNG7 version of CentOS and the “distro” version of the system.
Unless you take positive steps to avoid using thumb drives for your main media, you will eventually destroy your install media because of read/write cycle limits. This usually shows up a database errors to start, followed shortly thereafter by problems booting.
With those exceptions, the RasPBX implementation is awesome. For something like a system in your dorm room or your house, it will probably last several months. In a business setting, where the commercial modules have a lot of facility, you are going to slam into the limits of the platform pretty quickly.
Unless you take positive steps to avoid using thumb drives for your main media, you will eventually destroy your install media because of read/write cycle limits. This usually shows up a database errors to start, followed shortly thereafter by problems booting.Blockquote
Easy fix to SD card/usb drives "wearing out": backup the system – image-backup is a bash script that RonR supplies with his gvsip which easily copies the freepbx system; you just mount a usb device onto the raspberry pi and run the script; when the SD no longer works, just copy the backup onto the SD card with dd.
I have had absolutely no luck with Raspbx – at least for gvsip implementation. RonR’s method incorporates Raspian Stretch. My system has been up and running for four months with no problems. I used to use a Cisco ATA as a Google Voice home phone, but was forced to look for an alternative after Google changed their system into a full SIP system last July – and I did not want to be forced to use Obi 200.
You, of course, are right when you say that raspberry pi is no good for commercial use; I use it in my home, and I pay nothing for calls I make in the US or Canada, thanks to RonR, Google Voice, and Raspberry Pi.
For home use, I don’t see the point of running freepbx on a Ubuntu/Debian server: a PC takes up space, uses more electricity, creates heat and noise (raspberry pi, as you know, is completely silent) and costs a lot more than $35. SSD’s or harddrives on a PC are not immune to wear and tear; they too will eventually "wear out".
If you have more than 10 phones/phone numbers, then raspberry pi would not be an option, but if you only have a few (10 or fewer), raspberry pi is more than adequate. In any case, I believe that it is important for the Freepbx community to know that raspberry pi can easily be converted into a totally free PBX (gvsip) for home use.