[*] Asterisk on Raspberry Pi - My journey

[Dan Keizer]

Sounds like you've certainly had a good time with great results.

While I do have a RPI, I do not use it for VoIP/asterisk - it was used just
to play with and will be used as a media controller (having the HDMI and
digital audio out is a great feature here!)

I have a physical server hosting an older asterisk installation with
numerous VM's hosted on ESXi for backup pbx's and to test out other
distributions.  I've tried other VM services, but I seem to like (and am
used to) ESXi.  If you look at using a VM, be aware that those older X100
cards that were brought in a few years ago really don't work with VM's - so
the SPA devices are preferred in that context.

I think you hit it on the head with your comment about the
*-acceptance-factor :-)  Certainly has to work like an appliance.

Like you, I have an SPA3101, and it worked well with the POTS line when it
was here - configured as an extension.  Now that I don't have a POTS line,
I guess I really don't need it, so if you're interested, we'll have to have
a coffee one day :-)

Also, there is a local supplier for your RPI.  There may be others around
that have them, but I've used Active Electronics on Century - they have
them for $49.  Last time I checked a week or so ago, they still had a good
selection.

As a side-note - if you're looking for "true backup communications" -- you
can get your Amateur Radio licence fairly easily these days (no morse code
required if you don't use it).  It's amazing that in this day and age
(flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes etc) ham radio has been used extensively
when all-else (cell, terrestrial, etc)  fails.  You really don't need
expensive towers/beams/etc to work most countries (they do help though) - a
simple wire-antenna/tuner will suffice most of the time.
There are two basic courses that just started up .. i'm sure more will
follow -- here's the reference:
https://www.rac.ca/en/amateur-radio/beginner-info/courses/

(anyways, that's my plug for radio :-)

Dan.

On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 10:01 AM, Hernan Popper <hernanp at key.com.ar> wrote:

> Lots of activity online for the RPI, as an Asterisk PBX, a XBMC media
> server, and hundred of applications. I had one running PIAF for RPI for 10
> weeks forwarding some remote DIDs to my cell phone via GVoice, not a single
> problem or reboot required.
>
> I started migrating my 7 years old IBM to my RPI. 90% of migration is
> done, some extra dids and disa/IVR tweaking still required, but is already
> routing calls and WAF is at 95%.
>
> Biggest challenge was configuring successfuly the SPA3000 as an FXO
> gateway. Details available if interested! I'm not ready yet to drop my MTS
> line, time will tell.
>
> It looks like the little thing is good enough to run up to 10 simultaneous
> calls (as per online discussions)... good enough as a remote asterisk for
> remote locations, which some of you may find interesting!
>
> I'll be ordering a second SPA3000, another RPI, power supply and SD card
> to have a complete cold backup system.
>
> If anybody has some spares not being used (SPA3000, RPI), let me know and
> I'm a buyer!
> I also have some older (but never used) IP phones I bought some time ago
> (AASTRA, Polycom), collecting dust. Drop me a note if interested.
>
> Next experiment in the to-do list, running Asterisk in a windows 7
> virtualbox instance. Now that I have the FXO figured out, it might be
> another option for my communication dreams...
>
> Hernan
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Asterisk mailing list
> Asterisk at muug.mb.ca
> http://www.muug.mb.ca/mailman/listinfo/asterisk
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.muug.mb.ca/pipermail/asterisk/attachments/20130122/f3e37bc2/attachment-0001.html>