FAX server question...
Submitted by kristiandg on Sun, 08/24/2008 - 6:41pm.
Hi all. I've scoured the forums looking for some info on whether Trixbox can act as an inbound FAX server (FAX to email). It looks like it can, from this link:
http://www.trixbox.org/wiki/fax-2-email
However, the confusing part for me..... I followed the instructions at the link above, and can't get the system to answer with a FAX tone. I'm sure I'm missing something, I just don't know what.
Along those lines, my SIP trunk is tied to an Avaya IP Office (that was quite easy actually, once I knew what I was doing), but I couldn't figure out how to make it so I could have the IP Office just forward dialed digits to Trixbox without having to build an incoming route for each. What I'm used to is every inbound DID is processed as-dialed unless a more specific inbound route is specified (then it takes priority).
In the end I had to make the TIE trunk "Context=from-internal" to make this happen, but now incoming routes are ignored complete, as if sent calls are being dialed from an on-system phone (hence "from-internal"). Any better way to do this too?
Thanks...
Kris
It's a little different than a traditional PBX
Sun, 08/24/2008 - 9:18pm
Quote:
In the end I had to make the TIE trunk "Context=from-internal" to make this happen, but now incoming routes are ignored complete, as if sent calls are being dialed from an on-system phone (hence "from-internal"). Any better way to do this too?
You are exactly correct. If you notice extensions are in from-internal by default. The inbound routes are part of from-pstn and other related contexts.
I often find it easier to setup two SIP trunks if you are originating outbound calls from a system on a tie trunk, one for extension to extension and another to access the trunks.
--
Scott
aka "Skyking"
you won't hera
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 1:48am
you won't hear a fax tone unless you're a fax, AIUI. In other words when Trixbox decides the incoming call is a fax, by listening, then it starts the tones. It doesn't start with tones like an analog fax machine would.
Dialing 666 from an extension simulates a detected fax call to check it's all working OK, but unless someone knows better I don't think you'll dial in and hear the fax tones from a phone, but a fax machine will call, be detected and handshake as required.
Well, I tried 2 things.
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 6:55am
Well, I tried 2 things. First, I disabled voicemail (and there's no phone there) hoping it would still monitor for tones. Yeah, that didn't work (busy signal). So, I re-enabled voicemail and set it to monitor for FAX tones for 20 seconds. Both ways, I sent a FAX to the extension and it ignored it.
I did try the 666 code and heard FAX so I know that part works.
My goal is to make it a FAX-only extension. Is there any way to do this, or am I just screwed?
Scott, thats a good idea, I think I'll do that. Its not like its a real trunk anyway with T1's and such... Its all virtual. :)
Thanks.
Kris
faxing
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 8:03am
Not all Fax machines are equal
If you are using a "faxing device" which does present tones to the asterisk box then it does not work.
Some faxing devices are like asterisk they wait for the tones, crappy Multi-purpose units / modems in PC and the like are the ones who fail most.
You will find the built-in fax unreliable
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 12:18pm
If you only need it every once in awhile, then its OK. However, if you depend on it, you will end up not liking it. It will work, but you will get garbled faxes and corrupt PDFs. The built in fax does not have error correction.
If you need to depend on it, use hylafax. It works extremely well and can integrate with TB CE seamlessly.
Also need a modem
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 5:37pm
You need to add a modem. You can use a real modem, or you can use a virtual modem. There will be a package called iaxmodem in yum that you can add to install a virtual modem.
This post covers the whole install in detail. It also covers installing avantfax.
http://trixbox.org/forums/trixbox-forums/share-your-trixbox-succe...
You don't have to do everything in that post anymore (for 2.4.2 or higher). Mostly, you just need to check file ownership and permission on the config files and make sure the config files are set properly. Setting up the faxgetty is very important and must be done correctly. Try it out on a test system and hack away. Post configs if you need some help.
Thanks
-Doug
DID's though?
Wed, 08/27/2008 - 5:14am
Will an AIX modem allow me to support DIDs? And I don't mean building a modem for each number. In an ideal world, I'd build modems for the number of concurrent FAXes I wanted to receive, and each one would support DID service so they could identify the recipient and receive multiple calls for the recipient at a given moment.
Also, changing DIDs and creating new users. Please tell me there's a web interface for doing this.....
Thanks.
Kris
Member Since:
2008-03-23