Author Topic: Who wants to be on C*NET? (Read 33145 times)

Just4Phones · « **Reply #75 on:** May 07, 2012, 08:20:13 PM »

Shouldn't that be 001 KLondike5-3226?

twocvbloke · « **Reply #76 on:** May 07, 2012, 10:23:44 PM »

Something like that...

DavePEI · « **Reply #77 on:** June 19, 2012, 12:24:01 PM »

Back to the original intent of this topic...

Sure like to see more of the regulars on CRPF also join C*NET.

It is so great just being able to pick up the phone and call a gentleman in Ireland and have a very long chat with him and to have it cost nothing.

Or to have people to call the museum or the phone at my desk in the other house from around the world.

In its simplest form, all you need is an ATA (such as the Grandstream which I love), and a telephone to plug into it, and of course a computer and good internet connection.

I don't recommend a Motorola VT1000 - It is very difficult to set up. Most of these were dedicated Vonage units, and need to be reconfigured and unlocked before using. I got a couple, and I finally had to give it to my own network administrator (literally my son who won the Skills Canada Network Administration category in Edmonton a month or so ago), and it took several weeks before he got it going with my Asterisk server (having to find configuration software, etc.).

Some ATAs, including the Grandstream will allow the use of a ROTARY phone. Imagine that! Wouldn't that be great to call other members using a real vintage phone! Others won't support rotary, but either way, you can have a great time, and you don't need a long distance plan.

Our Internet connection isn't the fastest available, yet the sound quality of a C*net call is excellent - even with the call coming from another continent.

You don't need an Asterisk server if all you want to do is make and receive the odd call. I have one because I intend to set up a number of systems including the Strowger demos in the museum. However if using an ATA to connect, it can be hosted on someone else's system within the system. More info on the main C*Net page:
https://www.ckts.info/

First step is to get an ATA (I bought the Grandstreams on eBay for about $30 each). Then you need to reserve an office code by following the instructions on the C*Net page.

The interesting thing, is you can have any office code available. If you are lucky as I was, you might even be able to get the same office code as your normal number. Resulting from that, my office number here is the same as my home phone number which is kind of neat. You can only call other C*net members, but I find that great, as I find those are the ones which would cost me a lot of $$$ to call in I weren't using C*net!

Anyway, sure would love to see more people using C*net! Something for people to look into!

Dave

DavePEI · « **Reply #78 on:** June 19, 2012, 01:21:59 PM »

Quote from: Adam on May 06, 2012, 12:08:32 AM

Unfortunately, you picked one of the hardest to configure ATAs that you could possibly find. They are configurable, however. I have two here myself that I bought for grins, and I did get one working once. Good news is, several of us here and on the C*NET list have made them work, so there's help here for you on this aspect, too.

Hi Adam:

Believe it or not, I have my Motorola working. I gave them to my son (the network administrator) with the proviso that if he were to get them working, he could keep one :-) He downloaded the configuration software, put it on our server, and got them both working. They are a pain in the butt, though! I sure prefer the Grandstreams! He is using the other Motorola with his home VOIP.

Dave

Phonesrfun · « **Reply #79 on:** June 19, 2012, 01:26:25 PM »

I am on C*Net and I have enjoyed it.

I am currently using a VT1000 (Former Vonage surplus unit), and it has trouble synching up sometimes. I am thinking of getting a Grandstream. I am one who wanted to do it the easy way, so I chose to have the ATA run off someone else's host. Works just fine. Basically plug and play.

Hoprfully the guy that currently provides me with the C*Net service can support a Grandstream when I get one. I have heard good things about the Grandstream ATA from my friend in So. Cal, Colin Chambers.

DavePEI · « **Reply #80 on:** June 19, 2012, 01:33:53 PM »

Quote from: Phonesrfun on June 19, 2012, 01:26:25 PM

I am on C*Net and I have enjoyed it.
Hopefully the guy that currently provides me with the C*Net service can support a Grandstream when I get one. I have heard good things about the Grandstream ATA from my friend in So. Cal, Colin Chambers.

I have three of the Grandsteam HT502s now and love them. The grandsteams all but the one I have set up in the house are being kept for future useage - you should have no problem setting them up on his server - in fact, it will be a lot easier than setting up the VT-1000.

As I get the Asterisk server filled up, I will be setting up the rest over in the museum.

I got mine from a Quebec vendor for $34.99 plus shipping:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221011411721

Dave

Phonesrfun · « **Reply #81 on:** June 19, 2012, 01:42:06 PM »

The guy who hosts my C*Net did all the set-up and sent it to me already set up. Therefore I did not have to do one iota of ATA set-up configuration.

I think that if we want to get more people onto C*Net, the process needs to be "dumbed-down" to the point where it is plug and play. I don't mind admitting that I wanted the simple version and did not want to wade through a bunch of configuration parameters in hexidecimal formatted numbers and idiotic mnemonics.

DavePEI · « **Reply #82 on:** June 19, 2012, 01:47:07 PM »

Quote from: Phonesrfun on June 19, 2012, 01:42:06 PM

The guy who hosts my C*Net did all the set-up and sent it to me already set up. Therefore I did not have to do one iota of ATA set-up configuration.

I think that if we want to get more people onto C*Net, the process needs to be "dumbed-down" to the point where it is plug and play. I don't mind admitting that I wanted the simple version and did not want to wade through a bunch of configuration parameters in hexidecimal formatted numbers and idiotic mnemonics.

That is why a while ago on the C*net list server, I suggested that they on tutorials on for various common ATA's - to simplify the set-up for those who aren't familiar with them. Mind you, those like the Grandstream are much easier to set up, but someone held my hand while I set my first one up. Once you have done it once, it is really easy.

Fortunately, thanks to the fellow who put it together, my asterisk server really was simple to set up - setting the permissions on the network firewall were a bit if a pain, but that wasn't a problem with the Asterisk machine. PBX in a Flash was used which does the installation of both asterisk and FreePBX and other needed modules, and beyond that, a quick phone call straightened out the rest of the problems. Kind of fun when you get past that. Still, the ATAs are easier to set up than using an asterisk server.

But one has to get to that point

Dave

gpo706 · « **Reply #83 on:** June 19, 2012, 04:23:35 PM »

I'm having to start from the beginning again, been 2 years almost since I tried the Linksys, seemed OK at the time but then we were on BT ADSL, and had occasional disconnects, now the CO line is on Virgin cable BB, so where to start?

I hope Mr. Jolly is still about to talk me through it all!

Ideally I would like get another 2 CO lines into the Pana 616 (CO2/3) to use on CNET.

DavePEI · « **Reply #84 on:** August 05, 2012, 06:20:07 AM »

Sunday, with the help of John Jones, we got the Cisco router working with the North American Strowger demo, and hopefully within a couple of days, it will be possible to dial into it using CNET. Right now, it is possible to connect to it using another phone connected to the router - we still need to connect the router and asterisk together to make it possible to call in. Soon, however, people on CNET will be able to call into the 75 year old switches which make up the demo unit, and to connect to the phones connected to it. When one calls it, it is possible to hear the switch stepping through the selector to the connector, and finally completing the call.

When the British Strowger demo is completed, it will also be possible to connect to it. Thanks to Chad Perkins who donated the router, and to my son Jeff who worked around a problem found after Chad was here, to John Jones and to Dean Clark for their help in setting it up!

I am currently on CNET with 1-651-0001 as the museum line - you will get a messaging machine when I am not there, and from my house next door from 1-651-2762 via a Grandstream ATA. When finished being set up, the line to the North American Strowger switch will be 1-651-3121 ir 651-3212 depending upon which phone you will be connecting to, You will hear the progress of the switching once you hit the 121 ir 212 numbers. I hope to have this fully operational within the next couple of days.

When the British Strowger demo is operational, I will announce its numbers.

I have just this morning run a permanent line to the demo switch - all that remains now is to get the server talking to the router.

http://www.islandregister.com/phones/new.html

DavePEI · « **Reply #85 on:** August 06, 2012, 05:45:55 AM »

Hi All:

Work progressed very well on the Cisco router and CNET installation yesterday. Chad Perkins and John Jones, and I spent a very long time on a CNET conference call while we worked to get Asterisk recognizing the router. It is now working, with the displays on the router, and is now accessible to the outside world. Thank you so much Chad and John. In addition, I would like to say a special thanks to Chad for donating the router.

We expect to do some fine tuning today - there are a couple of small problems, but they are relatively minor. We checked it out yesterday afternoon with several calls from John and Chad into the North American Strowger switch. It is nice to see it come alive from a call on VOIP.

The first four digits are handled by Asterisk, and the final three are passed to the demo to allow it to ring one of the phones on the unit.

One thing I was reminded of yesterday is that 6 years ago when I built the switch, I never did hook up the interruptor for the ringer - it really wasn't necessary then, as when it was being demonstrated in the museum, I could hang it up when the called phone was ringing by simply hanging up the butt set used to make the call. Now, on CNET, the caller needs to hear the ring interruption to follow the call progress. SO, last night, at long last, I finished that chore. Six years late, but better late than never!

Once we are completed our testing, I will publish the numbers of the two phones on the demo. The switch for safety reasons will only be left on when I am in the museum.

When the new British Strowger switch is completed, it, too will be added to the system, and it will have its own numbers.

Dave

Babybearjs · « **Reply #86 on:** February 18, 2014, 02:45:14 AM »

this is all new to me on this subject, so be patient..... exactly how does this work? Phil McCarter suggested I look into this... I have a old WE 200 series KTU that will support up to 4 lines. I originally had Centurylink bring in 3 landlines to my location. I am now down to 1... the other 2 have been disconnected and the T/R leads have been "Parked" on a terminal strip. My KTU is all wired for all 4 lines and the jacks thoughout the house support the original 3 lines.. the 4th line is a spare not fully wired.... Phil mentioned some sort of VOIP interface to reactivate the 2nd and 3rd lines for free over Cnet.... how does this work?? whats it all about?? John

Weco355aman · « **Reply #87 on:** February 18, 2014, 02:56:57 PM »

John
This will be a additional dialtone line to your Key system. The Main issue you will only be able to call other C Net numbers. The ATA (Analog telephone adapter) connects to your Internet, and you have 2 port's (lines) to connect to anything that you want. The ata that I'll send you will be able to accept touchtone or rotary dial. You can call between the to lines. This can be used for testing phones.

Babybearjs · « **Reply #88 on:** February 19, 2014, 04:28:58 AM »

I'm seeing that there are a lot of different adapters out there... can they all be used on Cnet? or is there just one specific one you have to use...

xhausted110 · « **Reply #89 on:** February 19, 2014, 06:26:01 PM »

Quote from: Babybearjs on February 19, 2014, 04:28:58 AM

I'm seeing that there are a lot of different adapters out there... can they all be used on Cnet? or is there just one specific one you have to use...

you'll want an adapter that says it supports SIP (session initiation protocol)

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