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Who wants to be on C*NET?

Started by bellsystemproperty, April 02, 2010, 08:41:34 PM

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teka-bb

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Regards,

Remco, JKL Museum of Telephony Curator

JKL Museum of Telephony: http://jklmuseum.com/
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TCI Library: http://www.telephonecollectors.info/
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bellsystemproperty

There's still a lot of people here that aren't on C*NET yet too.
C*NET # 794-5953 (KYLE)

JorgeAmely

The other side of the coin is:

Can someone from inside the C*NET network call anyone in the POTS system?

I don't see a lot of benefits so far for being in the C*NET network.... am I missing something?

PS: I called the +1 (206) 203-6610 number and it was busy. I guess you can't use a rotary phone to call this number, right?



Jorge

bellsystemproperty

#18
I can give you a number and you can play with it on a softphone. If you don't like it you can just quit using it.

No you can't call the PSTN because that would cost money, and C*NET doesn't provide that. You'd need a provider like voip.ms or Vonage for that. On my switch you can call toll free numbers though, because that is free for the caller.
C*NET # 794-5953 (KYLE)

Phonesrfun

Congratulations, Kyle on getting your C-net server up and running.  No small task.  As you know, I am already on C-net.

Jorge, it would not be a direct replacement of your family phone line, but it is kind of a cool toy.  I use it to have yet another couple of lines in and out of my Panasonic 616.  There is another collector named Colin that has not participated on this board yet, but he and I do use the C*Net system to chat away quite frequently.  It is very good quality sound and is very reliable.

Some folks have entire step switches and other legacy PBX systems hooked up, along with all kinds of test numbers, recordings and all kinds of other connectivity schemes.

All one needs is an ATA or a soft phone such as X-Lite to be in business.  Since that softphone is free, it can be set up for no cost.  Unlocked Vonage ATA's are out there for about $20 or $25.

-Bill G

Greg G.

Quote from: Phonesrfun on July 17, 2010, 12:06:49 AM
Congratulations, Kyle on getting your C-net server up and running.  No small task.  As you know, I am already on C-net.

Jorge, it would not be a direct replacement of your family phone line, but it is kind of a cool toy.  I use it to have yet another couple of lines in and out of my Panasonic 616.  There is another collector named Colin that has not participated on this board yet, but he and I do use the C*Net system to chat away quite frequently.  It is very good quality sound and is very reliable.

Some folks have entire step switches and other legacy PBX systems hooked up, along with all kinds of test numbers, recordings and all kinds of other connectivity schemes.

All one needs is an ATA or a soft phone such as X-Lite to be in business.  Since that softphone is free, it can be set up for no cost.  Unlocked Vonage ATA's are out there for about $20 or $25.

Can I plug into it using my PBX?
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Phonesrfun

Yes, although in order to go into the Panasonic 308 the softphone approach would not work, you would need to buy an ATA, which creates a POTS line output.  It would act like a regular phone line, except that as mentioned before, it is a collectors network and is not directly connected to the outside world.

You can, however dial into any C*Net number from any regular phone by first dialing an access number and then dialing the C*Net number at the C*Net dial tone.  For instance, there in the 206 area code is one of those access portals to C*Net.  It is in Kyle's original post, and it is 206-203-6610.  You would get John Covert's announcement, then, for instance to call Kyle's C*Net number, you would dial 1-794-5953.  If you had the ATA hooked to your Internet, you would pick up the phone and at the dial tone, just dial 1-794-5953 without having to call the access portal.

If you have the C*Net ATA, you can really only call other collectors and the various recordings and so forth.  But that is no small deal.  For instance, you can call Remco in Holland, all for free, but remember what time it is in Europe before calling!

There are no fees or charges to be on C*Net, but if you do want to use an ATA, you do have to buy one of those.  Of course there are other far more elaborate ways to connect than using an ATA.  Kyle has just gone the next step beyond the ATA and configured his own server.  You see, with the ATA, you go through someone else's server.

-Bill G

Greg G.

#22
Not sure I understand.  I looked up ATA's, but they all refer to Voip, which I don't have.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

JorgeAmely

Quote from: Phonesrfun on July 17, 2010, 02:50:32 AM
You can, however dial into any C*Net number from any regular phone by first dialing an access number and then dialing the C*Net number at the C*Net dial tone.

Bill: To do the above, you need a TT phone, right?
Jorge

JorgeAmely

Quote from: Phonesrfun on July 17, 2010, 02:50:32 AM
Of course there are other far more elaborate ways to connect than using an ATA.  Kyle has just gone the next step beyond the ATA and configured his own server.  You see, with the ATA, you go through someone else's server.

Bill, another question: If you have your own server, you still need the ATA to connect your phone(s) to your own server. Is that correct?
Jorge

AE_Collector

Quote from: JorgeAmely on July 16, 2010, 11:08:43 PM

I don't see a lot of benefits so far for being in the C*NET network.... am I missing something?


Jorge:

I don't consider the advantage of C*net to be for free phone calls but rather as a way to place calls through other collectors switching equipment and to their various collectible telephones.

C*net is acting like tie lines and trunks tying everyones switch gear together therby putting traffic back onto these systems and in doing so we are able to call anyone else who is on C*net, anywhere in the world (for free).

Some of the initial users have small and even large Step by Step PABX's and/or CO's set up in their basements or "Switch rooms". With a connection to C*net, they now hear their systems working as they used to in the real world. Callers into the system hear the various tones generated by these antique and collectible systems as well as the particular sounds made processing calls.

S0 while classifying it as a toy is probably pretty accurate, us phone collectors can never have enough toys, right?

That is my take on the C*net.

Terry

bellsystemproperty

Quote from: JorgeAmely on July 17, 2010, 10:35:45 AM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on July 17, 2010, 02:50:32 AM
You can, however dial into any C*Net number from any regular phone by first dialing an access number and then dialing the C*Net number at the C*Net dial tone.

Bill: To do the above, you need a TT phone, right?

If you have a Panasonic 616 or 308 or 1232 it will convert the pulses to tone and you will be able to use the access number. I think you have a 616. Plus, this way it doesn't matter if the ATA works with rotary or tone because the 616 is converting it to tone for you.
C*NET # 794-5953 (KYLE)

bellsystemproperty

Quote from: Brinybay on July 17, 2010, 03:44:19 AM
Not sure I understand.  I looked up ATA's, but they all refer to Voip, which I don't have, I use my cell phone in conjunction with the XLink plugged in to the PBX.
There are many kinds of Voip. The kind you are thinking of is a telephone company like Vonage that gives you a PSTN number and costs money. The kind of voip I'm referring you uses the same technology but uses C*NET as the network and gives you a C*NET number all for free.
Any ATA will work, as long as it is not locked to any service provider. These will usually say they are unlocked, or if they are Linksys, will end with the model designation -NA.
C*NET # 794-5953 (KYLE)

bellsystemproperty

All you have to do is to plug the ATA in the second line port, which is after the Xlink. If you want to make a standard call over your cell, you'd just dial 9 as you normally would. If you want to dial onto C*NET, you'd just dial 8 then 2. That tells the Panasonic which line you want to call over. The best thing is, you don't have to worry about pulse dialing support because your Panasonic automatically converts the rotary to tone.
C*NET # 794-5953 (KYLE)

Greg G.

#29
Quote from: bellsystemproperty on July 17, 2010, 02:33:23 PM
All you have to do is to plug the ATA in the second line port, which is after the Xlink. If you want to make a standard call over your cell, you'd just dial 9 as you normally would. If you want to dial onto C*NET, you'd just dial 8 then 2. That tells the Panasonic which line you want to call over. The best thing is, you don't have to worry about pulse dialing support because your Panasonic automatically converts the rotary to tone.

But I still need to get an ATA.  Are ATA's all the same?  A quick look on ebay, I see a wide range of prices, from $12.95 for a used one up to over $200, average is around $50.  Frankly, I'm not going to pay $50 for one.  How would I tell if an incoming call is from somebody on CNET or a regular call?
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e