Been playing around with installing FreePBX but not sure what this does after it is configured

[G+_Rud Dog]

Been playing around with installing FreePBX but not sure what this does after it is configured. So thought I would ask here. The videos I have been reviewing seem to be conveying full usage voip phones. They show how to setup the server and firewall then how to setup or configure each phone. What I am not sure about is will this work calling land lines and cell phones or is there a some sort of connection needed to access land lines and cell phones?

[G+_Eddie Foy]

Always been a closet Phreak, but who actually uses voice these days?  And does a personal/SMB PBX really make any sense?

(But the Phreak in me digs it all)

A traditional PBX is a local phone system.  (think LAN vs Internet)  It needs a real life exit(s) unless its just a intercom style system.  You will need some sort of provider, Skype or the like to make it a true real world phone system.  You will need that 'hook' onto the real phone system.  That's usually a paid service (as it should be, people gotta eat).  I doubt you would like any of the free services. (Freemiums might be tolerable)

[G+_Travis Hershberger]

You'll need either a sip/VoIP provider, or a special hardware card to access your POTS line(s): HTTPS://mangolassi.it/topic/5608/favorite-sip-trunk-provider

[G+_Rud Dog]

OK, now I know I need service for incoming and outgoing calls. Once you get the service does it take nightmare training to connect to the service?

Secondly what are the cost comparison to landlines as in abandon landline cost for FreePBX configuration?

[G+_Scott W]

You can use a Google Voice number with FreePBX, but in my opinion FreePBX is way overkill for home use. I use an Obi 110 with an Anveo number and a Google Voice number. The Obi allows me to connect to my hardwire cordless phones.

[G+_Scott W]

Eddie Foy In high school I was way into Phreaking (beige box, blue box etc). I liked it so much I hired onto the local telco and retired 30 years later....

[G+_Eddie Foy]

Land lines are expensive, in the US, due to all the taxes and extra charges. When I lived on Long Island, NY, I paid a NYC transit (bus/subway) 'fee' on my phone bill.

I haven't had a traditional land line in over 12 years.

In all honesty, not sure what you are trying to achieve, but doesn't seem worth the effort.

[G+_Eddie Foy]

Scott W  my pops was a 30 year veteran of Ma Bell (from even before the break-up).

I got all sorts of cool inside stuff.  Those 45V batteries were a hoot for a 10 year old to play with.  Magic smoke everywhere, and one s**t eating grinned kid emerging from said smoke)

[G+_Rud Dog]

Eddie Foy My trying of anything hardware or software as in FreePBX is something I do from time to time in efforts to make life a bit more enjoyable. No real end goal but if lets say my bill went down for phone service due to my experimentation well that would be a good thing. And it would fill my hunger for hobbyist enthusiasm, 2 birds 1 stone.

If I find the journey gets to complicated or over my head well will just abandon and move on to something else.

But one thing is for sure really appreciate when people here respond and make it easier to find the end point sooner then later.

[G+_Scott W]

If you want free phone service, get an Obi ATA, and a free google voice number and you are all set. Been doing this for years.

https://www.amazon.com/OBi200-VoIP-Phone-Adapter-T-38/dp/B00BUV7C9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471639358&sr=8-1&keywords=obi200

[G+_Rud Dog]

Scott W thanks looking in to the many reviews and questions on Amazon. Maybe with your experience you can tell me how this works? Is it plug and play or do you need to go through hoops to get it to work?

[G+_Eddie Foy]

Wonder if MagicJack could work.

(Leo roasted and berated a caller with an issue for 1/2 hour for buying one.  But NEVER asked his issue, could have been a simple QoS setting in his router.  Leo loves to hear himself talk)

[G+_Ben Reese]

I did business telephony for a couple years and somewhat enjoyed it. Never did it for work, but setup a "PBX in a Flash" (I think based on FreePBX (based on Asterisk)) for the fun of it. That had plug-ins to connect to the early Google Voice platform (purchased from GrandCentral). But Google has since shut down that possibility. It's still possible using other SIP services, but requires you to setup dialing rules.

 

A couple years ago I read about some hacks using Magic Jack. Sounds like their USB dongle was just a SIP client and there was a way to extract the server, login, password from the device to use on your own SIP client (like Asterisk), you could then reprogram the dongle to connect to your SIP server (again, Asterisk) to act as an extension.

 

Right now, even if you don't have any SIP trunks, you can use a free SIP client on phones, tablets, computers, etc to as extensions and call other extensions. Many Android phones have SIP calling built-in.

[G+_Branden Snyder]

I have setup 2 FreePBX servers for business clients. IMHO, they are overkill for home use. However, I did enjoy setting them up and tinkering with the software :)

 

My idea for you, Rud Dog, is to simply buy a Grandstream HT701 and a SIP trunk service. I use https://voip.ms for my SIP gateway. Simple setup and low cost but not totally free. Google Voice may not be free forever so I decided not to rely on Google in this case. Plus, "free" means that you're on your own if it breaks or stops working.

 

FreePBX is a beautiful GUI and extension framework for the open-source Asterisk project. I love it. But you will need voip phones or an Analog Telephone Adapter, or ATA, to convert traditional phones to voip. I prefer the aforementioned HT701. Also, you will need a SIP trunk service or a POTS adapter (FXO gateway). In my experience, a POTS adapter is significantly more expensive, ~$200, than the ATA (FXS adapter), ~$40.

[G+_David Wiggins]

There are also good software phones you can install on Linux, windows, Android and(maybe OS X). X lite is the one I tested in a school lab.

[G+_Ben Reese]

So, I got jealous of your geek-out moment and installed FreePBX on a VM last night. It took a bit of experimenting and a couple YouTube videos, but I was able to setup extensions on 2 Android and make calls between the two.

 

Zoiper has a decent UI

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zoiper.android.app

 

Sipdroid has an auto-answer option that would make it good for a home Intercom

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sipdroid.sipua

 

The native dialer on my HTC phones is probably the most seamless, but I couldn't figure out how to dial an extension - all calls still tried routing through Sprint. I was able to receive extension calls though.

[G+_David Wiggins]

It may require a prefix symbol or number for intra system calls.

[G+_Ben Reese]

David Wiggins Yeah, maybe. When the call came in, the phone number was the extension + the IP of the server (i.e. 1011921681010)

[G+_Rud Dog]

Ben Reese Just read your post and now I am reinvigorated to try what you did only because could not find much on how you setup outside calls.

If am correct you setup internal extensions and called from one cell phone to the other using only internal connections?

[G+_Ben Reese]

Rud Dog yes, that is correct. The PBX is basically a network switch for telephones. Your internal devices can talk to each other even if there is no route to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).