Base Install of Asterisk on an i386 CentOS/RHEL box:

More as an aide memoir for me than anything else, but if somebody does find it useful, then that's good too!

For reasons detailed elsewhere, you're best not using a GUI, so do the installation from the command line ('linux-text' at the GRUB prompt). When you select the packages, the only one you need is 'server'. Disk partitioning, networking etc. is all entirely up to you!

At your first login, you'll be presented with a simple administration screen. Disable SELinux and (for now) the firewall.

At the shell, run

and reboot the machine when it's finished (it'll install a new kernel). Run:

again and repeat until there are no more updates.

Now we need to install the packages we need for Asterisk:


Note that you may need to:

if you are running a Xen enabled kernel.

If you want the 'zttool' application, you'll need to:


Other things you may find useful (if they're not already installed):

Install Speex (optional)

Install ODBC stuff (optional)

Note that if you have already installed Asterisk, you will need to run 'configure', 'make' and 'make install' to detect ODBC and compile it in.

Install MySQL ODBC interface/connector (required if using ODBC and MySQL) (optional)

And then edit the file '/etc/odbcinst.ini' (or '/usr/local/odbcinst.ini') and replace 'Driver = /usr/lib/libmyodbc.so' with 'Driver = /usr/lib/libmyodbc3.so'

Install MySQL (optional)

Install PHPMyAdmin (optional)

Download the latest version from http://www.phpmyadmin.net/, unzip/unbzip/untar into /var/www/htdocs/phpmyadmin (for the time being). Make sure Apache starts on boot.

Surf to https://i.p.address/phpmyadmin and check it works.

Install Webmin (optional)

Download the latest version of the RPM from http://www.webmin.com/

Surf to https://i.p.address:10000 and check it works.

Asterisk files

Download the latest asterisk version /usr/src/asterisk and untar the files:

INSTALL LIBPRI (optional)

If you are using E1 cards you need to install LIBPRI

INSTALLING ZAPTEL

Edit /etc/zaptel.conf and /etc/asterisk/zapata.conf for your site.
Set Zaptel to start automatically and then start it.

INSTALLING ASTERISK

Choose which options to install (audio files, voicemail storage, codecs etc.)

Install sample files in /etc/asterisk, install docs/manpages and set to start on boot.

Installing Asterisk-addons (pre-1.4.5)

Edit 'Makefile' and insert a line 'CFLAGS+=-DMYSQL_LOGUNIQUEID' after the 'CFLAGS+=-fPIC' line

Install sample files in /etc/asterisk

Installing Asterisk-addons (1.4.5 onwards)

The instructions are exactly as above, with the exception that 'CFLAGS' has been replaced by 'ASTCFLAGS' in the 'Makefile' file.

Installing mISDN drivers for Digium B410P (optional)

Don't forget to edit /etc/misdn-init.conf and /etc/asterisk/misdn.conf before you start it.

Set up Asterisk database (optional)

Note that the UniqueID field in the CDR table is not necessarily unique! Due to the very very dodgy way Asterisk handles unique IDs, if you set the field to be the primary key (as advised elsewhere), you will lose data.

SET SQL_MODE="NO_AUTO_VALUE_ON_ZERO";

##
##Database: `asterisk`
##
CREATE DATABASE `asterisk` DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci;
USE `asterisk`;

##########################################################

##
##Table structure for table `cdr`
##

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `cdr` (
 `recid` mediumint(8) unsigned NOT NULL auto_increment COMMENT 'Record ID',
 `calldate` datetime NOT NULL default '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
 `clid` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `src` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `dst` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `dcontext` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `channel` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `dstchannel` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `lastapp` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `lastdata` varchar(80) NOT NULL default '',
 `duration` int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
 `billsec` int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
 `disposition` varchar(45) NOT NULL default '',
 `amaflags` int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
 `accountcode` varchar(20) NOT NULL default '',
 `uniqueid` varchar(32) NOT NULL default '',
 `userfield` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
 PRIMARY KEY  (`recid`),
 KEY `calldate` (`calldate`),
 KEY `dst` (`dst`),
 KEY `accountcode` (`accountcode`),
 KEY `src` (`src`),
 KEY `disposition` (`disposition`)
 KEY `uniqueid` (`uniqueid`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=1 ;

##########################################################

##
##Table structure for table `queue_members`
##

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `queue_members` (
  `queue_name` varchar(128) NOT NULL default '',
  `interface` varchar(128) NOT NULL default '',
  `penalty` int(11) default NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY  (`queue_name`,`interface`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;

##########################################################

##
##Table structure for table `queues`
##

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `queues` (
  `name` varchar(128) NOT NULL,
  `musiconhold` varchar(128) default 'default',
  `announce` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `context` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `timeout` int(11) default '60',
  `monitor_join` tinyint(1) default NULL,
  `monitor_format` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_youarenext` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_thereare` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_callswaiting` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_holdtime` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_minutes` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_seconds` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_lessthan` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_thankyou` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `queue_reporthold` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `announce_frequency` int(11) default NULL,
  `announce_round_seconds` int(11) default NULL,
  `announce_holdtime` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `periodic_announce` varchar(128) default NULL,
  `periodic_announce_frequency` int(11) default NULL,
  `retry` int(11) default '5',
  `ringinuse` varchar(5) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `autofill` varchar(5) NOT NULL default 'yes',
  `autopause` varchar(5) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `setinterfacevar` varchar(5) NOT NULL default 'yes',
  `wrapuptime` int(11) default '30',
  `maxlen` int(11) default NULL,
  `servicelevel` int(11) default NULL,
  `strategy` varchar(128) default 'ringall',
  `joinempty` varchar(128) default 'no',
  `leavewhenempty` varchar(128) default 'yes',
  `eventmemberstatus` tinyint(1) default NULL,
  `eventwhencalled` tinyint(1) default NULL,
  `reportholdtime` tinyint(1) default NULL,
  `memberdelay` int(11) default NULL,
  `weight` int(11) default NULL,
  `timeoutrestart` tinyint(1) default NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY  (`name`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;

##########################################################

##
##Table structure for table `sip`
##

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `sip` (
  `id` int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
  `name` varchar(80) NOT NULL,
  `host` varchar(31) NOT NULL default 'dynamic',
  `nat` varchar(5) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `type` enum('user','peer','friend') NOT NULL default 'friend',
  `accountcode` varchar(20) default 'ACCOUNT',
  `amaflags` varchar(13) default NULL,
  `callgroup` varchar(10) default NULL,
  `callerid` varchar(80) default NULL,
  `call-limit` varchar(6) NOT NULL default '10',
  `cancallforward` char(3) default 'yes',
  `canreinvite` char(3) default 'no',
  `context` varchar(80) default 'from-sip',
  `defaultip` varchar(15) default NULL,
  `dtmfmode` varchar(7) default 'rfc2833',
  `fromuser` varchar(80) default NULL,
  `fromdomain` varchar(80) default NULL,
  `insecure` varchar(4) default NULL,
  `language` char(2) default 'en',
  `mailbox` varchar(50) default NULL,
  `md5secret` varchar(80) default NULL,
  `deny` varchar(95) default '0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0',
  `permit` varchar(95) default '0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0',
  `mask` varchar(95) default NULL,
  `musiconhold` varchar(100) default 'default',
  `pickupgroup` varchar(10) default NULL,
  `qualify` char(3) default 'yes',
  `regexten` varchar(80) default NULL,
  `restrictcid` char(3) default NULL,
  `rtptimeout` char(3) default NULL,
  `rtpholdtimeout` char(3) default NULL,
  `secret` varchar(80) default 'SECRET',
  `setvar` varchar(100) default NULL,
  `disallow` varchar(100) default 'all',
  `allow` varchar(100) default 'alaw',
  `fullcontact` varchar(80) NOT NULL,
  `ipaddr` varchar(15) NOT NULL,
  `port` smallint(5) unsigned NOT NULL default '0',
  `regserver` varchar(100) default NULL,
  `regseconds` int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
  `username` varchar(80) NOT NULL,
  `defaultuser` varchar(80) NOT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY  (`id`),
  UNIQUE KEY `name` (`name`),
  KEY `name_2` (`name`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 ROW_FORMAT=DYNAMIC AUTO_INCREMENT=301 ;

##########################################################

##
##Table structure for table `voicemail_messages`
##

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `voicemail_messages` (
  `id` int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
  `msgnum` int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
  `dir` varchar(80) default '',
  `context` varchar(80) default '',
  `macrocontext` varchar(80) default '',
  `callerid` varchar(40) default '',
  `origtime` varchar(40) default '',
  `duration` varchar(20) default '',
  `mailboxuser` varchar(80) default '',
  `mailboxcontext` varchar(80) default '',
  `recording` longblob,
  PRIMARY KEY  (`id`),
  KEY `dir` (`dir`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=1088 ;

##########################################################

##
##Table structure for table `voicemail_users`
##

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `voicemail_users` (
  `uniqueid` int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
  `customer_id` varchar(11) NOT NULL default '0',
  `context` varchar(50) NOT NULL default 'default',
  `mailbox` varchar(11) NOT NULL default '0',
  `password` varchar(5) NOT NULL default '6666',
  `fullname` varchar(150) NOT NULL,
  `email` varchar(50) NOT NULL,
  `pager` varchar(50) NOT NULL,
  `tz` varchar(10) NOT NULL default 'en',
  `attach` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'yes',
  `saycid` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'yes',
  `dialout` varchar(10) NOT NULL,
  `callback` varchar(10) NOT NULL,
  `review` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `operator` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `envelope` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `sayduration` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',

  `saydurationm` tinyint(4) NOT NULL default '1',
  `sendvoicemail` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `delete` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `nextaftercmd` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'yes',
  `forcename` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `forcegreetings` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'no',
  `hidefromdir` varchar(4) NOT NULL default 'yes',
  `stamp` timestamp NOT NULL default CURRENT_TIMESTAMP on update CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
  PRIMARY KEY  (`uniqueid`),
  KEY `mailbox_context` (`mailbox`,`context`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=101 ;

## ########################################################

##
##Create realtime user with approximately the right privs.
##

CREATE USER 'astrealtime'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'MYPASS';
GRANT FILE ON * . * TO 'astrealtime'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'MYPASS' WITH MAX_QUERIES_PER_HOUR 0 MAX_CONNECTIONS_PER_HOUR 0 MAX_UPDATES_PER_HOUR 0 MAX_USER_CONNECTIONS 0 ;
GRANT INSERT ON `asterisk`.`cdr` TO 'astrealtime'@'localhost';
GRANT SELECT , INSERT , UPDATE , DELETE ON `asterisk`.`queue_members` TO 'astrealtime'@'localhost';
GRANT SELECT , UPDATE ON `asterisk`.`queues` TO 'astrealtime'@'localhost';
GRANT SELECT , UPDATE ON `asterisk`.`sip` TO 'astrealtime'@'localhost';
GRANT SELECT , UPDATE ON `asterisk`.`voicemail_users` TO 'astrealtime'@'localhost';
GRANT SELECT , UPDATE , INSERT , DELETE ON `asterisk`.`voicemail_messages` TO 'astrealtime'@'localhost';

Set up CDR to MySQL

Edit /etc/asterisk/cdr_mysql.conf
[global]
hostname=localhost
dbname=asterisk
table=cdr
password=MYPASS
user=astrealtime
port=3306
sock=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
userfield=1

Set up realtime

Edit res_mysql.conf
[general]
dbhost = localhost
dbname = asterisk
dbuser = astrealtime
dbpass = MYPASS
dbport = 3306
dbsock = /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock

Edit /etc/asterisk/extconfig.conf
[settings]
queues => mysql,asterisk,queues
queue_members => mysql,asterisk,queue_members
sippeers => mysql,asterisk,sip
sipusers => mysql,asterisk,sip
voicemail => mysql,asterisk,voicemail_users

ODBC configuration (using settings from above)

/etc/odbcinst.ini

[MySQL]
Description     = ODBC for MySQL
Driver          = /usr/lib/libmyodbc3.so
Setup           = /usr/lib/libodbcmyS.so
FileUsage       = 1
(Note the '3' which isn't in the original sample file!)

/etc/odbc.ini

; DSN definitions
[astrealtime]
Description     = Asterisk realtime and other FUNC_ODBC access
Driver          = MySQL
Socket          = /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
Server          = localhost
User            = astrealtime
Pass            = MYPASS
Database        = asterisk
Option          = 3

/etc/asterisk/res_odbc.conf

; Environment variables
[ENV]

; Connections
[astrealtime]
enabled => no
dsn => astrealtime
username => astrealtime
password => MYPASS
pre-connect => yes
idlecheck => 3600

/etc/asterisk/func_odbc.conf

This really depends on why you need database access from the dialplan!

Setting up Asterisk on a vserver

If you don't need a timer (IAX2 trunking, conferencing or some MoH) or access to physical hardware, then it just works. If you do need a timing source or physical hardware, you'll need to install zaptel. The documents at http://www.telephreak.org/papers/vpa/ and https://customer.lylix.net/knowledgebase.php?action=displayarticle&catid=2&id=27 both give some ideas on how to do it, but both are lacking in detail. The text below is culled from these two pages and mixed in with my own.

Essentially, zaptel has to be installed on the host and the devices made available to each vserver. Within each vserver, various bits of the zaptel source need extracting and/or compiling and/or installing. Once this is done, Asterisk should compile with zaptel support and all should be well.

The host

Download, compile and install Zaptel as above. Ensure that it starts with the system.
cd into the vserver's device directory (e.g. 'cd /vserver/asterisk01/dev') and then run the following in the bash shell:

if you are using physical zaptel hardware, configure the /etc/zaptel.conf file as appropriate.

The vserver

Download the zaptel source, as above. Don't try to compile it!! untar it and cd to the directory, then run the following:

Everything else can be run as normal.
If you are using physical zaptel hardware, configure /etc/asterisk/zapata.conf as appropriate. Don't share channels with the host or other vservers!

~

See Also

• Asterisk installation for CentOS 4.x
• Asterisk Step-by-step Installation