Small remote office on standard (non-IP PBX)

[mbellot]

Crazy question...

Is there a simple way using VoIP technology to make a handful (four) of old school PBX extensions available in a remote location?

We have a Nortel system and I can't help but think there has got to be a way to "IP-ize" a couple of extensions for remote access.

Otherwise, is there an easy way to interconnect the old PBX with a new IP-PBX so things like call transfer still work?

Anyone have any thoughts? A place to start?

 

[dobbs]

It can be done. But frankly, the cost of doing that vs. simply getting four SIP handsets and adding them as remote extensions would probably seem like a better value.

 

[kevinfvc]

Citel makes some sort of adapter for converting proprietary phones to IP. I have no idea whether they make a version that works with Nortel, but I would expect so. NEC resold/OEM these devices and I've heard they were expensive and the results varied.

I would agree with the previous poster and just manage another PBX.

 

[mbellot]

Well, I have some additional details (like pulling teeth).

Its a BCM series (not sure which yet) that supposedly supports H323.

If that's true (and we can get licenses, apparently each IP phone endpoint needs a separate license ) then it looks like we might be able to set up a couple of remote H323 IP phones.

Part of the problem with setting up another PBX is that one of the four is the default extension when a caller zeros out of the voice menu system, so we really need to maintain relatively painless call transfer capability.

Coming from PIAF these closed systems are a royal PITA.

I'm going to poke around on the system tomorrow with a copy of SJPhone in H323 mode to see if I can get anywhere. Anyone have any good resources for an H323 total noob?

I really hate being the most technically competent in a small office.

 

[kevinfvc]

My understanding is H.323 is not NAT friendly. I would also think that Nortel's H.323 support is for trunking and not endpoints (Nortel phones use UNISTEM).

You might try building site to site VPNs between main location and the remote offices. This would solve the NAT issue. You also need to solve for QoS or call quality will suck.

The company I used to work for built a router for this application and it worked well. The router for the remote side was ~$500 each. The one for the main site is more.

Maybe you could use Hamachi like others do here?

 

[mbellot]

Kevin,

Good ideas. Looking at the (sparse) documentation I've got it appears h323 endpoints are supported (one PDF I have specifically mentions "NetVision" telephones).

The VPN is a forgone conclusion, we need to have connectivity for other reasons. Still, its good to know h323 doesn't play nice with NAT.

QoS is one of my bigger concerns. The boss/owner can be a bit tight with money, he's already talking DSL for the remote (nooooo!!!).

Thanks!

 

[womble1]

what is wrong with DSL and why would you not use it, what would you use instead for just 4 phones ?
Just interested...