My experience with the frizbox

[guylhem]

Hello

I have purchased a fritzbox and I am very happy with it.

Here is an article I wrote presenting my home network before and after the frizbox. Feedback is welcome. I am very happy with a Panasonic KX TGA 650 dual line telephone. It is IMHO the best companion for the Fritzbox (until I upgrade to ISDN, but that will be another story)

http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2007/01/11/fritzbox.html

Guylhem

 

[gandalf94305]

First of all, welcome in our forum and thanks for the pointer to your article

A smile made it on my face several times when I read your article... when it came to ISDN and in some other parts ;-) Here are a few comments:

The preferred way to connect a dual-line phone is - by the way - not necessarily the dual-FXS Panasonic device, but rather an ISDN phone. Classical or wireless (DECT). This way, you can even assign individual MSN (subscriber numbers) to each one of two, four, six or more handsets. This is not possible in the case of analogue technology between the Fritz!Box Fon and the DECT base.

It is also notable that there is not only a PSTN connection option for analogue PSTN (FXO), but also for ISDN PSTN (depending on the model: one of the two or both). The type of PSTN connection (or you may run it even without any) does not place any restrictions of the internal ISDN port use, i.e., you may use an ISDN DECT or wired phone even when the PSTN is only plain analogue POTS like in the U.S.

One of the important applications for a VoIP gateway such as the Fritz!Box Fon models is also the VoIP-enabling of existing ISDN or analogue PBX. Many users run some small PBX to manage several phones at home, including fax and PC connections, sometimes also door bells and openers. Without having to give up the comfort and familiarity of the existing PBX, a VoIP gateway is a simple way of using VoIP as an option for cost reduction, retaining existing equipment.

One of the frequently-used add-ons for the Fritz!Box Fon is LCR (least-cost routing) to optimize cost among the fixed-line tariffs (possibly choosing among different carriers using special prefixes) and VoIP tariffs.

And here a final remark: the correct name is Fritz!Box Fon (several models), not Fritz!Box, als the former is the VoIP device, while the plain Fritz!Box (without the "Fon") models support only Internet connectivity without VoIP.

Cheers,
--gandalf.

 

[guylhem]

Corrections

Hello

First thansk for the correction - I will add the "Fon" prefix.

Regarding VOIP enabling of PBX, I would rather use grandstream ATA devices (less expansive) but that's debatable.

For ISDN/PSTN, I am aware there is no restriction ie I can connect an ISDN phone to the fritzbox which is connected to an analog PSTN, but maybe that was not clear enough? I will clarify that. I intend to move to ISDN DECT phones, but only when I find something better than the panasonic, and if possible on the 5.8 GHz band.

As for LCR, do you know a way to connect an intercom (6 wires IIRC)? I would be interested in hooking it to the fritzbox, as a "separate" line.

Guylhem

PS: you can also post your reply to the article page, until I correct it.

 

[gandalf94305]

Regarding VOIP enabling of PBX, I would rather use grandstream ATA devices (less expansive) but that's debatable.

ISDN is wide-spread in Germany, so ISDN PBX are very common and some are rather inexpensive. You cannot use Grandstream devices in those cases... besides, if you really want to use up to 10 SIP providers with LCR, the HT models won't be of much use either ;-) As for the U.S., I agree with you as by far most home PBX use analogue PSTN lines.

I intend to move to ISDN DECT phones, but only when I find something better than the panasonic, and if possible on the 5.8 GHz band.

Check out the Siemens Gigaset or Swisscom Eurit product ranges.

As for LCR, do you know a way to connect an intercom (6 wires IIRC)? I would be interested in hooking it to the fritzbox, as a "separate" line.

I am not sure how you use LCR in connection with an intercom... LCR = Least-Cost Routing (selection of the cheapest provider for a given call, using a table of providers and time/target-dependent tariffs).

As for intercoms, there are some people who connect Doorline modules for door intercom/bell/opener to FBF. These modules act like a phone and when somebody presses a button at the door, a specific PBX-internal number will be called. I am not sure how to deal with a six-wire device, whatever that should be ;-)

--gandalf.