CNET - The Collectors Network

For me CNET adds that extra piece to the puzzle, my own asterisk acting as a GSC to my exchanges and connecting them to the wider world for real, making a collection not only a working collection but a fully functional part of a larger network.

I think I mentioned in the introduction CNET the Collectors network... I am not sure how I came across CNET but I believe it was through Andy G the guy I got the UAX6 rack from. 

Somewhere in the USA someone started linking people together on VOIP.  It soon found it’s way over here and I joined the network in 2004 with my first asterisk tandem, which is still ran until October 2015, when I upgraded the pc and upgraded from asterisk 1.4 to 11.

My first tandem was basically a stand alone pc loaded with linux, asterisk free pabx software and is equipped with 3 Digium TDM400 cards each holding up to four FXS or FXO modules.  The TDM400’s are the telephone interface, ATA’s (analogue terminal adaptors) and allow me to connect lines and telephones to the pc for connection to each other or over the internet to another ATA or asterisk anywhere in the world.  When I upgraded I removed one of the TDM400 card as I could not get it in the newer machine, but at the same time i purchased a Cisco 8000 and a Cisco 8800, this proved me with an four FXO ports and twelve FXS porst excluding the four FXO and four FXS ports in the PC.

When Ii first started I had my Winceby U13 rack connected directly but it blew several modules even after I had tried protection, I over came this by installing a Meridian Norstar system between the tandem and the mechanical switches.  Installing this switch also helps me with local routing and coding between my switches and the asterisk tandem now mainly serves as a route in for VOIP lines and access to the CNET members.

Over the years I have picked up many sound files and these are stored on the tandem and can be accessed by dialing the required number.  Someone on the group coded a speaking clock which is also on the system, it is all very complicated but after so many years I can manage to do most things i need to.

In the tandem we have a dialplan this is the script that interprets numbers and routes them to the desire point.  I have local and STD codes in my system as well as telephone services so my script is now very large.

Dialing 100 connects you to the asterisk pabx and your digits are matched to the extension point within the dialplan, from here it is routed to one of on the switchboards.  STD calls to other asterisks are sent by IAX2 protocol to another tandem on cnet.  That tandem then runs its own script and routes the number required, which could be local to that tandem or forwarded once again over the Internet to an Analogue Terminal Adapter (ATA.

Regards Shaun

The Lincolnshire Heritage Exchange