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How to install an IPBX on the beroNet VoIP Appliance

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When designing our VoIP Appliance, we focused on creating a flexible solution that can function with any IPBX with a built-in beroNet Gateway. To make this a reality we developed the beroNet USB boot-stick which allows you to pick and choose the IPBX you wish to use and install it directly on the device.

To get started, you need the following:
• 1 beroNet telephony appliance Revision 2.0
• 1 beroNet USB boot-stick
• An Internet connection for the appliance via Ethernet cable

First, plug the USB key into the appliance and boot the appliance; this cause the appliance to use the USB stick as the default boot drive. Once the appliance has started, you can access it from another computer via the network center. If you have a monitor connected directly to the Appliance, it shows the IP address from which it is possible to access the “beroNet Appliance Installer.” It is also possible to access the installer via Bonjour.

Netzwerk
By double clicking on “beroNet appliance Installer,” your default browser should open the following page:

Image list

An image of Asterisk is installed by default on the stick. In order to have access to other images, click “Fetch Image-list.”

Image list2

Once the list has appeared, click on the image you want to install on the appliance. Wait while the image is being downloaded.

When the download is complete, click on “install x” in order to launch the installation.

installation finished

When the installation is complete the appliance will shut down. Remove the USB stick, start the appliance, and configure your IPBX system.

installed

The post How to install an IPBX on the beroNet VoIP Appliance appeared first on beroNet GmbH.


Updating from 2.x to 3.x Firmware

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Important, please read before updating!

Substantial changes have been made between the 2.3 Firmware and the new 3.0 Firmware, therefore update process needs a little more attention than usual.

To perform a successful update and keep your current configuration intact, it is strongly recommended to perform the following steps:

  • Backup your gateway configuration (Management->Backup and Restore)
    2015-08-07_10h20_18
  • Update to the new 3.0 Firmware (Management->Firmware Update)
    2015-08-07_10h23_20
  • Perfom a factory reset (Management->Reboot/Reset)
    2015-08-07_11h07_24
  • Restore your gateway configuration (Management->Backup and Restore)

The gateway may not be in a fully functioning state until the factory reset has been performed.

The current stable version of beroNet Firmware 3.0 can be found here.

 

 

The post Updating from 2.x to 3.x Firmware appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

Connecting your analog devices as extensions in an IPBX

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Switching to a full VoIP solution means replacing a lot of technology in the office. You need an appliance or server to function as the PBX, and then the SIP equivalent of each piece of analog technology in the building. As you likely know this can be expensive. With a beroNet FXS gateway it is possible to purchase a single device to act as a bridge between the IPBX and analog devices, reducing the initial cost of a VoIP telephony system.

Here is a short guide explaining how to do this with beroNet technology.

  1. The first step is the creation of the right extensions on the IPBX side.
  2. Then SIP accounts need to be created on the beroNet VoIP gateway side. The easiest way to do this is to give the same credentials to the SIP accounts as to the extensions.
  3. FXS ports need to be configured.
  4. Finally, the SIP accounts need to be connected to the right analog ports in the dialplan.

1.) Start by creating extensions in the IPBX:

In this example we created extensions 101 and 102 on the IPBX part.

2.) Configure the SIP accounts:

Use the “SIP Accounts” section of the gateway interface to add the extensions we created to the gateway. This will allow you to direct traffic from the analog device directly to the appropriate extension in the IPBX. In this example, we configured two SIP accounts using the authentication credentials of extensions 101 and 102. To make things easier when you build your rules in the dial plan, use the extension number as the name for the SIP accounts. The “Server Address” should match the address of the IPBX.

image2015-8-6 15-35-1

3) Configure the FXS ports:

To use your FXS ports in the dial plan, you first need to assign your ports to a group. Navigate to the FXS section of the “PSTN+” tab. Create one group of ports with as many FXS ports inside as you want. In our case, we will put 2 as shown below:

image2015-8-6 15-48-55

4) Create dialplan rules

Finally the analog ports and the SIP accounts need to be connected via the dialplan rules. Of course, the different extensions to which the SIP accounts are connected have the same IP address. To send the call from the IPBX to the correct analog port, we need to create the dialplan rules in such a way that the gateway knows to which port the call needs to be routed to. As we cannot use the IP address for this, we need to do it via the “destination” ie the number called. Here is the example for our 2 extensions:

image2015-8-6 15-53-56

The post Connecting your analog devices as extensions in an IPBX appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

How to create a SIP to PSTN failover in a beroNet gateway

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Even though Internet access is a lot more reliable than it used to be, it still has a few issues that may cause major problems in the VoIP world. Some companies use a PSTN line as a backup of the main SIP trunk to avoid these potential issues. beroNet gateways are a good way to create such a PSTN backup line. Here is how to do it:

  • Create a SIP account which will be the main account to where the calls will to be routed. To do so, navigate under the “SIP+” tab.
  • Once the main sip account has been created, it is necessary to set a failover one: create a failover SIP account with the IP 127.0.0.1 which is the localhost of the gateway.

image2015-10-26 11-32-58

  • This second SIP account needs to be set as the back-up of the first one. This is a new feature of the beroNet firmware 3.0 that is found under the “more” options of each SIP account. In this example, we modify the main SIP account and set the second one as a failover. which is the localhost of the gateway.

image2015-10-26 11-38-6

  • Finally, we tell the gateway that when a call is coming from the failover SIP account, it needs to be routed to the backup ISDN line that we have connected to the gateway. In order to do so, create a Dialplan rule “from SIP (failover account) to Analog / ISDN.”
    CAREFUL: be sure to change the match type of the SIP account to Manual and enter the IP address of the gateway.

image2015-10-26 11-38-53

The post How to create a SIP to PSTN failover in a beroNet gateway appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

Understanding the beroNet Dialplan

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The beroNet dialplan defines how calls are to be routed through a beroNet Gateway. When first approaching the beroNet diaplan it helps to understand that:

  • It is based on regular expressions (‘Howto RegEx’.)
  • It works from top to bottom: if you have a rule that directs all calls to a specific line above a rule that directs a specific number to your fax device, the general rule will apply and the specific rule will not function. Therefore be sure that your specific rules are above your general rules in the dialplan.
post_dialplan_1

In the above shown example, the calls coming from our SIP account will be routed to the first ISDN port only when the number “03025938919” is called. In any other case, the calls will be routed to the ISDN port number two. If we had put the precise rule in a second position, calls would never be routed to ISDN port one.

As this tool is a major part of the way a beroNet gateway works, it is important to fully understand how it works. Let’s take a closer look at the different fields in the dialplan.

  1. Direction (From and to ID)
  2. Destination and New destination
  3. Source and New source
  4. Position

1) Direction (From ID and To ID)

Here we choose the technology (SIP, Analog, ISDN or GSM) the call has to come from in order for the rule to apply. Of course, we also choose to which technology the call will be routed to.

 

post_dialplan_2

When we choose ISDN, Analog or GSM as “from” or “to”, we have the possibility to choose either a group of ports or one port within a certain group.

On the other hand, when SIP is set as “From”, it is possible to choose the “match type”. Different possibilities are then offered: we can match via the IP address, via the from or to user, via a manual address or in a default way.


Usually, dialplan rules work as pair of two rules: when the gateway routes the call from a SIP account to ISDN lines, it is often necessary to route the calls in the other way i.e. from ISDN to SIP. To do this two different rules are necessary: one from SIP to ISDN, and the other from ISDN to SIP.

2) Destination and New destination

The “Destination” field enables a user to make a rule apply when a certain number is being dialed. This field is also known as “CalledID” or “DAD”: If the field is left empty, then the gateway will automatically insert a wildcard “(.*)”. This means that the rule will apply to any number that is called. In our first example, we explained that the first rule would apply when the number “03025938919” is called. Therefore we added this number in the destination field.

The field “new destination” enables the gateway to modify the DAD.The default “\1” sends to the “To” technology the variables that are set between brackets in the “Destination” field.

post_dialplan_3

In the example above, the gateway is transparent meaning that it sends the dialed number the way it received it.

post_download_4

In this example, the rule will apply when the number “1234” is dialed and the gateway will rewrite this number and send “6789” to the “to” technology.

As we said in the beginning, the beroNet dialplan uses regular expressions. It enables our partners to create flexible rules without having to make a long list of possible numbers that can be dialed. It is also a good way to only send a certain number of digits. When a gateway is used to connect a traditional PBX to SIP for example, it is sometimes necessary to send only 4 digits to the PBX. post_dialplan_5

Here, the rule applies when a 10 digit number starting with 014661 is being dialed. Then the gateway sends only the 4 digits that are between brackets and leaves the 6 first ones. For more example, see below.

 

3) Source and New Source

The “Source” field enables beroNet gateway users to make a dialplan rule apply only when the call comes from a certain number. This field is also known as “CallerID” or “OAD”. The same regular expressions are used. The default parameters are the same as for the “Destination” and “New Destination” fields. Here is a default rule:

post_dialplan_6

The “New Source” field enables beroNet users to modify the CallerID with which they call. To call anonymously, we just have to write “Anonymous” in this field. Providers usually do not allow end-users to call with a complete different CallerID but calling anonymously is almost always an option.

If nothing is changed in both fields, then the gateway does a transparent job: it sends the CallerID it receives in source to ISDN / Analog or SIP depending on the direction of the rule.

4) Position

The positions of dialplan rules are very important. As we already explained at the beginning of this blog post: the dialplan “works from top to bottom: if a call matches the parameters of a rule, then the rule will apply. Therefore general rules should be placed under more precised ones.”

Let’s take a look at a few example to understand this better:

post_dialplan_7

In this example, according to the first rule, all calls coming from the “SIP_Account” will be routed to the ISDN ports no matter what the CallerID (OAD) or the the CalledID (DAD) is. This means that each and every call coming from this SIP account will be routed to ISDN.

The second rule says: “calls coming from “SIP_Account” with  “0156638515” as a DAD, will be routed to the analog port number 1″. However, this second rule is more precise than the first one. It will not apply as long as it is placed under it. In order for it to apply, we need to put it in the first row as below:

post_dialplan_8

In this example, we can send some calls to the analog port when the number 0156638515 is being dialed and the rest is sent to ISDN.

5) Understanding the regular expressions

Regular expressions enable beroNet users to create clever dialplan rules. Depending on the information set in the “Destination / New Destination” or “Source / New Source” fields, the dialplan will make a transparent job or change the CID or DAD of a call.

Let’s take a look at some examples:

Example 1:

Destination:       “0176(.*)”    matches if calledID is starting with 0176
New Destination:   “0049176\1”   will cut 0176 from calledID and add 0049176 to the calledID, followed by reference to parameter 1 
Source:            “(..)”        matches callerIDs with exact 2 digits.
New Source:        “25938912”    CallerID will be overwritten by 25938912

Example 2:

 

Destination:       ”259389([0-8][0-9])”  matches all numbers starting with 259389 followed by 2 digits in the range from [00-89]
New Destination:   “\1”                  will cut 259389 from calledID and add the 2 digits referenced by parameter 1
Source             “(.*)”                matches any callerID
New Source:        “\1 “                 \1 is the value in the first parenthesize of 'Source'

Example 3:

 

Destination:       ”0([2-9])(.*))”    matches all numbers starting with 0. The second digit has to be in range[2-9] followed by the any digits.
New Destination:   “\1\2”             will cut 0 from calledID and add the parameter 1 followed by parameter 2 
Source             “(.*)”             will match any callerID
New Source:        “\1 “              \1 is the value in the first parenthesize of 'Source' field

The post Understanding the beroNet Dialplan appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

How to configure the new beroNet appliance 2.0

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Introduction

The beroNet Appliance 2.0 is a telecommunication platform with an Intel Celeron Quad Core processor running a pre-installed beroNet Hypervisor. beroNet customers have the possibility to use the hypervisor to virtualize different operating systems enabling the single system to function as a complete communications hub.

The Appliance can also function as a hybrid device capable of pairing SIP with analog, digital and/or GSM technologies using a beroNet PCIe card.

 

About the hypervisor

The beroNet hypervisor is based on the XEN Project which is an open source hypervisor that allows multiple operating systems to run concurrently on the same hardware. We decided to implement this open source tool on our device to enhance the possibilities of the beroNet Telephony Appliance.

 

A. Accessing the hypervisor

Before switching on the appliance, connect it to the network. For this, use the left network card on the appliance. This is necessary so that the DHCP server will provide the system with a local IP address that can be detected by Windows UPnP or thanks to the bfdetect tool. An icon called “beroNet Telephony Appliance” will then appear on another computer connected to the same network under “network devices”.

Then you can login using default credentials of the hypervisor: “admin / beronet”. It is strongly recommended that you change the login credentials for your hypervisor after login.

B. Installing an application from the beroNet market

The beroNet market enables integrators to quickly and easily install a new application on the hypervisor. In order to access it, navigate to “market” in the drop down menu under “Virtual Machines+”.

Appliance_market

It is then possible to download a complete application from a secure source or only an ISO that will then need to be configured.

The beroNet market is due to evolve thanks to the different technology partners of beroNet, that will make their solutions available on it.

C.   Manually install a new virtual machine in the hypervisor

To get started you need to first download an OS (a) and then create a VM(b).

a) Download the ISO from a webserver or from a Fileserver

In order to download an ISO from a webserver, simply enter the URL  as below. If needed, add the credentials of the web server using the format: “User:Password”.

It is also possible to upload an ISO from a computer or from a file server. The three options are available under the tab “virtual Machines+” and “manage Isos”:

Manage isos

b)     Create a new virtual machine

Under the tab “Virtual Machines+”, it is possible to manage the virtual machines of the hypervisor. In order to create a new one, navigate to the tab “Manage VMs” in the drop down menu.

To create a new VM:

  • Give it a name (no spaces);
  • Give it one, two or three CPUs;
  • Choose how much RAM it should get depending on the size of the appliance (M has 4 GB, L has 8 and XL 16);
  • Choose the size of SSD it will be allocated (M has 60 GB, L has 120 and XL 240);
  • Choose the ISO file from which the OS has to boot;
  • Choose the “Boot-Device”. It should be “d(isofile)” for the installation of the ISO and then “c(disk)” for its use;
  • Choose the Network card it will use;
  • Give it a “VNC-Display” from 6901 to 6905;
  • For a windows installation, add the Windows tools by clicking the box “Windows Tools”.
c) Launch and configure your ISO

Once your OS has been created in the hypervisor, you can easily launch it from the “Dashboard” and start configuring it:
2016-02-03_15h49_38

The post How to configure the new beroNet appliance 2.0 appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

Connect a beroNet VoIP Gateway with 3CX in the Cloud

beroNet Appliance 2.0 Wins First in Telecommunication Innovation

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HANNOVER GERMANY – beroNet’s Telephony Appliance 2.0 receives first prize for Innovation in Telecommunication from Initiative Mittelstand, recognizing beroNet’s attention to innovation in VoIP hardware.

“In 2011 we focused on providing easy to configure cloud managed VoIP hardware,” said Christian Richter, CEO at beroNet. “With the industry now joining us in the cloud, we decided to take it a step further by incorporating intelligent virtualization; enabling a single device to run what previously required five different hardware solutions.”

Designed with no moving parts and powered on less than 20 watts, the Appliance 2.0 combines an IP-PBX, VoIP Gateway, firewall, modem and fax server into a single device. This is done by using the beroNet Hypervisor; virtualization software based on the open source Xen Project. Using the Hypervisor it is possible to access the beroNet Market, a web repository of potential systems that can be downloaded and installed directly to the Appliance. Each virtual machine in the Hypervisor is also connected with the beroNet Cloud.

“By integrating the beroNet Cloud, our new Appliance can provide businesses with the full benefits of a cloud solution while maintaining the reliability of a local PBX system,” said Thomas Häger, co-founder at beroNet.

IT and telecommunication professionals can use the beroNet Cloud to monitor and manage each virtual machine installed on an Appliance 2.0. This allows customers the freedom of choosing the IP-PBX of their choice installed on local hardware while still receiving the benefits of a professionally supported cloud based IP-PBX system.

The Best in Innovation in Telecommunication prize from Initiative Mittelstand is the second award won by the Telephony Appliance 2.0. A beta version of the device won Best Telephony Appliance at the VoIP2Day 2015 exhibit in Spain.

“As part of VoIP2day’s Best Product jury, I gave very high marks to beroNet’s new Appliance. It’s a beautifully engineered and solid product, which simplifies the complexity of VoIP cards and their drivers by offering an Ethernet interface,” said Saúl Ibarra Corretgé, VoIP2Day 2015 Judge and SIP Guru. “This greatly helps the logical separation of equipment in a VoIP deployment: there is a PBX, and there is a gateway to the PSTN, even if they are physically in the same box.”

The beroNet Telephony Appliance 2.0 is available in three different models, each varying on the amount of memory and storage provided; ranging from 4GB of ram and 60 GB SSD to 16GB of ram and a 240GB SSD. Purchase inquiries regarding the appliance can be directed to sales@beronet.com or by telephone to +49 30 259389 0. 

beroNet GmbH is a privately owned German company founded in 2002 by three engineering entrepreneurs focused on providing easy to use VoIP connection technologies. Today beroNet manufactures VoIP Gateways, Cards and Appliances while developing additional software solutions designed to enhance the functionality of beroNet made VoIP hardware. All beroNet technologies are designed and made in Germany.

The post beroNet Appliance 2.0 Wins First in Telecommunication Innovation appeared first on beroNet GmbH.


BRI to All-IP Conversion with beroNet’s New 4 BRI High Precision Clock Module

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beroNet is now offering a 4 BRI high precision clock module; ideal for converting BRI/4S0 PBX systems to All-IP.

Gateways equipped with the 4 BRI high precision module will reduce the potential for data loss or corruption when working with FAX or DECT. Modules without a high precision clock have a higher risk for occasional data glitches caused by a microscopic shift in the clock settings between the gateway and the PBX. When working strictly with voice communication, these microscopic gaps are unnoticeable. However with data transmission these gaps could result in transmission failure. The high precision module will eliminate this gap; thereby decreasing the likelihood of end customers noticing any difference between their ISDN service provider and new VoIP service provider.

beroNet’s new 4BRI/4S0 High Precision Module is currently available on direct request only.

The post BRI to All-IP Conversion with beroNet’s New 4 BRI High Precision Clock Module appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

Peter Johnson wins CeBIT All-IP Challenge

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beroNet2Peter Johnson from Schwartz GmbH & Co. KG wins a VoIP Only Telephony Appliance 2.0 XL after completing the beroNet All-IP Challenge at the CeBIT 2016.

To be eligible to win, participants were required to configure a beroNet Gateway, enabling a legacy PBX to connect with a SIP Trunk Provider. The majority of participants in the challenge were able to configure the device in five minutes or less, demonstrating the ease of use and quick installation of beroNet Gateways.

beroNet VoIP hardware is managed via the beroNet Cloud – a service enabling integrators to monitor and update beroNet Gateways; and directly access individual virtual machines installed in the beroNet Hypervisor. More information about beroNet products can be found at www.beronet.com.

 

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What is a VoIP Gateway?

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What is a VoIP gateway? A VoIP gateway is a bridge between classic telephony technology and new VoIP technology that allows communication to cross from one form of technology to the other.

A VoIP Gateway Functions as a Bridge

With a VoIP gateway in place and acting as a bridge, you can then create backup routes to ensure that each call is successful. This also provides you with an opportunity to create a least-cost-routing scenario that then directs calls over the least expensive network – sending it through the PSTN, GSM or VoIP depending on the call destination.

Some newer VoIP gateways have additional functionalities that allow them to act as more than a bridge. For example, beroNet Gateways can be enhanced through the use of Apps. Such apps can then transform the device into a Survival Branch Appliance – enabling the gateway to act as a backup to hosted or off-site IP-PBX systems.

Quality gateways have built in alert systems that can inform you when a device no longer functions properly. When such an alert is received it is often a sign that there may be network problems at the gateway location that should be dealt with. With beroNet gateways, this alert system is built into a full Cloud solution that also provides you with a way to make modifications to the device or schedule tasks such as updating the firmware or conducting a backup or restore using the beroNet Cloud portal.

Though VoIP Gateways have been present in the market for a number of years, not all devices are made equally. Therefore be sure to do your research before deciding which gateway to rely on for your specific setup and needs.

To learn more about VoIP technology and hardware, sign up to receive new blog posts in your email.

If you prefer only to receive the best of the best, as well as a list of upcoming beroNet webinars and activities, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

 

what is a voip gateway

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How to register your beroNet Appliance 2.0 in the Cloud

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With the beroNet Appliance 2.0, VoIP integrators can install a complete cloud managed communication solution on a single server. The Appliance comes with the beroNet Hypervisor, enabling integrators to virtualise different systems on a single server. For example, with the beroNet Hypervisor an integrator can install a router (pfSense, m0n0wall, mikrotik) and an IPBX (3CX, Asterisk, Mobydick, etc) in order to provide their clients with a complete VoIP solution. By managing this solution with the beroNet Cloud integrators can monitor and update the system or configuration using beroNet’s centralized management system.

 

How to register your beroNet Appliance 2.0 in the beroNet Cloud:

    1. In the interface of the hypervisor, navigate to “Cloud settings” under “Settings” in the web interface of the appliance
    2. Enable the Cloud management
    3. Enter the credentials of your cloud account you received by email
      beroNet Appliance 2.0 in the Cloud: Screenshot 1
    4. Then log into your cloud account under berocloud.beronet.com. The appliance should be connected to it. If it does not appears green (but grey), go back to the cloud settings of the hypervisor and re-enable it. Once it has turned green, click on the device. Information about your appliance and the VMs should be available.
      beroNet Appliance 2.0 in the Cloud: Screenshot 2
    5. In order to access the web Interface of the hypervisor, click on “Request GUI”. Let the connection be enabled – it can take up to 3 minutes.
      beroNet Appliance 2.0 in the Cloud: Screenshot 4
    6. Once the tunnel has been enabled, you have the possibility to access the hypervisor by clicking on “beroNet Appliance GUI”.
      beroNet Appliance 2.0 in the Cloud: Screenshot 5
      However, to access each VM, a VNC client is needed. I personally use the program “tightVNC” available here: http://www.tightvnc.com/download.php
      Once you have launched the program, you can access each VM by entering the IP of the Cloud and the port opened by it in order to access the VM. Example: 80.244.243.46::20006 which leads to my VM with the VNC 5901. Each VM installed on the hypervisor of the beroNet Appliance can then be accessed. For more information about the Appliance, visit our product page.

 

To learn more about VoIP technology and hardware, sign up to receive new blog posts in your email.

If you prefer only to receive the best of the best, as well as a list of upcoming beroNet webinars and activities, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

The post How to register your beroNet Appliance 2.0 in the Cloud appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

How to install a complete VoIP System using a beroNet Appliance 2.0 and 3CX

How to build a VoIP system using the beroNet Telephony Appliance 2.0 and mobydick

How to attract more business as a VoIP expert

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New business development in VoIP follows many of the same principles used in other markets; most important of these principles is to ensure that you are where your customers are. Today people look to the internet to provide useful information to help them make a decision. At this time there is limited information on the Web about VoIP that can be easily understood by someone not proficient in tech jargon. As a VoIP integrator working with businesses on a daily basis, you are in a unique position to know the questions and answer them jargon-free on your website.

Answering basic questions is a good start. You also want to help your potential customers visualize how their life would change if they used the system you install. You can help with this by providing case studies on your website. A simple case study that outlines the problems or issues solved by you will help customers with similar problems see how you successfully solved these problems in the past and recognize your as an authority or expert on these issues.

Next – gather testimonials and publish them. Testimonials will help to demonstrate whether or not your customers are pleased with your work and why.

Why this approach works
By publishing useful content on the web search engines will rank your site as more useful – providing you with more search traffic that can be converted to leads and customers.

This method also hits your potential customer offline. By publishing useful information and answers to common VoIP questions you establish yourself as an authority figure in the realm of VoIP. People tend to respect the recommendations and opinions of established authority figures.

Lastly — case studies and testimonials demonstrate that others have chosen you over your competition. This is a strong element that people use on a daily basis to make decisions that psychologists call “social proof.”

The principle of social proof “states that one means we use to determine what is correct is to find out what other people think is correct.” – From the book Influence by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D

Become a beroNet Partner and receive the beroNet Partner Marketing Toolkit; a resource filled with in-depth guides and templates built to help you use the ideas presented in the “Bottom Line to VoIP” series. You can apply to be a beroNet Partner here.

 

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How to connect two distant sites via VoIP

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VoIP systems and internet connectivity provide a unique opportunity for companies with multiple locations to communicate inexpensively around the world. With the proper technology, it is possible to connect two different telecommunication systems with VoIP; enabling free communication between the two systems. To do this, both systems must be compatible with VoIP. Luckily for owners of legacy communication systems, beroNet VoIP Gateways are designed specifically to make this possible.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to connect two different ISDN communication systems using beroNet VoIP Gateway technology.

 

Getting Started:

Choice of the gateway:

Before purchasing a beroNet VoIP Gateway, determine what technology your current telecommunication system is using. In this example, both locations use telecommunication systems with two BRI ports. Therefore, each PBX needs a beroNet VoIP Gateway with four BRI ports; two ports to connect to the PBX, and two additional ports to connect with the outside world.

Here is a graphical representation of the scenario described:

VoIP Gateway: Scenario SIP link between gateways

Network configuration

VoIP communication between a company’s different locations begins with creating a network link between the two locations. Two techniques can be used, though we highly recommend using the second technique as it is much more secure.

 

  1. Connecting both gateways by opening a port in each firewall
    Here, most of the work will happen in the configuration of the router at each site. Ports for VoIP and RTP range will need to be opened in order to connect both gateways. When doing this, keep in mind that opening ports is like building a stone bridge over a moat. It may make traffic easier and more reliable, but it will also create a direct route for an invading army (or hacker) to attack. If you choose to use this option, ensure you have set secure passwords to protect your system.
  2. Connecting both gateways through a VPN (preferred method)
    Using a VPN is like building a labyrinth around your castle. Much more secure than opening a port. Companies with multiple locations often build a VPN between their locations for the purpose of file sharing. If such a VPN exists, it may be possible to use it for VoIP. If not, you would need to set one up. Once the VPN has been set up, both gateways can be connected with each other by creating building a SIP trunk between them. Keep in mind – if VPN connectivity is slow – voice communication will be choppy over a VPN.

Once your network configuration is ready, it is time to configure the beroNet VoIP Gateways.

Configuration of the VoIP Gateways

The configuration of both VoIP Gateways is the same. First we need to configure the ISDN ports and SIP setting. Following this you can link the technologies with the dialplan. The dialplan allows you to determine how communication over the device will be routed. Use our guide on Understanding the beroNet Dialplan to learn more about how this works.

Hardware configuration of the gateway

First, set the hardware configuration of the ISDN ports. In this scenario, two of those ports need to be set as TE (terminal Endpoint) to connect the two external ISDN lines with the gateway. The remaining two ports should be set as NT (network terminator) to connect the PBX with the gateway. To do this, navigate to “hardware” and change the “Type” of two ports to “NT”. The two others can be left as TE. Save the configuration. A red activate will appear. When you click this the gateway will restart. You can choose to click this now, or wait to activate the device until after you’ve configured all of the settings.

VoIP Gateway: Hardware Settings

Next, navigate to “ISDN BRI” under “PSTN+”. Add two groups of ports. One for the NT ports and one for the TE ports. Do not forget to enter the country and city code. Save the settings.

VoIP Gateway: ISDN Group

Your ISDN configuration should look like this at the end:

VoIP Gateway: ISDN Groups

The same configuration should be done in both gateways.

 

SIP configuration of the gateways

This part varies slightly based on whether you are using a VPN or if you opened a port in your firewall. Either way, navigate to “SIP” under “SIP+” and add a SIP account. Give it a name. The server address is the IP address of the gateway installed on the other site if you chose the VPN option. If you chose the port forwarding option, enter the external IP address of the other site and the port chosen for SIP connections.

VoIP Gateway: SIP Configuration

It is not necessary to “register” both gateways with each other. Selecting this allows you to better monitor the connection, both in the GUI and the beroNet Cloud.

Once the SIP and ISDN configuration is done and you’ve activated your device, your “State” page under “Management+” should look like this:

VoIP Gateway: State

Dialplan configuration

In this scenario, we want to send some calls via SIP when employees of one site want to call the employees of the other site, and the rest of the calls via ISDN. It is also possible to develop a more complex Dialplan for the purpose of least cost routing. This could be particularly valuable if both company locations are in different countries.

VoIP Gateway: scenario ISDN PBX to ISDN Lines and a SIP connection between gateways

Using the dialplan we will distinguish which calls should go out via SIP and when they should go out via ISDN. In this scenario we will use a prefix dialed through PBX1 to determine which calls are sent over the SIP connection to the other company location.

CAREFUL:

  • Usually PBXs already use a prefix to call out. This should not be forgotten by the employees. They would have to combine both prefixes to call the PBX2
  • The prefix used on the gateway should not create a conflict with any existing numbers such as emergency numbers.

Ex: we can use the prefix 111. As this rule is more precise, it needs to be placed above the ISDN to ISDN rule.

VoIP Gateway: Dialplan

In this case, all calls starting by “111” will be sent to the other gateway. In the other gateway, the rule “SIP to ISDN” (the second one in the above screenshot) will then forward the call to the PBX2. As explained in the dialplan how to, the “111” used as a prefix will not be sent by the gateway so that the PBX2 will recognize the extension being called.

The same four rules need to be created in the gateway in the other site. Both sites are now connected and can communicate via SIP for free.

Least cost routing

If both sites are in different countries a least cost routing scenario will save a company in long distance calling. If PBX1 is in France and PBX2 in Germany, PBX1 has the possibility of using the ISDN lines of PBX2 when calling German numbers. Two new specific rules need to be created.

Ex:

VoIP Gateway: Dialplan

Thanks to the first rule, employees in France using the PBX1 will be able to use the ISDN lines of PBX2 in Germany when calling German numbers. In PBX2 a rule forwarding calls coming from SIP and calling a German numbers should be sent to the ISDN lines.

The second rule enables calls coming from PBX2 and calling French numbers to use the ISDN lines of PBX1.

 

The dialplan of the gateway 2 would then look like this:

VoIP Gateway: Dialplan

As we can see, both dialplans are very similar.

Here is a graphical representation of the scenario we have created:

VoIP Gateway: Scenario explanation 1

VoIP Gateway: Scenario explanation 2

VoIP Gateway: Scenario explanation 3

The post How to connect two distant sites via VoIP appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

We Updated our Gateway Firmware Numbering System

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Improved Development Techniques Reflected in Updated Gateway Firmware Numbering

After adopting a new development technique we improved our ability to rapidly add useful features and squash pesky bugs. To better reflect this change and more accurately represent the updates and improvements in the firmware, we modified our method for numbering new firmware versions from a standard 3.0 system, to one that represents the year of its release, similar to the method used by Ubuntu.

The new versioning scheme will have the last 2 digits of the current year and an incrementing 2 digit number in it:

  • $YY.$DD

As an example our first firmware in 2016 is the 16.01 (equals to the 3.1 firmware), the next one will be 16.02. The first one in 2017 will be 17.01.

The post We Updated our Gateway Firmware Numbering System appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

Gateway firmware 16.1 beta is available

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beroNet’s 16.1 VoIP Gateway firmware is now available for public testing. This update introduces features that increase both the speed and simplicity of installing a beroNet VoIP Gateway. To install the beta, go through the standard update process and select the 16.1 Beta firmware.

Changes on the web user interface

You can now choose between two configuration modes: easy or advanced.

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Easy mode will display the most basic SIP configuration options.

 

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Warnings before activating: before clicking an orange or red activate a more precise warning appears. It now also lets you know how many calls are being processed by the gateway.

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Faster dial plan configuration

You can configure the dialplan faster using the “reverse rule” option. This will insert a rule to manage calls going in the opposite direction of the new rule you are adding.2016-07-20_09h52_07

Changes in SIP configuration

Precise SIP accounts:

 

New options are now available in the configuration of manual SIP accounts:

  • You now have the possibility to specify a SIP oubound proxy and a SIP domain, not only the SIP registrar of a SIP peer. It offers more flexibility and makes our gateways easier to configure with specific carriers.
  • ENUM Support is now available. When activated, it is possible to enter different ENUM search Domains.
  • Call transfer method: you can now choose between refer or re-invite.2016-07-20_11h01_56

SIP provider profiles

Firmware 3.x introduced SIP profiles that make the configuration of SIP accounts faster. In 16.1 you can manage those profile by adding new profiles or deleting profiles that you do not use. We will add a page with different SIP profiles tested and certified by our technicians.

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Backup and restore via single XML file

Backups now use XML files to make provisioning of beroNet solutions easier and faster.

Increase of Gateway Security

A third party inspection discovered some some security risks in our last firmware. We fixed these in version 16.1.

The most visible change is a persistent reminder to change the default password:

“Warning: The password for the user admin is still the default one.
Please click here to change the password or dismiss this message.”

Increased troubleshooting options

We made our primary debugging tool more precise to assist in troubleshooting. You can choose which interface to track and what information the trace will log. By default, a full trace will only record the “SIP sign”. If beroNet support needs more information they will ask you select one of the other options.2016-07-20_11h29_26

The post Gateway firmware 16.1 beta is available appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

Add SIP-to-SIP SBC Functionality to any beroNet VoIP Gateway

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With the most recent release of beroNet OS comes the ability to interconnect SIP devices, giving each beroNet VoIP Gateway basic SBC functionality.

With this new update you can :

  • Connect incompatible SIP devices
  • Use regular expressions in the beroNet Gateway to ensure that each device receives SIP information in the format it expects
  • Simplify advanced PBX configurations
  • Add your SIP Trunks to the beroNet Gateway to manage all failover and least-cost-routing configurations directly in the Gateway. If you use the same configuration often, simply backup the device and deploy the configuration to the next one keeping your optimizations PBX independent.
  • Keep your external SIP Communication Secure
  • Use the VoIP Gateway to take advantage of Secure SIP and SRTP; even if your IP-PBX doesn’t support it.

In December 2016 beroNet is offering resellers a discount on SIP-to-SIP licenses. For more information contact sales@beronet.com.

After you purchase your license, review our documentation on how to activate SIP-to-SIP functionality on your device.

Request more Information

The post Add SIP-to-SIP SBC Functionality to any beroNet VoIP Gateway appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

Virtualization explained in an easy way

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Virtualization in IT is not easy to understand. What is a virtual machine and why should I use one? Let’s try to understand.

Companies use different IT programs and services. A medium size company could have:

  • a telecommunication system (to make and receive calls);
  • a file server (to save all kinds of documents such as invoices, offers, etc.);
  • a customer relationship management system (CRM);
  • a windows server for other applications.

If all four services ran on the same computer (or server) the same problems that we often encounter on our own PC would arise: if I start a program that needs lots of resources, all other programs are slowed down. Sometimes, my computer freezes if I have too many programs opened at the same time. A company cannot allow itself to have its services frozen.

Virtualization: A server with different programs running on it

A server with different programs running on it

 

In order to make sure that each program can run well and have enough resources available, we can install them on different servers. In my example, the company needs four different servers:

Virtualization: Four different servers for four different programs

Four different servers for four different programs

 

With four different well chosen servers, I can be sure that each program has enough resources to work properly and that those resources are not shared. Each program is independent from the others and this offers a few advantages:

  • If one server crashes, the others keep running as if nothing had happened;
  • If I need to make an update on my windows server, the others can keep working;
  • if one server has a virus, it does not spread to the others;

Using a dedicated machine for a specific program is an easy way to split the resources and to allocate enough for each program. However, in most cases, using a whole server for only one application is oversized and the initial investment as well as the running costs are much too high. There are other cons to using one server per program:

  • Maintenance on 4 different servers is more complicated than on only one;
  • Redundancy (automatic hardware failover) is harder and more expensive to achieve;
  • Backups are complicated to manage;
  • More hardware means more space used, more cables and therefore higher chances of making mistakes;
  • Lack of flexibility: the resources of a server are fixed and cannot easily be changed.

To sum up we can say that services run better and more securely when they are installed on different servers but using only one server is cheaper and easier to manage and maintain. Virtualization is a good compromise: it brings the pros of both solutions without the cons.

In a virtualized environment, the four computers are running within one server:

Virtualization: 4 programs virtualized on one server

4 programs virtualized on one server

 

Virtualization means running different imaginary (virtual) computers on one real server: the programs do not see the difference between a real and a virtual computer. When the machines are virtualized it brings the same advantages as having one computer per machine, but on one server only: it is cheaper and needs less power. Virtual machines are also like boxes within a server. It is very easy to back them up and restore them on another server.

Virtualization: Back up of virtual machines on a backup server

Back up of virtual machines on a backup server

 

Finally a “virtual” machine is not real, which brings lots of flexibility: the user can define the perfect amount of resources needed to run the program and modify them later if needed. The user can also choose the best virtual hardware (network card, SSD, RAM, etc.) that composes the virtual machine in order to meet the exact needs of each program.

Virtualization brings the following advantages:

  • Dedicated resources for each program – as if each program were running on a dedicated computer;
  • Only one server: cheaper and easier to install and maintain;
  • Easy backup: almost as simple as a copy & paste;
  • Cheaper redundancy;
  • Virtual: if a mistake is done in one machine, it’s not a big deal, a new machine is only a few clicks away.

This is for all those reasons that we offer virtualization possibilities on the beroNet Appliance.

I'd like to get more information

The post Virtualization explained in an easy way appeared first on beroNet GmbH.

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