Create and maintain an economical Asterisk phone system from scratch

Asterisk is the open-source PBX software that offers you the chance to save real money on your voice communications. Invest in this book and save a lot of headaches, too! Here's how to choose the right hardware, install the software, handle all the necessary programming to set up the system, and keep it running smoothly.

Discover how to

• Tie together standard voice and VoIP
• Use AsteriskNOW's GUI interface
• Install cards and telephony devices
• Build dialplans for incoming and outgoing calls
• Manage call flow

Asterisk takes the data side of telecom and applies it to the handling and processing of voice calls. This book will show you everything you need to know to install, program, and grow with Asterisk. The invaluable information covered in this guide shows you how to:

• Utilize dialplan, add features, and build infrastructure
• Maintain your telecom service
• Address call-quality concerns and completion issues
• Provide long-term health for your Asterisk switch
• Operate the AsteriskNOW GUI
• Utilize VoIP codecs
• Troubleshoot VoIP calls with packet captures
• Avoid the things you should never do with Asterisk

In addition to these essential tools, this trusty guide shows you how to manipulate your Asterisk and make it even more useful, such as fending off telemarketers, creating a voice mailbox that e-mails everyone, and transmitting your voice through your stereo. It also has quick references that no Asterisk operator should be without, like dialplan functions, VoIP basics, and a concise guide to Linux. With Asterisk for Dummies, you'll have the power to handle all the necessary programming to set up the system and keep it running smoothly.