Aastra 67xxi and NTP

Using a NTP server with the Aastra 6731i in Africa is difficult since the phone has settings for the rest of the world except Africa - especially Namibia. Edit and add the following to the aastra.cfg file (bold red was added, bold blue is optional if Daylight Savings Time is to be used):

============================================================
# Time Server Settings
## =====================
time server disabled:0    #server enabled(0), server disabled(1)
dst config: 0             #daylight savings, OFF(0), 30 min summertime(1), 1h summertime(2), automatic(3)(default)

time server1:172.16.104.72
time server2:172.16.104.73
#time server2: # least one time server IP address or
#time server3: # qualified domain name

#Time and Date Settings
## ====================
time zone name:Custom  #Required setting if time-server is enabled
time format:1 #12hours(0), 24hours(1)
date format:2 #YYYY-MM-DD(2)
time zone minutes: -120 #For GMT +2 = -120, for GMT +1 = -60
#dst minutes: 60 #Amount of minutes to add for DST
#dst [start/end] relative date: 1 #1 = relative, 0 = absolute
#dst start month: 4 #1 = January
#dst end month: 8 #12 = December
#dst start week: 1 #First week of the month = 1
#dst end week: 1
#dst start day: 7 # 1 = Monday
#dst end day: 7

=======================================================================

MX-ONE Number Presentation

To provide correct DID (incoming) and CLOP (outgoing presentation), the MX-ONE uses the command RONDI.

Example number:
PSTN number: 37345xx (i.e., as found in the telephone directory).
PABX directory range: 45xx

Transmitted digits from Telco: 5xx

Typical RONDI:

RONDI:ROU=1,EXNOPU=0-373,PRE=4;

EXNOPU tells the Telco what kind of line is connected (0- indicating Unknown public).
It also will append the 373 before the internal range of 45xx, to send the complete number of 37345xx to the Telco.

Incoming calls are presented as 5xx to the PBX. To adapt to the range of 45xx, it adds the PRE-digit of 4. So the 5xx number is changed to 45xx and will correspond to an internal directory number.

Thus RONDI is used for incoming and outgoing number analysis.

Aastra 6731i Last Number Redial disable

Since the Aastra 6731i displays the full Account Code and number when calling out, the client requested that we disable the phone's ability to do LNR. In the 'aastra.cfg' file (and .cfg if in use for individual extensions) add the section shown in orange:

....
#disable local  'conf' to promote central conference with 3 parties using DTMF '3'
#conference hard key on Aastra 673xi is mapped to send DTMF 3
conference disabled:1
map conf as dtmf:1
map conf key to:3

#disable local 'redial' to prevent users from seeing pin codes
#'redial' hard key on Aastra 673xi is disabled
redial disabled:1

#disable local call forwarding to promote
#1. *21*, *22# or menu MX-ONE menu Diversion.
#2. call_list (Personal Number)
call forward disabled:1
...

The text in black is part of the default 'aastra.cfg' file.

OneBox Automated Attendant

The following problem has arisen on an MX-ONE OneBox solution. The client wants a general message to be played that can be heard  by both internal and external parties. No problem regarding extrnal parties - they are diverted to from the main ring extension to the OneBox huntgroup and receive the message no problem. However, internal calls that have are mailbox subscribers are presented with mailbox features, and not the announcement.

To bypass this, we activated a mailbox on the primary ring extension. In the mailbox settings for this subscriber we used the ESP feature under the Answering tab, selected the Call Processor that played the Auto Attendant and ticked the Active checkbox.

Thus any call presented to the main incoming extension would be diverted to OneBox. OneBox thinks that since the call has been diverted from a subscriber extension, all callers want to leave a message and it runs the mailbox settings. Since we have activated the ESP feature, running mailbox settings actually just means continuing on towards the announcement.

External call --> Extension --divert--> OneBox ---> Mailbox of extension xxxx --> Run CSP yyyy

Internal call --> Extension --divert--> OneBox ---> Mailbox of extension xxxx --> Run CSP yyyy

Now we have a common announcement for all parties.

Remote desktop from Linux to Windows7

A great discovery (Linux comes out on top again!) and no extra software required. My system runs OpenSUSE 11.4 with KDE. By means of the RDP protocol, I can use Linux to connect to a Windows machine, utilising the built-in Microsoft Remote Desktop present on Windows XP and Windows 7. With a KDE system you can run KRDC and connect to a Windows machine which has allowed remote support.

Note: When using KRDC, select "rdp", not "vnc" (I am sure it is pretty obvious, but you never know what someone may overlook!)

The graphics may not be great, but functionality is all that is actually required.

Finding your openSUSE version

#cat /etc/issue