Static on freepbx phone system

[ck1402]

I have a customer that had a freepbx system install a while ago that was originally wireless. They had a ton of problems with it initially and went hardline with them. The problem they are having currently is there is static on the phones when they make a call. They are using the D-link 140s phones currently. I am wondering if there are any suggestions to help clear this static up. Some options i have are
1) try and see if it is a soft issue and enable the QoS possibly tweak the system.

2) replace the phones themselves

3)(last resort) tear out existing lines and redo the network. They have had several phone systems in there and it looks like a jumbled mess...

I have asked them if there was a time when it worked properly and they couldn't give me a straight answer on that. They have 6 lines currently and wanting to add a 7th.

 

[seedubya]

Can you give a bit more info regarding your setup and the problem itself, please? Internal or external calls? All or intermittent? Codecs being used? LAN setup? etc etc.

 

[SAG]

FreePBX is (can be) great... but also a major pain in the pickel.
I've successfully had 30+ extensions running on a virtualized FreePBX install, and likewise had utter failure on a 5 extension atom setup... But all that is in the past.

More info is needed, much more!

An easy way to test the phones is to use a Softphone application; X-Lite for your PC/Laptop or Acrobits for your iPhone/Android. Using that, make a call to another number off the system and see what the outcome is.

Personally I don't like to support anything besides the upper model Grandstreams and (my favorite) Aastra phones on an Asterisk based PBX, I've had the best outcome with those.

 

[ck1402]

So far here is what i have gotten. They installed this system back around 2008 i believe left on bad terms with the initial installer...

Tribox running 1.2.3 CentOS4.4(final)
Asterisk 1.2.12.1
Internal calls are good External are bad
It is intermittant.
Not sure what codecs are being used. I honestly don't know how to check ...
They are viop phones hooked into a switch. The phone lines coming in from the street are hooked into the pbx box. The box is connected to the router.

I appologize for not knowing more about these systems. This is one of my areas where i dont know all to well. I have to start somewhere right?...

 

[drjones]

I don't know much about VOIP systems, other than I hate them because they turn me from the computer guy, into the phone guy.

A couple things I've learned over the years, hopefully it's a little help:

- One client I had was using a phone system that had a very short and specific list of routers that were officially approved for use with their VOIP system. If you didn't use an approved one, of course problems would ensue.

- Check if anyone in the office is streaming any radio/music or video. Streaming media will eat a ton of bandwidth & cause problems both with VOIP as well as LAN connectivity/speed in general.

- Yes, you may need a router or switch that will do QoS.

- Check all of the physical connections for any signs of old, loose, damaged cables & replace any that look worn or bad.

- When you say that "internal calls are good, external are bad" you mean inter-office calls vs. calls to say, a cell phone? If that's right, I'd have a pro look at the connections in the outside box/MPOE. Could be something wrong there.

 

[SAG]

So far here is what i have gotten. They installed this system back around 2008 i believe left on bad terms with the initial installer...

I've actually seen this quite a bit in the past.
Some yahoo successfully gets (usually) an Asterisk based PBX up and running and think they know what they are doing. Once in the real world selling it they find their knowledge is MUCH less than what they had assumed. Leaving their clients high-and-dry and hitting the road with the cash.
Not saying that is what happened here though.
And at least I'm not to proud to admit I know less than what some guys have forgotten.

Tribox running 1.2.3 CentOS4.4(final)
Asterisk 1.2.12.1
Internal calls are good External are bad
It is intermittant.

Wow, that is old. Trixbox is all bud dead - last time I looked.
Sounds like the problem is with their SIP trunk, at least that's my first thought.

Not sure what codecs are being used. I honestly don't know how to check ...

Log into FreePBX as maint - look for "ASterisk SIP Settings" under the "Tools" section.
But if it worked in the past and has only recently become a problem, I doubt it is the codecs. At least, I doubt it at this moment in time.

They are viop phones hooked into a switch. The phone lines coming in from the street are hooked into the pbx box. The box is connected to the router.

STOP THE PRESS!
Phone lines coming in from the street?
Are you saying that there are pots lines coming in to the PBX using something like a Digium Analog card?
Can you verify if they have a SIP trunk or are using POTS lines?

I appologize for not knowing more about these systems. This is one of my areas where i dont know all to well. I have to start somewhere right?...

No apologies needed.
Let's see what we can do to help you.

 

[ck1402]

So here is the info this far. There are no sip trunks its all pots lines coming into a card.,a few days ago I walked in to schedule an appointment worth them and walked into a little mess' luckily my day was clear. They had a problem with the fax line. They had the com doc guy out there the owner looked like he wanted to pull his hair out. After going through everything we determined it was a problem with the phone lines. They called the phone company and they came out. Phone company found that a line had fallen outside the building and shorted out the fax line... When he fixed it it seemed to clear up the static. My guess is there was faulty wiring coming in the while time... I told them to keep an write on the calls over the next week and see what happens... I will keep you posted as son as something breaks. If you have any suggestions as always they are welcome thank you!