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3CX Phone System for Windows System for Windows
Page 31
4. Adding PSTN line(s) via a VOIP Gateway
Introduction
External calls are received and made on PSTN phone lines.
A traditional PBX requires
you to connect the PSTN lines to the PBX hardware box; however in the case of 3CX
Phone System you have more options:
Connect PSTN lines (physical phone lines) to a VoIP Gateway situated on your
internal network.
Connect PSTN lines to a VoIP add in card, such as a Sangoma, installed on the 3CX
Phone System machine or on another machine.
Use a ‘hosted’ phone line from a VOIP Service Provider. In this case the VOIP service
provider has connected external lines to a VOIP Gateway and allows you to access
these lines via your internet connection.
To make & receive external phone calls via your regular phone lines, you will have to buy
and configure a VoIP gateway or VoIP add in card. This chapter explains what they are
and how to configure them.
What is a VoIP Gateway or VoIP add in card?
A VoIP gateway is a device which converts telephony traffic into data,
so that it can be
transmitted over a computer network. In this manner PSTN/telephone lines are
“converted” to SIP
extensions, allowing you to receive & place calls via the regular
telephony network. VOIP Gateways exist for analog lines as well as BRI, PRI/E1 lines
and T1 lines. VoIP cards do the same thing, but are add in cards that are installed into an
existing computer.
There are lots of VoIP gateways and VoIP cards available today at competitive prices.
Analog VOIP gateways start for as little as $100. Be sure to use a supported gateway - a
list of supported gateways & cards can be found on http://www.3cx.com/voip-
PSTN line configuration overview
Just as it is necessary to configure a phone to register with the phone system, it is
necessary to configure the VoIP gateway or card to register its lines with 3CX Phone
System. Each port gets a SIP user ID & Password, and to the IP PBX, the PSTN line
appears just like any other SIP extension.
In the next sections we will now describe step by step how to configure a VOIP Gateway
for use with 3CX Phone System.