3CX and Asterisk

[voipstarter]

Hi:

I am new to VOIP and doing some research at the moment. I cam across three open Source products (Asterisk, OpenSer and 3CX). My understanding is Asterisk is PBX server and OpenSer is SIP server. My questions are

does 3CX compare to Asterisk or OpenSer?

If 3CX similar to OpenSer, can it be integrated with Asterisk.
How good 3CX compared to linux bases systems? Is it scalable?

Your help is very much appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure if you can compare them, what they have in common is that they handle VOIP, do a bit of call routing, allow for IVR and voice mail but that is where it sort of stops.

Asterisk
Has been arround for a while.
Runs on unix and linux. There is a windows version but I never used it.
Needs some scripting knowledge but help is available.
Supports at this stage more bells and whisles, although nice, they will introduce a complexity that most users do not need or want.

OpenSer
SER/OpenSER configuration is a black art and not for the faint of heart
That pretty much sums it up, unless you want to become your own VSP, i would do a runner. It runs on unix/Linux not sure if there are any windows version around.

3CX
Oh where do I start (Hey it is a 3cx forum after all).
Better pictures It has a nice graphical interface that if you install this in a company environment the receptionist can do the basic configurations and see which extensions are busy without to much training.
Works out of the box, well after download that is but you get my drift.
Simple setup, no scripting (although there is some freedom to do so as we noticed as time passed by).
The free version suits most users just fine.
Does not support as many features as Asterisk (does it really need to?)
Runs on Windows, so no unix/linux skills required.
Young dynamic company and support.
There is still a bit to do and to work on but considering the time its been arround the track record is not to bad at all.


How good 3CX compared to linux bases systems? Is it scalable?
Doesn't compare, again does it need to? one is windows and the other is linux.
Scalable? Yep, supports several PSTN/Gateways/Providers and a lot of extensions.


Conclusion:

Asterisk, runs on unix/linux if you have those environments, use them. Most people do not bother with other OS's than Windows. There is also a Windows version but not sure about that.
You need to do a lot of manual scripting (well there is some, lot might be a big word) and if you like that sort of thing Asterisk is your toy.

3CX on the other hand, is windows based. Once configured it runs well (very well actually) the application appears very sociable (eg works well in combination with other applications). Most companies and households have a PC running windows, you can easy install the software on that.
I could say it is almoust idiot proof, but there are some tricks that are required to make it work with some types of hw and sw. But that is where the forum is handy.

Hope this helps.
Henk.
PS this is my opinion, it might be that 3cx will have other ideas about this .

 

[archie]

We truly has to ask Kevin to describe Asterisk hell, because he spent a lot of time configuring it May be I'm wrong, but I suspect it was one of the reasons why we started this 3CX project

 

[vanDivX]

doesn't asterisk support IAX as well as SIP? 3CX is only SIP

also there is *@home now called trixbox or trickbox, don't know which one and don't like either new name LOL

but even that is somewhat difficult, on the surface its like homey face but it also can show the evil beast that it is underneath that friendly face

from what I gathered over time, companies interested in PBX don't like to introduce Linux if they are running 100% on Win platform as many do and so the choice is not simply which PBX can do more, if 3CX can do at least the essential stuff it will win over Linux based PBX

many of us like myself already have some sort of win machine running at home anyway and asterisk would need its own extra machine running around the clock, something to consider

I don't think the line interface would be much usefull for a receptionist, for that it would need some more usefullness and configuration ability to it, like at least you should be able to re-order lines and segment them appart into groups easily visually discernible and such like, it would also have to be 'clickable' for some functioning, like if you right clicked a line, you should be able to have several choices to apply to it, from cutting it off to eavsdropping/recording, make a log just for that line etc... I see that interface as it is now just admin stuff you look at when setting it up and not for use by a receptionist

vanDivX

 

[archie]

I see that interface as it is now just admin stuff you look at when setting it up and not for use by a receptionist

vanDivX

Yes, it's true. But don't forget we have Call Assistant, which will be quite powerful for Small Business version, and even more powerful for Enterprise edition. We're thinking about making it more convenient than big multifunction super-puper hardware phones for resceptionists

 

[Anonymous]

[
Yes, it's true. But don't forget we have Call Assistant, which will be quite powerful for Small Business version, and even more powerful for Enterprise edition. We're thinking about making it more convenient than big multifunction super-puper hardware phones for resceptionists

Ohhh and integration with Exchange so we can directly dial from exchange (LCS type functionality).

Perhaps hooks/api into LCS would be good .

Can we can we, Please Mr Santa (archie) :lol:

 

[N_G]

3CX or Asterisk

I think ITfarmer made an excellent comparison there. Just to add my 2 cents:

Simply put, Asterisk is an IP Phone System on Linux, and 3CX is an IP Phone System on Windows. Obviously we prefer 3CX (we made it, so we're biased ), however i think most people who have tried both will confirm that Asterisk requires a considerable degree of Linux knowledge to configure it succesfully. There are pre packaged versions of Asterisk though which make it a lot easier. Asterisk does have IAX, but thats something we are seriously considering adding.

Both 3CX and Asterisk have free editions, so go ahead and download both and you can see for yourself......