Feedback on 3CXSkype Gateway 2.0 Beta

[sipero123]

Hi,


Looks good and much easier to install than the original release. Just one question and one comment so far

1. How can I set this up to automatcally run when I reboot my server? Some of this seems to autostart but is slow and produces some errors.

2. The computer I’m using has a built in speaker and running on Windows XP Professional SP3. Even though I’ve tried to turn this off I get the sounds for ring and call conversation over the speaker. Thought there might be something in the bios or windows control panel to disable this. Even when I select mute all and no speakers in Windows control panel I still get sounds as described. Any ideas how I can disable this?



Jonathan Hamon

 

[Vali_3CX]

Hi, Jonathan

- Gateway runs as a "automatic" system service, therefore it will start everytime your computer will (re)start, and will run no matter which user is logged-in, and no matter if any user is logged in.
- About muting sound - when you configure each Skype client, go the Tools/Options menu, General/Sudio settings, there on Speakers uncheck the "automatically adjust speakers settings" and set the slider to minimum. Unfortunately, there is no way (until now) to programatically set the Skype client's volume, they don't provide such feature.

Any further feedback will be appreciated - thanks

Regards
vali

 

[Vali_3CX]

About service start:
computer rebooting it's a quite slow process, especially on servers. The moment when Windows start its services is about when screen changes from black to its normal blue, but at that time many resources are not fully initialized so at that time the gateway, especially Skype, might struggle and fail and gateway has to recover. To avoid this issue, the gateway has an internal "post-reboot delay" of aprox 2 mins (seems much, but isn't). Additionaly to this time, you may add some extra delay using File/Settings... Advanced button, "Post-reboot delay", between 0 and 600 secs (10 mins).

 

[sipero123]

Hi,

Thanks for that when do you expect there will be any technical documentation available as I've seen there are a few others features that I would like to be able to understand better

For example under Settings - Advanced 'Ring group behaviour on inbound Skype call'




Jonathan Hamon

 

[Vali_3CX]

At this moment, only a quite brief Q&A has been uploaded, we have also a quite detailed manual which will be uploaded soon.

About that feature, I will explain you now:

Basically, it set how gateway will handle an inbound Skype call to an account set to more gateway ports. Let me explain

SkypeAccount---->port01---->PBX---->PSTNGateway01---->(call extension 101)
SkypeAccount---->port02---->PBX---->PSTNGateway02---->(call extension 102)
SkypeAccount---->port03---->PBX---->PSTNGateway03---->(end call)

Hope it's quite intuitive. Note that all three gateway ports has the same Skype account SkypeAccount.

Now, a Skype_caller calls SkypeAccount account. Therefore, all three ports will start "ring" the PBX due to this single Skype call. PBX will route all these three SIP calls to their destination. But the third PSTN gateway is set to "end call". Now, the parameter you asked makes the difference
- when UNCHECKED
the PSTNGateway03 will end SIP call, therefore, the incoming single, unique Skype call will be ended, therefore extension101 and 102 will stop ring and will have "1 missed call"
- when CHECKED
the PSTNGateway03 will end SIP call but the gateway ignore it, therefore 101 and 102 will continue to ring until one of them will answer or until Skype_caller close the ringing call.

Hope I explained ok.

Regards
vali

 

[sipero123]

Hi,

Thanks. A really useful piece of work. Just wondered if you have any thoughts on a couple of other things I've posted about. I appreciate you cannot just add these as everything get a priority and 3CX as a company has limited resources. I was speaking to Steve Corrigan (UK Channel Manager) earlier and explained I find it frustrating not get any feedback on these type of postings.

A simple response like a) Not for further consideration at this time, b) Under further consideration, or c) planned for a future release would be nice.

Please let me know what you think?

1. SIP URI
http://www.3cx.com/forums/using-sip-uri-with-3cx-10435.html
2. Configurable email alerts for missed calls
http://www.3cx.com/forums/missed-call-alerts-10037.html
3. Non-numeric calls in call assistant
http://www.3cx.com/forums/dialing-non-numeric-calls-in-call-assistant-9800.html
4. Call forwarding based on Outlook Calendar
http://www.3cx.com/forums/forwarding-based-on-outlook-calendar-9906.html
5. Call back option
http://www.3cx.com/forums/call-back-option-9907.html




Please PM me if you don't want to post the reply on the public forum.



Jonathan Hamon

 

[Vali_3CX]

Hi, Jonathan

Thanks for appreciating the new gateway 8)

Jonathan, about the other things:
- first of all, as the developer I am, I cannot provide you any answer to the 5 questions you asked.
The reason is very simple: I'm not involved in the implied modules. To be more clear: it's like you asking for an Outlook issue a Microsoft developer working on Internet Explorer. The same here. Generally, all of us we are trying to answer only those questions where each of us feels skilled and qualified to provide a good answer.

- then, about some time not getting an answer
I know it's frustrating sometimes, but (always is a "but") you have to understand that either there no aswer could be provided - most often, in case of feature requests, when all proposed features are collected and analysed and filtered by marketing and developers) - either there is the "time factor" (or deadline one).

So, please try to understand there is not a matter of bad-willing from us.

Best regards
vali

P.S the gateway has a dedicated section since yesterday, http://www.3cx.com/forums/3cx-gateway-for-skype-26/ so I think it's a good idea to move our discussion there 8)

 

[sipero123]

Hi,

I'm not trying to suggest that it is bad-willing from you or anyone at 3CX. I do however feel if I raise this with several different people at 3CX that gives me the best chance of being the catalyst for improvement if and where that is possible.

You have a great product and I want to do everything I can to make it even better. I'm aware of the new forum topic for the 3CXSkype Gateway and will use that in the future, you might even want to get this posting moved to that forum. It did not exist at the time of my posting.


Jonathan Hamon