How to connect to FreePBX trunk without bridging?

[aaronouthier]

Hello,
I have a FreePBX system doing all of my Physical Extensions, as well as my main trunking, DIDs, etc. I don't care for any of the available smartphone clients, however, for Asterisk/FreePBX. I took a "test drive" of 3cx almost a year ago, using the free "PBX Edition" license. The iOS and Android clients work excellently with 3cx!

I am now trying to test out a Hybrid environment, using the free 3cx license for soft phones, and FreePBX for everything else.

I've googled several different search terms, as well as searching these forums directly. The only info that seems somewhat relevant is for an old and now outdated version of 3cx. Are there any more current instructions? I am using a slightly outdated version of FreePBX/Asterisk, specifically:
IncrediblePBX 12.0.74/Asterisk 13.18.0 . I am using the latest 3cx, however, as of this writing (specifically 15.5.6354.2).

 

[leejor]

I assume you came across this...

https://www.3cx.com/docs/

Using a Bridge trunk allows specific extensions to be called in the other PBX, akin to DIDs. There is really no better way to link two PBXs. The other PBX is able to register a trunk to 3CX as if it were a provider.

 

[sip.bg]

Nothing has changed in principle of connecting 3CX to FreePBX between versions, if you have a guide for older version, i.e. 12, 12.5, 14 -- you may use it. Difference is only in design of the UI.
Using bridge is easier, otherwise you need a SIP trunk without registration and DID numbers in order incoming calls to reach destinations (extensions) in the PBX.

 

[aaronouthier]

I assume you came across this...

https://www.3cx.com/docs/

Using a Bridge trunk allows specific extensions to be called in the other PBX, akin to DIDs. There is really no better way to link two PBXs. The other PBX is able to register a trunk to 3CX as if it were a provider.

Yes, I saw that write-up. Unfortunately, whenever I try to create a bridge, I am unable to save the changes - the OK button is disabled/grayed out. Hovering over the Ok button produces a tooltip. Something like "Unavailable in PBX Edition", or some such thing.

 

[aaronouthier]

Nothing has changed in principle of connecting 3CX to FreePBX between versions, if you have a guide for older version, i.e. 12, 12.5, 14 -- you may use it. Difference is only in design of the UI.
Using bridge is easier, otherwise you need a SIP trunk without registration and DID numbers in order incoming calls to reach destinations (extensions) in the PBX.

Ok, I'll have to try to find some of the write-ups I had found previously. Thanks.

 

[sip.bg]

The difference between SIP trunk and bridge is that other PBX may use SIP trunks of 3CX with proper outbound rules and you don't need to create DIDs for incoming calls to reach extensions of the 3CX, correspondingly DIDs in other PBX for extensions there. With SIP trunk you can easily manipulate caller-IDs over interconnection.
Note you can have only 1 SIP trunk in 3CX PBX Edition, so if you need more you have to upgrade to standard edition.