Patton Gateway Remotely

[josea]

Hi,

We have analog devices in a remote location that would require an FXS gateway. We are well aware that 3CX doesn't officially support that scenario without a VPN.

However, there is people saying it is possible in some situations, using a SBC. eg:
https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/cloud-installation-linux-v15-5-pstn-fax.49893/

Has anybody managed to do that and can provide a little bit more of insight? in the current 3CX console you can only provision an FXS gateway as local. Not sure how to proceed.

Thanks.

 

[eddv123]

Hi Josea,

Yes I have achieved this successfully on multiple occasions. Here are your steps for getting this working:

* Firstly follow this guide and setup as you would for an on-premise:
https://www.3cx.com/voip-gateways/patton-smartnode-sn4112-fxs/

* Take the configuration link and generate a copy of the config via your web browser (as stated in the above guide).

* Once you have this config before loading it into the Patton open it and amend the IP settings from 3CX's local address to the address of the SBC at the remote site (just ctrl + f for the 3CX local IP address and amend).

The other option is to load the config into the Patton as is and then login and make the changes manually in the Patton's interface:

The registration outbound registrar.
In the Patton this can be found under: Telephony >> SIP >> Location services >> Identity group.

Telephony / Call-Router / SIP Interface IF_SIP
Remote User Agent Host Name / Port and Local User Agent Host Name / Port.

Also in the SIP Location service - Telephony / SIP / Location Service LS_ALL_LINES.

 

[josea]

Eddv123: great. It seems to be working.

Thank you very much.

 

[leejor]

in the current 3CX console you can only provision an FXS gateway as local.

The terms being used are a bit misleading. FXS= ATA, (S=Station/or phone) , those will work remotely. The term Gateway usually refers to FXO (O=Office, as in Central Office line equipment) type device, PSTN, ISDN and the like...a trunking device. Those will usually have a problem working remotely without VPN.
So calling something an "FXS Gateway" is actually referring to two different pieces of equipment. There are devices that combine both type of ports, so you could have a combination gateway and ATA "box".

 

[josea]

The terms being used are a bit misleading. FXS= ATA, (S=Station/or phone) , those will work remotely. The term Gateway usually refers to FXO (O=Office, as in Central Office line equipment) type device, PSTN, ISDN and the like...a trunking device. Those will usually have a problem working remotely without VPN. Definitely won't work behind an SBC.
So calling something an "FXS Gateway" is actually referring to two different pieces of equipment. There are devices that combine both type of ports, so you could have a combination gateway and ATA "box".

I am just learning this terminology, however, that's how 3CX refers to them in their documentation (FXS gateways). See https://www.3cx.com/voip-gateways/patton-smartnode-sn4112-fxs/.

"FXS gateways connect internal analog devices such as fax machines and phones, and register them as extensions / fax extensions to your 3CX"

 

[eddv123]

I know of a few of my customers who have successfully got ISDN supported gateways (Patton 4634 BRI and the PRI 4970) working across the SBC remotely in the same method.

Again unsupported but I never get any calls from them. Patton products are pretty solid.

 

[josea]

I got inbound faxes working when you disable encryption in the SBC config.

Outbound faxes: didn't work out.

thanks.

 

[eddv123]

Although some of the 3CX community suggest that FAXing across the SBC is OK and works personally I have always found getting it working a bit of a nightmare and would only recommend using and FXS remotely for Analogue extension/bells and ringers etc.

What I can say is check if your provider supports T.38 if not there is little chance for successful transmission of faxes.

In 3CX (under the FXS gateway) check what you have your FAX Transmission Mode set to.
You could try and see if the G.711 options give you better success.

Failing that you might want to run a trace from the Patton to understand what is going on:
https://www.patton.com/support/kb_art.asp?art=327&

For FXS/FAX it should be:

enable
show running‐config
debug call‐router
debug call‐control
debug fxs
debug ccfxs
debug context sip‐gateway signaling detail 5
debug context sip‐gateway transport detail 5
debug context sip‐gateway error