How to setup your PBX setup using open source FusionPBX
Introduction:
PBX or private branch exchange, is a telephone switching system that connects all of the phones within a business to each other, as well as to outside world through public switched telephone networks (PSTN) or VoIP. PBX systems can be hardware-based or software-based, and offer advanced features like call routing, voice mail, call recording, and call reporting.
In this blog we will discuss about the steps to set up your PBX using FusionPBX.
Table of Contents
1) Fusion-PBX :
Fusion-PBX is a web-based, open-source PBX system that is designed to provide businesses with a comprehensive telephony solution. It run on top of the Free-switch communication platform, which provides the functionality for the PBX system. Fusion-PBX is easy to setup and configure, making it a popular choice for businesses of all size.
Some of the key features of Fusion-PBX include call routing, voice mail, call recording, call reporting, and advanced features such as call center queues, ring groups, and conference bridges. Setting up a PBX using Fusion-PBX is a straight forward process that involves installing Free-switch, installing Fusion-PBX, configuration of Free-switch and Fusion-PBX. With its easy to use and advanced features, Fusion-PBX is a great choice for businesses that want to improve their telephony capabilities.
1) Install Free-switch :
Free-switch is a powerful, open-source platform that provides the underlying functionality for PBX system, Including Fusion-PBX. Installing Free-switch is an important part step in setting up a pBX system using Fusion-PBX.
The process of installing Free-switch will vary depending on the operating system you are using, but the Following are the general steps to install Free-switch on a Linux-based operating system:
1) Install dependencies: Before installing Free-switch, you will need to install certain dependencies, including build-essential, autoconf, automake, libtool, and many more. You can install these dependencies by running the following commands in the terminal:
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sudo apt-get install build-essential autoconf automake libtool libncurses5-dev libjpeg-dev libpng-dev libtiff-dev libssl-dev libpcre3-dev
2) Download open source Free-switch: Next, download the Free-switch source code by running the following commands in the terminal:
3) Extract the archive: After downloading the archive, extract it by running the following commands in the terminal:
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tar xvf freeswitch-1.10.2.tar.gz
4) Configure and compile Free-switch: Now, you can configure and compile Free-switch by running the Following commands:
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./configure && make && make install
5) Start Free-switch: Finally, start the Free-switch by running the following commands:
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sudo service freeswitch start
Once Free-switch has been installed, you can proceed to install Fusion-PBX and configure both Free-switch and Fusion-PBX to setup your PBX system.
3)Install Fusion-PBX :
Fusion-PBX is a web-based graphical user interface that provide an easy to use front-end for managing PBX systems built on the Free-switch platform.
Installing Fusion-PBX is an important step in setting up a PBX system using Free-switch.
The following are the general steps to install the Fusion-PBX on a Linux-based operating system:
1) Install dependencies: Before installing Fusion-PBX, you will need to install certain dependencies, including Apache, PHP, and MariaDB. You can install these dependencies by running the following commands in the terminal:
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sudo apt-get install apache2 php mariadb-server
2) Download open source Fusion-PBX: Next, download the Fusion-PBX source code by running the following commands in the terminal:
3) Extract the archive: After downloading the archive, extract it by running the following commands in the terminal:
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unzip master.zip
4) Run the installation script: Now, you can run the Fusion-PBX installation script by running the following commands in the terminal:
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sudo ./install.sh
5) Access Fusion-PBX: Finally, access Fusion-PBX by navigating to the following URL in your web browser:
Once Fusion-PBX has been installed, you can use the web-based interface to manage your PBX system and configure various setting, including extensions, voice mail, call routing, and more.
3) Configure Free-switch :
Free-switch is the underlying platform that provides the functionality for PBX systems, including Fusion-PBX. Configuration of Free-switch is an important step in setting up a PBX system using Fusion-PBX.
The following are the general steps to configure Free-switch for a PBX setup:
1) Edit the configuration file: The main configuration file for Free-switch is located at usr/local/freeswitch/conf/freeswitch.xml. You can edit this file to configure various settings, including extensions, voice mail, call routing, and more.
2) Configure extensions: To configure extensions in Free-switch, you will need to add extension definition to the configuration file. Each extension definition includes the extension number, voice mail settings, call routing settings, and other relevant information.
3) Configure voice mail: To configure voice mail in Free-switch, you will need to add voice mail setting to the configuration file. This include settings such as the voice mail greeting, the email address to send voice message to, and the voice mail password.
4) Configure call routing: To configure call routing in Free-switch, you will need to add routing rules to the configuration file. These routing rules specify how calls are handled, including where calls are routes based on the dialed number, the time of day, or other conditions.
5) Restart Free-switch: Once you have made changes to the configuration file, you will need to restart the Free-switch for the changes to take effect. You an restart Free-switch by running the following command in the terminal:
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sudo service freeswitch restart
Once Free-switch has been configured, you can use Fusion-PBX to manage your PBX system and perform various tasks, such as creating and managing extensions, configuring call routing, and managing voice mail.
5) Configure Free-PBX :
Fusion-PBX is an open-source, wed PBX system that is used to manage communication in small to large organizations. The Following are the general steps to configure Fusion-PBX for the Setup of PBX:
1) Install Fusion-PBX: The step is to install Fusion-PBX on a server running Linux, Windows, or macOS. The recommended operating system is Debian.
2) Access the web interface: After installation, you can access the Fusion-PBX web interface by navigate to the ip address of your server in web browser.
3) Add extensions: Extensions are phone numbers that wil be used by users wit in your organization. To add extensions, go to the Account menu, then to Extension and click on the Add button.
4) Configure Dialplans: Dialplans determine how calls will be handled within your organization. To Configure dialplans, go to the advanced menu, then to Dialplans and click on the Add button. You can create dialplans for incoming calls, internal extensions, and outbound calls.
5) Set up voice mail: Voice mail is a feature that allows users to leave a message when they are unable to answer a call. To set up voice mail, go to the Advanced menu, then to Voice mail and click on the "Add" button. Fill in the required information such as the mailbox number and the domain it belongs to.
Fusion-PBX provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to manage your organization’s Communication system. Fusion-PBX is a versatile and powerful solution that can met your telephony needs.
6) Connect to Internet :
A PBX system is a centralized telephone system that helps manage internal and external communications within an organization. In order to ensure effective communication, it is important to connect the PBX system to the internet. The Following are the general steps to Connect the PBX setup to Internet:
1) Check internet connection: The first step is to make sure that your PBX server is connected to the internet or not. You can do this by pinging a website, such as www.google.com, from the command line on your server. If you receive a response, then your server is connected to the internet.
2) Configure networks settings: The next step is to configure the network settings on your PBX server. This may include settings a static IP address, subnet mask, default gateways, and DNS servers. This information can usually be obtained from your internet service provider. It is important to have a static IP address to ensure that the PBX system is accessible from the internet at all times.
3) Port forwarding: If your PBX system is located behind a firewall or router, you may need to configure port forwarding specific ports, such as 5060 and 5061, to your PBX server.
4) Public IP address: In order for external callers to reach to your PBX system, you need a public IP address. This can either be assigned by your internet service provider or obtained through a service such as DNS. A public IP address allows callers from the internet to reach your PBX system.
5) Test connectivity: Once you have completed the above steps, you should test the connectivity of your PBX system. This can be done by placing a call from an external phone number to one of the extension on your PBX system. If the call connects successfully, then your PBX system is successfully connected to the internet.
Connecting your PBX system to the internet is a crucial step in ensuring the effective communications within your organization.
7) Test your PBX :
Testing your PBX system is an important step in ensuring that your PBX setup is working correctly or not. By conducting tests, you can identify any issues and make any necessary adjustments before the PBX system is put into production. The Following are the general steps to Test the PBX system:
1) Dial plan testing: The dial plan is the set of rules that tell how call are handled within your PBX system. It is important to test the dial plan to ensure that calls are being handled correctly or not. This can be done by placing calls to different extensions with in your PBX system and verifying that the calls are being routed correctly.
2) Voice mail testing: Voice mail is an important feature of most PBX systems. It is important to test the voice mail system to ensure that voice mails are being recorded and played back correctly. This can be done by leaving a voice mail for a user and then checking tha voice mail box to see if voice mail has been recorded and played back.
3) IVR testing: An IVR system allows callers to interact with your PBX system using touch-tone commands. It is important to test the IVR system to ensure that is working correctly. This can be done be calling into the IVR and following the prompts to see if the IVR is routing calls correctly.
4) Call quality testing: Call quality is an important factor in ensuring that calls are clear and audible. It is important to test the quality of calls of your PBX systems to ensure that calls are transmitted correctly. This can be done by placing calls to different extensions within your PBX systems and listening for any issues with the call quality.
5) External call testing: It is important to test external calls to ensure that calls from public switched telephone network (PSTN) are being handled correctly. This can be done by placing a call from a landline or mobile phone to one of the extension on your PBX system.
6) Emergency call testing: Emergency call handling is a critical aspect of any PBX system. It is important to test the emergency call handling capabilities of your PBX system to ensure that call to emergency services are being handled correctly. This can be done by placing a call to an emergency service number and verifying that call is being routed correctly.
By conducting test, you can identify any issues and make any necessary improvement before the launch it.
8) Conclusion :
In conclusion, settings up a PBX system using Fusion-PBX can be straightforward process. By configuring your PBX correctly, you can ensure that your communications are seamless, secure, and efficient. With FusionPBX, you have the ability to customize your PBX system to meet your specific needs, making it a great choice for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, with its open-source nature, FusionPBX provides an affordable and scalable solution for PBX setup. In short, if you're looking for an easy and efficient way to set up your PBX system, FusionPBX is a great choice.
