I have a PBX, can I configure DreamPi for this?

[Tamh]

Hi everyone.

I think this might have never been brought up ever, but, due to some circumstances, I was able to obtain a basic analog Panasonic PBX (KX-TEM824) for less than 80 bucks.
It really works at home, as I have a couple phones connected already (only for intercom, no external line yet).
I was wondering if it was possible to change DreamPi so that, instead of opening and holding the line off-hook; it stays on-hook, waits for RING, then go off-hook and wait for CONNECT then.
And then after connection drops, go back on-hook and wait for RING.

I was checking the Python file, and it does seem possible, though I see the code is a little more complex than I expected (specially for XBand/Netlink, which I don't think I'm going to use).
I would love this since I also have several other random modem equipped computers around, and I would like for a couple of them to have their own extension lines.

Thanks!

EDIT #1: I know I could theoretically use a Windows 98/XP PC/laptop and create a PPP server from there, and so on, but those machines would use more power than I want, and also DreamPi has everything I mostly need.

[Tamh]

I liberally followed this guide https://dogemicrosystems.ca/wiki/Dial-up_pool and I was able to make the modem/PPP server work on the RPi.
However, I'm missing the Dreamcast Live connectivity. Is it only a DNS change required for it to work?

[Scrivani]

I'm missing the Dreamcast Live connectivity. Is it only a DNS change required for it to work?

Theoretically yes, try one of these servers as DNS Server for your dnsmasq service:

- 46.101.91.123 (DreamPi DNS Server)
- 209.50.50.129 (DC Live DNS Server)


You may also miss existing services in the DreamPi suite, which is not just about the Python script, but also about running services like dc2k2, dcdaytona, dcvoip, dcgamespy that allow specific games to run correctly.

[Tamh]

Theoretically yes, try one of these servers as DNS Server for your dnsmasq service:

- 46.101.91.123 (DreamPi DNS Server)
- 209.50.50.129 (DC Live DNS Server)


You may also miss existing services in the DreamPi suite, which is not just about the Python script, but also about running services like dc2k2, dcdaytona, dcvoip, dcgamespy that allow specific games to run correctly.

Hey, thanks for the reply!
Alright, I can add those DNS servers no prob to the mgetty/ppp config.

I was worried precisely about those services that you have mentioned: Will try to figure out how to run them in this base Raspberry Pi install.
Do you know if there has been any effort in trying to run the complete DreamPi suite on my setup? If I run it as it is, the line is always busy.

[Scrivani]

Will try to figure out how to run them in this base Raspberry Pi install.

Yes, I recommend that you try to port these services to your setup. Then you just need to start them.

Will try to figure out how to run them in this base Raspberry Pi install.
Do you know if there has been any effort in trying to run the complete DreamPi suite on my setup? If I run it as it is, the line is always busy.

I don't think I understood the question. Could you elaborate differently?

I'm almost certain that no one has ever tried to use the method you are using, which aims to accommodate a setup that includes a PBX, and still add the DreamPi features inside, I don't think so.

In what context is the line busy?

Because I understand it this way, if you already have a working ppp process, you shouldn't try to use the Dreampi software together. The most you can add are the services that help with packet manipulation.

Maybe you're referring to the absence of dial tone?

[Tamh]

I don't think I understood the question. Could you elaborate differently?

I'm almost certain that no one has ever tried to use the method you are using, which aims to accommodate a setup that includes a PBX, and still add the DreamPi features inside, I don't think so.

In what context is the line busy?

Because I understand it this way, if you already have a working ppp process, you shouldn't try to use the Dreampi software together. The most you can add are the services that help with packet manipulation.

Maybe you're referring to the absence of dial tone?

Sorry, I skipped over most of my explanation since I posted it in first post.

I bought a physical Panasonic PBX. Connected to it I have an external landline, and several internal extensions that go to different devices (right now I have my Dreamcast, an iMac G3 and a Windows laptop, along with a regular telephone). Every device gets a dial tone from the PBX, and all can reach the external landline by dialing 9, before dialing the real external number.

I wanted to connect a Raspberry Pi with a modem (I have the Conexant/Dell one) in one of the phone jacks to serve as a local dial up ISP that I can access over a PBX extension. Right now, by using a baseline Rapsberry Pi OS and the configuration I mentioned in my second post, I was able to make the modem respond by using mgetty and ppp, however, as you confirmed, I'm lacking other things that DreamPi does.

Based in my cursory review of the DreamPi Python script, among other things, I see that it makes the modem go off-hook and transmit the "dial tone" (which is just a wave file) in a loop, so that any devices that connect directly to it will hear that dial tone. Then if it receives something from the connected device, it stops sending the dial tone and starts the modem rolling in data mode. If I connect a DreamPi to the PBX, since it goes off-hook, it makes the line go busy (from the PBX point of view).

Then I wondered if there was a way to modify how DreamPi worked to avoid going off-hook and wait for ring (as it if was a dial up ISP), and then connect. Then I could use the other programs in the suite, instead of porting them over to my Raspberry Pi OS install (since I don't have an inventory of everything else that is provided by DreamPi).