Strange IAX2 Trunk Issue
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I'm running 2 Elastix boxes - 1 on premise and 1 on Rackspace that are connected via IAX2 trunk for extension dialing between sites.
One particular user works at 3 different offices. Two of those offices are serviced by our on-premise Elastix box at the main site, and the third office is serviced by the Elastix box on Rackspace. The Elastix box on Rackspace was needed because this 3rd office is a company not completely owned by the same owner as the other two offices.
So in an effort to make this as easy as I could on this executive, I did the following:
Extension 101 at office 1 (serviced by on-prem PBX)
Extension 102 at office 2 (serviced by on-prem PBX)
Extension 201 at office 3 (serviced by Rackspace PBX)I setup follow me on all 3 extensions so incoming calls will ring the extension called for 5 seconds and then begin to ring all 3 extensions until the call hits voicemail for the extension dialed.
****Calling extension 101 or 102 from 105 (all connected to same PBX)
So, if you dial one of the extensions serviced by the on-prem PBX from another extension connected to the on-prem PBX, phones ring as expected, but the IAX2 channel usage is really strange. You see a couple of IAX2 channels in use from the on-prem PBX to go across to the Rackspace PBX, but you begin to see 2, then 4, then 6, then 8, then more and more and more in use on the Rackspace PBX. When the call is terminated, the channels become free again.****Calling extension 201 from 105 (connected to on-prem PBX)
If you make a call from an extension serviced by the on-prem PBX to 201 (serviced by Rackspace), the calls ring as expected, but you do not see the IAX2 channel usage go nuts on the Rackspace PBX.***Calling extension 201 from 202 (both connected to Rackspace PBX)
In this scenario, calls happen as expected, and the IAX2 channel usage is normal.I've not done much more research than this but did not see anything strange in the Asterisk logs on the PBX. From a quick look at package versions inside the Elastix GUI, the PBXs are at the same patch levels.
Has anyone seen something like this happen? Like I mention here, the issue is only on the Rackspace PBX side (no issues with IAX2 channel usage on the on-premise PBX). I am trying to determine if my issue is really with IAX2 or with my follow me settings.
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I should also mention that I have not heard of any issues with extension dialing over the IAX2 trunk from users with extensions on either PBX.
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You always have the weirdest issues...
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Have you disabled Follow Me for that extension to see if that has anything to do with it? This is really odd. Have you tried setting up a straight forward for that extension just to see if that does it? Have you tried setting up a new extension with similar call routing to see if that has the same issue?
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Sounds to me like it'll be something in the trunk settings the you have between the two
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@NetworkNerd said:
***Calling extension 201 from 202 (both connected to Rackspace PBX)
In this scenario, calls happen as expected, and the IAX2 channel usage is normal.So, with IAX2 channel usage being normal... There is none? From my understanding in a default configuration, you're running an IAX2 trunk between the two sites, but internal should be the default communication protocol (Which I cannot remember if it has to be IAX2 with that trunk or if SIP will suffice)
What type of extension are you using?
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@thanksajdotcom said:
You always have the weirdest issues...
At least you know I can't make this stuff up, right?
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@FiyaFly said:
@NetworkNerd said:
***Calling extension 201 from 202 (both connected to Rackspace PBX)
In this scenario, calls happen as expected, and the IAX2 channel usage is normal.So, with IAX2 channel usage being normal... There is none? From my understanding in a default configuration, you're running an IAX2 trunk between the two sites, but internal should be the default communication protocol (Which I cannot remember if it has to be IAX2 with that trunk or if SIP will suffice)
What type of extension are you using?
These are all SIP extensions. The trunk settings for the IAX2 trunk look like this on the hosted end (leaving out host and secret, of course):
PEER Details:
type=peer
qualify=yes
context=from-internal
trunk=yes
disallow=all
allow=gsmUSER Details:
type=user
context=from-internal
disallow=all
allow=gsmIt's a similar story on the on-premise PBX end.
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@FiyaFly said:
@NetworkNerd said:
***Calling extension 201 from 202 (both connected to Rackspace PBX)
In this scenario, calls happen as expected, and the IAX2 channel usage is normal.So, with IAX2 channel usage being normal... There is none? From my understanding in a default configuration, you're running an IAX2 trunk between the two sites, but internal should be the default communication protocol (Which I cannot remember if it has to be IAX2 with that trunk or if SIP will suffice)
What type of extension are you using?
Sorry, by IAX2 channel usage being normal, I mean only 1 or 2 channels open for the call on the hosted PBX end (for the follow me config to bounce over to the on-prem PBX).
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@coliver said:
Have you disabled Follow Me for that extension to see if that has anything to do with it? This is really odd. Have you tried setting up a straight forward for that extension just to see if that does it? Have you tried setting up a new extension with similar call routing to see if that has the same issue?
I've not done a straight forward without Follow Me or tried this on a different extension just yet, but that's a good point. I'd have to use Misc Destination / Misc Application for forwarding without using Follow Me.
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@NetworkNerd said:
@coliver said:
Have you disabled Follow Me for that extension to see if that has anything to do with it? This is really odd. Have you tried setting up a straight forward for that extension just to see if that does it? Have you tried setting up a new extension with similar call routing to see if that has the same issue?
I've not done a straight forward without Follow Me or tried this on a different extension just yet, but that's a good point. I'd have to use Misc Destination / Misc Application for forwarding without using Follow Me. There is only one DID attached to the hosted PBX to use as a forwarding target, and that is pointing to a ring group.
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@NetworkNerd You have a loop going in there someplace. That is why it is going up by 2 calls each time.
Let me ship this report off to the auditors and I can think about this a little more clearly.
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@JaredBusch said:
@NetworkNerd You have a loop going in there someplace. That is why it is going up by 2 calls each time.
Let me ship this report off to the auditors and I can think about this a little more clearly.
I think you pegged it. Now I get it. The issue is because all 3 of the extensions and their follow me settings are making this loop happen. The ring strategy is ringallv2 with initial ring time set to 5 seconds for all 3 extensions. The follow-me list contains 101, 102, and 201 in every case.
So if I have this right...
If you call extension 101, it rings 101 for 5 seconds and then rings 101, 102, and 201. So then, after 102 and 201 ring for 5 seconds, they then send a call to themselves and the other two extensions.So the fix...I need to think about this a bit. So suppose I put 102 and 201 into a ring group and then added that ring group to the follow me list for extension 101 (and added extension 101 by itself). I think the follow me settings for 102 and 201 would then be bypassed because they are in a ring group. If memory serves you need to do something special to extensions in a ring group to get follow me settings to apply (suffix with # I think).
Maybe?
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@NetworkNerd said:
I think you pegged it. Now I get it. The issue is because all 3 of the extensions and their follow me settings are making this loop happen. The ring strategy is ringallv2 with initial ring time set to 5 seconds for all 3 extensions. The follow-me list contains 101, 102, and 201 in every case.
So if I have this right...
If you call extension 101, it rings 101 for 5 seconds and then rings 101, 102, and 201. So then, after 102 and 201 ring for 5 seconds, they then send a call to themselves and the other two extensions.Ok report shipped off.
That is exactly your problem.
I would not be designing 3 extensions in the first place. Well not designing 3 extensions that the user is aware of.User is Ext 101. No one should EVER call anything but 101 to reach this person.
When the user is in building B that phone can register to the PBX as ext 102. That is normal.
Extension 102 should be set to show the internal Caller ID as 101.Enable Follow Me on Ext 101 and set it to ringallv2 with ext 101 and 102.
In building C that phone should be configured as 201 and should present internal caller ID as 101 (this will not show the name on phone in building C since that is not an extension on that system, but that is less important generally, and you can add an address book entry to those phones if you want for ext 101 and that would make the name show up.
No one should ever call 201.
Add 201 to the Follow Me setting on PBX 1 in building A for extension 101.
Loop gone.
User confusion gone on calling Mr. Roamer. User always call 101. -
@NetworkNerd you can add the 5 second delay before the ringall if desired. but only 5 seconds is not worth it in my opinion. I rarely answer a call in 5 seconds, but almost always between 5-10 if I am actually at my desk and not on a call.
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Alright - I got it fixed per your suggestion, @JaredBusch. Thank you again for the help. Next time we have a roamer like this, we'll have a plan of action that makes life easy on everyone and doesn't hose the system.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
You always have the weirdest issues...
That's because he only reports the issues he can't resolve.
