Freeswitch Trunk configuration

Assistance to configure new gateways in Freeswitch is provided by The Newfies-Dialer Support Team, however if you need to add your own gateway, instructions follow.

In order for Newfies-Dialer to make outbound calls to its subscribers, you will need a SIP trunk. The Freeswitch wiki can provide more information on configuring trunks, but in most cases creating a new gateway is straightforward.

Trunks, or gateways as they are known in Freeswitch, are configured using XML syntax, so using your favourite text editor, while logged in as root (sudo su -) create an XML file in /etc/freeswitch/sip_profiles/external/ and give it an identifiable name, e.g. call-labs.xml, and place the following lines in the file.

These settings are suitable for carriers where a username and secret is required. If your carrier authenticates via IP address and/or prefix, then read on.

Username / Secret Authentication

<include>
<gateway name="ip address or hostname of carrier">
<!--/// account username *required* ///-->
<param name="username" value="your username provided by carrier"/>
<!--/// auth realm: *optional* same as gateway name, if blank ///-->
<!--<param name="realm" value="asterlink.com"/>-->
<!--/// username to use in from: *optional* same as username, if blank ///-->
<param name="from-user" value="your username provided by carrier"/>
<!--/// domain to use in from: *optional* same as realm, if blank ///-->
<!--param name="from-domain" value=""/-->
<!--/// account password *required* ///-->
<param name="password" value="your password supplied by carrier"/>
<!--/// extension for inbound calls: *optional* same as username, if blank ///-->
<!--<param name="extension" value="cluecon"/>-->
<!--/// proxy host: *optional* same as realm, if blank ///-->
<!--<param name="proxy" value="asterlink.com"/>-->
<!--/// send register to this proxy: *optional* same as proxy, if blank ///-->
<!--<param name="register-proxy" value="mysbc.com"/>-->
<!--/// expire in seconds: *optional* 3600, if blank ///-->
<!--<param name="expire-seconds" value="60"/>-->
<!--/// do not register ///-->
<param name="register" value="true"/>
<!-- which transport to use for register -->
<!--<param name="register-transport" value="udp"/>-->
<!--How many seconds before a retry when a failure or timeout occurs -->
<!--<param name="retry-seconds" value="30"/>-->
<!--Use the callerid of an inbound call in the from field on outbound calls via this gateway -->
<!--<param name="caller-id-in-from" value="false"/>-->
<!--extra sip params to send in the contact-->
<!--<param name="contact-params" value="tport=tcp"/>-->
<!--send an options ping every x seconds, failure will unregister and/or mark it down-->
<!--<param name="ping" value="25"/>-->
</gateway>
</include>

The XML syntax for comments are denoted by lines that begin ” <!– ” and end in “–> “.

Finally we need to load the new configuration, and check the trunk is registered. The Freeswitch console is accessed by typing “fs_cli” at the command prompt. The logging level can be increased or decreased from level 0 to level 7. to switch off logging, type /log 0 at the Freeswitch console, followed by enter. For the greatest verbosity, type /log 7 followed by enter.

Type “fs_cli” followed by enter.

You should now see the Freeswitch CLI, so now reload the Freeswitch configuration with the following command: (tip; Tab auto-completes)

sofia profile external restart reloadxml

When complete, check the trunk has registered with the following command.

sofia status

Against the name of the trunk you configured in the XML file, you should see REGED (registered) at the end of the line. Take a note of the trunk name, we are going to need it for telling Newfies-Dialer that it can use this trunk.

To exit the Freeswitch CLI, do CTRL D, or /exit

Freeswitch configuration is now complete.

Carrier IP Authentication

Sometimes, your carrier will authenticate using your IP address only, in this case the configuration is usually as follows.

<include>
   <gateway name="MyProvider">
     <param name="username" value=""/>
     <param name="password" value=""/>
     <param name="proxy" value="1.2.3.4"/>
     <param name="caller-id-in-from" value="true"/>
     <param name="context" value="public"/>
     <param name="register" value="false"/>
   </gateway>
</include>

Replace the gateway name and proxy values to suit, and follow the steps above to restart the external profile.

Create Gateway

Having created the gateway in Freeswitch, Newfies-Dialer has to be told that it can use it. In admin, add a new dialer gateway, e.g. sofia/gateway/myprovider/ (The final / is important) where “myprovider” is the gateway name setting used in above xml file in Freeswitch.

Here you can also add prefixes to the dialled digits.

For instance, many carriers in the USA demand that you send 11 digits, e.g. 12024648397, not 2024648397, so if all your numbers are in 10 digit format, you can prepend a 1 with the Add prefix field.

The add prefix field can also be used for Technical Prefixes that some carriers demand.

Add Carrier to Admin or Manager

To make the new carrier available to a user, you will select the gateways the Admin or the Manager is allowed to use in the appropriate Manager’s or Admin’s settings.