Configure an E1 - How do I?

Owned by Kelli Higdon
Last updated: Jul 03, 2024
2 min read

 

E1 standards differ by country, but some of the more common European settings are covered in the configuration example below.  

 

Web Admin Panel

In order to insert these values into your PBXtra , please follow these steps:

  1. Click on Options --> cards

  2. Click on [ Advanced Mode ] at the top

  3. Be sure to carefully locate the Zaptel, Zapata, and Wanpipe configuration sections.  Inserting values into the wrong configuration window will cause your system software to fail. 

 

WanpipeX.conf

Within your wanpipeX.conf file (where X is a number indicating the span for this particular file), please verify that the settings match the following:

#================================================ # Sangoma Technologies Inc. #================================================ [devices] wanpipe1 = WAN_AFT_TE1, Comment [interfaces] w1g1 = wanpipe1, , TDM_VOICE, Comment [wanpipe1] CARD_TYPE       = AFT S514CPU         = A CommPort        = PRI AUTO_PCISLOT    = NO PCISLOT         = 2 PCIBUS          = 3 FE_MEDIA        = E1 FE_LCODE        = HDB3 FE_FRAME        = NCRC4 FE_LINE         = 1 TE_CLOCK        = NORMAL TE_REF_CLOCK    = 0 TE_HIGHIMPEDANCE        = NO LBO             = 120OH FE_TXTRISTATE   = NO MTU             = 1500 UDPPORT         = 9000 TTL             = 255 IGNORE_FRONT_END = NO TDMV_SPAN       = 1 TDMV_DCHAN      = 16 # Must be 0 (zero) on old Asterisk 1.2 / PBX version 4 servers TDMV_HW_DTMF    = YES [w1g1] ACTIVE_CH       = ALL TDMV_ECHO_OFF   = NO TDMV_HWEC       = YES

The two items in red are crucial to a successful E1 connection.  The Framing for an E1 (NCRC4 in this example) is much different from a North American PRI, and so you need a different framing setting or no communications can take place between your server and the carrier.  Please check with your carrier for the correct framing setting (may be CRC4 in some cases).

If FE_FRAME = CCS, wanrouter will fail to load, and you will have a system down.  The only valid settings for an E1 are CRC4, NCRC4, and Unframed.

Refer to the Wanpipe Asterisk Configuration File Sangoma wiki article for full details.

 

The DCHAN setting will be statically assigned within the Zaptel file instead of within the Wanpipe file.

 

Zaptel.conf

You must configure your Zaptel file as follows:

Zaptel.conf# Zaptel Channels Configurations (zaptel.conf) # loadzone=fr defaultzone=fr #Sangoma A102 port 1 [slot:2 bus:3 span:1] <wanpipe1>span=1,1,0,ccs,hdb3 bchan=1-15,17-31 dchan=16 #Sangoma A102 port 2 [slot:2 bus:3 span:2] <wanpipe2> span=2,0,0,ccs,hdb3 bchan=32-46,48-62 dchan=47

The lines in red above are critical.  Most E1 providers use the 'middle' channel within an E1 for signalling - in the case of the first span, that means channel 16.  Notice that the example above comes from a server with two E1 ports configured.  For the second span (or third, or fourth), you should specify that the dchan = the middle port in each subsequent range. 

 

Zapata.conf

Here is an example configuration from Zapata:

Zapata.conf [channels] usecallerid=yes echocancelwhenbridged=yes hidecallerid=no transfer=yes immediate=no callerid=asreceived callgroup=1 rxwink=300 pickupgroup=1 cancallforward=yes callwaitingcallerid=yes callreturn=yes usecallingpres=yes group=0 echocancel=1 rxgain=0 switchtype=euroisdn txgain=0 echotraining=0 signalling=pri_cpe context=incoming channel => 32-46,48-62 ; group=0 echocancel=1 rxgain=0 switchtype=euroisdn txgain=0 echotraining=0 signalling=pri_cpe context=incoming channel => 1-15,17-31 ;

 

Here we must set the switchtype to a European type for standard ISDN lines (of which E1 circuits are a part), set the signalling the same as with a North American PRI, and designate the voice channels while excluding the data channel from the list. 

Please contact Fonality Support if you have any questions.

 

References

Sample Zaptel.conf (system.conf) config files and settings:
http://wiki.sangoma.com/wanpipe-linux-asterisk-appendix#sampleZaptel

Sample Zapata.conf (chan_dahdi.conf) configs and settings:
http://wiki.sangoma.com/wanpipe-linux-asterisk-appendix#sampleZapata

Original Zapata.conf for reference:
http://wiki.sangoma.com/ast-original-zapata

Zapata.conf explained in detail (third-party site):
http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Asterisk+config+zapata.conf

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