TDMoE Mini-HOWTO - January 16, 2002 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For those of us wishing to explore * further, there is this little TDMoE thing, which Mark was kind enough to explain how to configure on the one condition that we write it up for future record... To use TDMoE you MUST have a zaptel interface configured somewhere on the network. It can be any zaptel interface, doesn't have to be a E400P, an X100P will do. Why? Timing. Samples. Something like that. Just do it. The configuration to define a dynamic span (TDMoX) basically entails FOUR parameters. Look at the sample config from zaptel. Its got an example in it, ala: # Next come the dynamic span definitions, in the form: # dynamic=,
,, # # Where is the name of the driver (e.g. eth),
is the # driver specific address (like a MAC for eth), is the number # of channels, and is a timing priority, like for a normal span. # use "0" to not use this as a timing source, or prioritize them as # primary, secondard, etc. Note that you MUST have a REAL zaptel device # if you are not using external timing. # # dynamic=eth,eth0/00:02:b3:35:43:9c,24,0 1) First you define the driver 2) Second is the driver dependent address (REMOTE nic mac address) 3) Third is the number of channels to be configured 4) And, lastly, what sort of timing to provide Timing Notes: 0 for no timing, 1 for primary, 2 for secondary, the difference is that it uses the primary to turn the zaptel gears unless it's in alarm, in which case it will take from the secondary and so on. The driver is generally "eth" since currently we don't have any other TDMoX drivers, although FireWire would be very very nice. [kram] The address is /[/subaddr] The sub address is optional, and allows you to define more than one span on a single eth interface / macaddress pair By configuring this, you end up with a new span, similar to the T1/E1 spans configured for the E/Tx00P cards. Access to the channels configured above is via /etc/zaptel.conf and /etc/asterisk/zapata.conf. You can configure signalling and all just as though they were T1's or E1's, so you can run RBS or you can run PRI or whatever, they even generate RED and YELLOW alarm just like real T1's and E1's. We're still debating whether you can run ccs on it. You do NOT need to configure a specific span=blah,blah in zaptel.conf for this, the dynamic span will take care of that for you. Remember that TDMoE works at the ethernet layer, all you need to configure is MAC addresses and ethernet interfaces.... so in theory you could TDMoE over 802.11 (low-cost last mile) or cipe (encrypted PRI), the possibilites are limitless (well as limitless as csmacd can get)... IP does not come into play here at all... -- SIMPLE 2 MINUTE EXAMPLE #105 -- so, if i have two * boxen running... lets say merry and pippin... merry has an X100P in it and a nic, pippin just has a nic in merry zaptel.conf we have -------- fxsls=1 # this be the FXO dynamic=eth,eth0/00:D0:B7:89:E3:86,30,0 # put the mac of pippin here e&m=2-31 # you can use ANY signalling in pippin zaptel.conf we have -------- dynamic=eth,eth0/00:50:FC:65:33:A1,30,1 # note the timing "1", merry's mac e&m=1-30 # same signalling as merry from this point on its like any of the friendly zaptel channels we're already used to.... in merry zapata.conf we have ---------- signalling=em channel=>2-31 in pippin zapata.conf we have --------- signalling=em channel=>1-30 load the appropriate modules, ztcfg on merry, zttool, you should have RED in the alarms.... and a dynamic span configured (not up, but configured) do the same on pippin, bingo, the alarms should turn to OK, and you have the zap channels available for use.... [root@pippin ~]$ lsmod Module Size Used by Tainted: P ztd-eth 4032 0 (autoclean) (unused) ztdynamic 8544 30 (autoclean) [ztd-eth] zaptel 177088 60 [ztdynamic] ppp_generic 27392 0 [zaptel] slhc 6844 0 [ppp_generic] This listing is with asterisk running, and zapata using the channels. If you got this far, you're good to go. Enjoy... and mail any samples, suggestions, improvements... always welcome Hail * ! Todo: multiple ethernet cards (local and remote), other signalling examples, dummy eth driver to loopback test, caveats, benefits of TDMoE, comparision of various signalling, cook dinner ---------------------------------------------------------------------------