asterisk
36 posts.
Open-source VICIdial vs proprietary dialers
What you trade when you choose open-source VICIdial over a closed, vendor-run dialer, covering control, cost, and support.
Read postVICIdial vs GoAutoDial
GoAutoDial is built on VICIdial and Asterisk — the same engine underneath. The real question is whether you want the GoAutoDial packaging or direct access to VICIdial itself.
Read postVICIdial vs raw Asterisk
VICIdial is built on Asterisk, so comparing them is really asking how much call-center logic you want to build yourself. Here is what each approach means in practice.
Read postOpening the RTP port range on a cloud firewall
Cloud firewalls block inbound UDP by default, and a closed RTP port range is the most common reason VICIdial calls connect but carry no audio.
Read postFixing NAT one-way audio in the cloud
One-way audio on a cloud VICIdial server almost always means Asterisk is advertising its private IP in SDP instead of the routable public address.
Read postMoving VICIdial to new server hardware
Migrating VICIdial to a new box is five jobs: dump the database, sync recordings, cut over the IP and DNS, rebuild the config, and re-register your trunks.
Read postRebuilding VICIdial conf files after changes
VICIdial regenerates Asterisk config from the database. Here is what the rebuild conf files step does, when it fires, and how to trigger it safely.
Read postInstalling audio codecs (g729 and friends) for VICIdial
G711 ships free with Asterisk; g729 and g723 are licensed. Here's what each codec costs in bandwidth, why g729 needs registration, and how to install it cleanly.
Read postWeb server vs telephony server roles
In a multi-server VICIdial, the web role runs Apache and PHP while the telephony role runs Asterisk. Here's what each does and why splitting them matters.
Read postCommon VICIdial install errors and fixes
The install errors that actually stop a VICIdial build — missing Perl modules, Asterisk compile failures, MySQL grant problems, and SELinux — and how to clear each one.
Read postWhy installing VICIdial yourself is harder than it looks
A clean VICIdial install means compiling Perl and Asterisk, sorting codecs and NAT, tuning MySQL, and wiring the keepalive cron. The 3am failure modes are where it bites.
Read postWhich Asterisk version VICIdial needs
How to pick an Asterisk version for a VICIdial build: supported branches, why the version field changes Local channel handling, and MeetMe versus ConfBridge.
Read postInstalling VICIdial: The Complete Guide
What installing VICIdial actually involves end to end: the software stack, install routes, hardware, registering the server in Admin, conf files, and going live.
Read postInstalling VICIdial from Scratch on Ubuntu
Prerequisites, pulling the source, compiling Asterisk, running the install script, and the Ubuntu-specific gotchas that trip up a from-scratch VICIdial build.
Read postInstalling VICIdial from Scratch on Debian
How a from-scratch Debian build differs from Ubuntu: package names, defaults, and the same compile-Asterisk-then-install flow, with the Debian-specific snags called out.
Read postWhat Installing VICIdial Actually Involves
A plain tour of the moving parts a fresh VICIdial install needs: the telephony engine, the web app, the database, the keepalive crontab, and a carrier to dial out.
Read postWhy Bulk Phone Insert Needs a Manual Conf File Rebuild
Submitting Bulk Phone Insert writes phones to the database but does not rebuild Asterisk config - here is why, and how to trigger the rebuild yourself.
Read postHow to Log In to the VICIdial Prompt Recorder (ID 4321)
The VICIdial prompt recorder at extension 8168 uses a fixed PIN of 4321 followed by # — here is exactly how login works and what to expect.
Read postHow to Write a Custom AGI Script for VICIdial
AGI scripts let you run any external program during a live call to look up data, change routing, or set variables — here is how to write one from scratch for VICIdial.
Read postThe VICIdial 8168 Record-Prompt Extension Explained
Extension 8168 is VICIdial's built-in phone-based audio recorder — here is exactly what it does, how the dialplan context works, and when to use it.
Read postHow VICIdial Numbers Phone-Recorded Prompt Filenames
VICIdial phone-recorded prompts start at filename 85100001 and increment by one per recording — here is why that matters and how to track your files.
Read postHow to Save, Listen to, or Re-record a VICIdial Prompt
After recording a VICIdial audio prompt by phone, you get three choices — press 1 to save, 2 to listen, or 3 to re-record. Here is what each does.
Read postWhat is the VICIdial dialplan number?
The VICIdial Dial Plan number is the number you dial to make a phone ring. It is defined in Asterisk's extensions.conf. Here is how it works.
Read postFix the Reserved Dialplan Number warning
The VICIdial Reserved Dialplan Number warning means the number you picked cannot be dialed. Here are the reserved ranges and how to choose another.
Read postWhat is the VICIdial phone extension?
The VICIdial Phone extension field is the phone's Asterisk name without the protocol prefix. Here is the no-dashes rule and how it pairs with Protocol.
Read postDatabase and Asterisk reload issues: a safe order of operations
Restarting the database or Asterisk under load drops calls. Here is the safe order: make the admin change, let the keepalive apply it, then reload only if needed.
Read postWhen to reload Asterisk and when it makes things worse
Reloading Asterisk re-reads its config but can interrupt live calls. Here is when a reload actually helps, when VICIdial handles it for you, and when to wait.
Read postHow to check the SIP registry on the Asterisk Debug Page
The Asterisk Debug Page shows SIP Peers and Registry from the dialer itself, so you can confirm whether a phone or trunk is actually registered.
Read postWhat VICIrecGateway does: stereo recording on a separate box
VICIrecGateway is a standalone Asterisk AGI that routes calls through a dedicated recording server, capturing carrier and dialer audio on separate stereo channels via MixMonitor.
Read postWhere VICIdial stores your call recordings on the box
VICIdial writes recordings to /var/spool/asterisk/monitor/ during a call and moves them to monitorDONE after hangup, organized by date.
Read postWhen to move recording onto a dedicated gateway server
A gateway recording server offloads disk I/O, enables true stereo capture, and isolates recording from your main dialer. Here is when the trade-off makes sense.
Read post"AMD not working" because the AMD Asterisk application isn't loaded
If the AMD Asterisk application was never loaded on your server, detection silently does nothing. Here is how to confirm it and get it running.
Read postReading a SIP trace to debug a carrier issue
A SIP trace shows the INVITE, the response codes, and the ACK in order — read it top to bottom and you can see exactly where a carrier call breaks.
Read postConf File Templates: Reusing Carrier Configuration
Stop pasting the same allow/disallow and codec lines into every carrier and phone. Conf File Templates let you define a block once and point everything at it.
Read postStripping or Adding Digits Before the Carrier Sees Them
VICIdial almost never sends the carrier exactly what was dialed. Here is how the dialplan strips and adds digits so your trunk gets the format it expects.
Read postHow Outbound Calls Find the Right Carrier in VICIdial
When an agent dials, Asterisk matches the number against dialplan patterns to pick a trunk. Here's how that routing actually works.
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