A Step-by-Step Guide To Configuring SIP Servers With Asterisk

There are probably few people in the world who would not have dreamt of building their own virtual phone system, at least once in their lives. That’s where Asterisk, the telecommunications platform that you’re about to learn how to harness like some kind of tech wizard, comes in.

What is Asterisk, you ask?

It’s like some sort of wonder chest that can make your computer turn into a telephone line. Here you can have your own PBX and connect with the outside world, not to mention you can make modifications such as call forwarding, getting a voicemail, and even conferencing!

Here we go on your Asterisk journey!

Gather your gear: First, you will require a computer system which can be a server, permanent Internet connection and Asterisk software.

Install Asterisk: Install the Asterisk software and use the following steps. It’s not that difficult I am telling you – much easier than constructing a Lego castle.

Configure your SIP trunk: As mentioned earlier, a SIP trunk is something similar to a bridge that links your Asterisk server to rest of the world. In Asterisk you need to get a SIP trunk from a provider and also set it up properly. Imagine it as establishing a line of your telecommunication network if you’re thinking about a virtual phone system.

Create extensions: Extensions are just like virtual phone number that you can assign to your users or to your device. You can organizational extensions as many as you may need to accommodate your team members.

Set up dial plans: Dial plans are similar to rules which define how call flows through the system. They decide issues such as where the call goes, whether it is forwarded, and if it goes straight to the voice mail.

Test your setup: After that, if you are totally done with the configuration you need to start the test of the Asterisk server. Give a couple of calls, try different options and consult whether all the necessary options are available.

And there you have it! You have configured own SIP server by using Asterisk. Isn't that cool? There is no limit to what can be done when you are using Asterisk.

So, what are you waiting for? Begin the journey to Asterisk now and get your inner geek on!