Using a Dial-Up Remote Access Server (Modem Pool) to effectively create a BBS modem pool. reddit / bbs ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ramsaso · 2020-10-31 16:13 EDIT 3: I must point out that in "IP", set a wild card so that the RAS can telnet out successfully to any BBS/telnet server you desire. (05 Nov 2020) EDIT: More numbers were allocated to allow people in their local calling area to dial in. They are as follows: 470-298-3070 (Atlanta) East Los Angeles (Rialto rate center) : 909-990-1230 Albuquerque : 505-208-6370 Miami (incl. the Keys) : 305-749-5008 West Los Angeles : 213-616-9510 Salt Lake City : 385-248-5680 Las Vegas area (Clark County) : 702-620-5120 Reno : 775-209-7120 EDIT 2: Adding even MORE numbers to the list! Philadelphia (Zone One) : 215/798-5050 Orlando: 407/476-1277 Boston: 617/993-0512 Sydney, AUS: +61 2 8278 0766 / 02 8278 0766 San Francisco No.1: 415/231-1260 San Francisco No.2: 415/236-4850 Oakland, CA: 510/201-5500 Using native_rtp btw. You may not have been aware, but (as of this writing on Oct 31, 2020) 5 months ago, I asked here about how could it be possible get carrier- grade equipment to basically act as a BBS modem pool [here](https://ww w.reddit.com/r/bbs/comments/gov4ko/using_a_cisco_3845_and_a_nm24dm_for _a_dialin/). Try dialing it at 346-385-5665 (Houston) / 737-825-9124 (Austin) or on NPSTN, 785-1012. A lot has changed since that time, in terms for getting that idea into fruition. 1. I completely abandoned using the Digital Modem module on the 3845 and ordered an IAD2431-1T1E1, since it would be more efficient on electricity and still provide adequate service (if one needs a firmware which requires "ip address trusted list", please contact me via message). This IAD only has two digital ports for either T1 or E1 voice/data so this is perfect in this case. 2. Looking online, I managed to find and acquire a Patton 2960 for cheap at around $100, which is a Dial-Up Remote Access Server. This is usually used for small or independent telephone companies to provide dial-up service to its customers. While I could theoretically set up dial-up internet access, that is not the scope I am looking for. 3. Using a carrier-grade service to terminate the phone number required to make this idea possible, it has been tested to be beyond expectations, clocking in at about 28.8 - 37.7Kbps, which was shocking to be honest. Beginning here is my thought process. 1. Using Asterisk 13 and only using Chan_sip (I know most people would advocate for PJSIP but I despise it like the plague), I set up a SIP trunk from my Asterisk to the IAD using SIP registration. I haven’t figured out how to get IP based authentication to work, since I have static ip service from AT&T, which really helped in this case. * (PS: Static IPs for residential, despite what has been said on such websites like DSLReports, are still available to be ordered from, so long as you are NOT using a reseller, for which AT&T forbids them to provide static ip to residential customers.) 2. The Patton 2960 has these protocols to use for the ISDN “flavor” as you will (at least for T1), which consists of * NI (NOT NI2) + AT&T (It is unknown it if meant 4ESS or 5ESS but I believe it would be the 4ESS) + DMS100 3. With that information in mind, I set up an ISDN trunk to the Patton 2960 using a T1 cable (I made one myself using Cat5E since T1 signals are *so* noisy, recommended to make it short in length) using this information for the IAD 2431 (assuming you know how to program into it using Cisco IOS) to the Patton. `interface Serial1/1:23` *** no ip address encapsulation hdlc isdn switch-type primary-dms100 isdn protocol-emulate network isdn supp-service name calling isdn negotiate-bchan isdn integrate calltype all no cdp enable 4. Set on the Patton, the settings you have just used on the Cisco, to make it communicate. 5. On Cisco, I set on there a wildcard on the dial peer that will route the call to the Patton without question, while still passing SIP Headers from the upstream provider. (Sidenote: I would have liked it if the Patton had supported Q.SIG or NI2 for easier integration with the IAD.) 6 (This is VERY VITAL). On the Patton, you MUST make a user for the telnet to modem to even function. What I did, was to add a user and set the user as com2 and password as com2, since this is public and in my case, the BBS software running on telnet will provide authentication as well. (You may also modify the users as you wish) Set service to telnet and for the ip address to forward to, use the ip that’s hosting the BBS software. Port is 23, or it may be different in some cases. If possible, you may want to delete the info on the text-box for the banner that shows up as one successfully authenticate. 6. Make sure everything is set up for production, and voila! BBS (well...) access at full speeds and not bogged down because of the *many* channels available. PS: I use Regional Telephone Corporation as my upstream provider. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- samalex01 · 2020-10-31 21:27 Nice setup. I built a simple single line dialup internet system about 16 years ago for my parents to use, caller id was used so if my parents called it was a PPP dialup internet connection, anyone else it was my BBS. Through linux it was easy enough to setup. These things are so fun to run... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ramsaso · 2020-11-01 15:14 It is! I was very glad to get this idea to work, because I had thought this idea would not be possible in the beginning until I “opened my eyes”, for lack of a better word. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dmine45 · 2020-11-04 09:46 Most excellent. I got it to work today from my VOIP line. My USR Courier tried to log on with v.90 as if it were calling an ISP, but failed back to 33.6. Still impressive! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ramsaso · 2020-11-04 21:40 It should be above V.90 when called from a POTS line to be honest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dmine45 · 2020-11-04 21:51 My modem only supports V.90. Not recent enough for V.92. It dates back to 1996. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- JonMR · 2020-11-07 01:37 Slightly OT, but I’m curious why you dislike PJSIP so much? FWIW, I think my connections were more reliable through chan_sip and iax, but I don’t have proof. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ramsaso · 2020-11-07 02:20 Too hard to configure. Chan_sip is so much easier to interpret. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- recourse7 · 2020-11-12 02:27 I feel you on that but pjsip is the way forward. I forced myself to work with it for a month and now I wouldn't go back to chan_sip. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ramsaso · 2020-11-17 05:45 How did you manage to change the mindset from chan_sip to pjsip if you don't mind me asking? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- recourse7 · 2020-11-17 06:38 Like in most things, practice and forcing myself to learn it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- orion3311 · 2023-08-14 21:26 Out of curiosity I showed someone that I used this in the past with a thermal terminal, and tried calling the number and now it says some dumbass in the office broke the thing. Is there a new number to get to the modem bank or is this now gone? I was trying the Philly number. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ramsaso · 2023-08-16 00:42 This has been discontinued due to personal reasons. A method to establish this again will be resurrected, I would say, sometime, at the end of 2023. I'm battling a lot of shit at the moment and unfortunately, the people who helped me with this is no longer available. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- orion3311 · 2023-08-16 01:10 All good, I have a vid of me using a thermal terminal with built in accoustic coupler, and the payphone in my basement, calling into it and connecting to a bbs. (Which was done in reply to someone posting a drawing of someone using an accoustic coupler from a payphone on twitter.