answer machine question

[lenny109]

Hi,
Telephones are something that I know nothing about but we have a Norstar system running (3 telephone lines) in the office with lots of network points attached but only 3 or 4 being used with telephones (Nortel Norstar Meridian Phone) I want to add an answer machine to the system. I have a cheap £30 digital answering machine. Can I just plug it into any available point, set it to answer on 4 rings and away we go or do I need to program the Norstar in any way. If I do then where can I find the instructions to do this as I would like to learn and at the same time save £200 by not calling BT out.

Any help or advice would be most appreciated.
Cheers
Lenny

 

[byrontel]

Using current rates of exchange I don't find 30 pounds to be cheap for an answering machine, so I'm not sure what it can do. Usually even though it is "digital"...this refers to it's recording and playback functions.It is still designed to be plugged into an analog phone line.The lines coming into your Norstar are (likely) analog. This is where it must be installed...and...may be only capable of answering one line of three. The digital ports on your phone system are really meant for proprietary sets.
My apologies if I'm wrong about the answering machine ,but this is typically how they work....some can answer more than one line.

 

[achuchman]

Lenny,

A few things...

1) The answering machine would need to be plugged into an analog port, meaning, you should not unplug a Nortel phone and plug in the answering machine. If you have no existing analog ports on the system (they do not come standard) or do not know if a port is analog, you would need to add an ATA to the system. This would require a call to your vendor plus the cost of parts (an ATA in the States runs about $150 - $200).

2) The port you plug into should ring for calls on all lines. This may require a vendor call to program the system.

While this is a cheaper solution than getting a voice mail system, it is not always the best. An analog port will only manage one call at a time, so if there are two calls coming in at the same time, one will be answered, one will not be.

If you want more reliable voice mail, you may be able to check with your vendor (BT I assume) to see if they can set you up with a refurbished or leased voice mail unit. The VM unit may actually cost you the same amount as getting an ATA and having the service call.

 

[achuchman]

Byrontel,

I have had 2 and 3 line answering machines before, so they do exist.

Even if it is a multiple line machine, I do not see how a multiple line can pick up multiple calls from a single Nortel analog port. He would need an analog port for each line. For the cost of the ATA's, he would probably be better seeing if his vendor can get him a refurb VM.

If the answering machine was put BEFORE the KSU, then it would work. This, of course, is a very messy solution.

 

[lenny109]

We have 3 lines coming (all the same number though)in but it doesn't matter if the answer machine doesn't pick them all up at the same time. I want it to answer the phone during the evening when there is nobody in the office and if 2 people ring at the same time then it doesn't matter if only one of those is answered. It will also be used during the day when everybody is to busy (lunch time for instance) and the phone doesn't get picked up in time.

I realise that this way isn't the best but the difference in a £15 or £30 answer phone and the norstar answering system is..... Because of this I am aware of the downside but still wouldn't mind giving it ago.

I have also noticed an answer machine in another office connnected to the same system via a normal telephone extension point on the wall. I think that the reason it was connected to an extension is because they didn't have any free telephone points in the office. We have plenty!

 

[achuchman]

Lenny,

Your next step would be to determine if you have any analog ports. Sadly, a Vendor would be the best one to tell you...

Some Norstar systems come standard with one analog port, but some do not. Since you are on the other side of the pond, I do not know if NT has any different configurations for systems sold in your area.

 

[lenny109]

I am not sure about the analogue ports but the telephones go into an adapter connected to the RJ45 wall socket (RJ45 to normal telephone adapter)

Couldn't I attach the answer machine to one of these?
Lenny

 

[achuchman]

What are the model numbers of the telephones?

Do you have the KSU on site? Do you know the model of the KSU? Is it a CICS, MICS, 3x8, 6x16, or 8x24?

Your Nortel phones could be plugging into an SMDR, however, the more information you provide, the better we can help.

If the unit the phones plug into is an SMDR, then these are still digital ports which will not work on the answerer.

I still would not risk connecting the answerer unless you are 100% sure that you are connecting to an analog port. The last thing you want to do is 1) fry the answering machine, or 2) fry that port on the PBX.

 

[lenny109]

The info that I have and can see is that I have a 'Norstar Central Control Unit' Also a 'Compact Plusbox Con' it also says voice switch link.

All the telephones extensions plug into a 10/100 network hub and from there it goes to the Norstar Unit.

As you can tell, I am not in the office at the moment but the phones look like one of the phones from this website

http://www.phoneuserguide.com/

The Nortel Norstar Meridian Phone. (second on the top line)
Hope that helps.

 

[byrontel]

I feel your cheapest solution is to plug machine directly into analog telephone line 1. This must be wired to a regular telephone jack (connected before the KSU)...this jack may be placed anywhere but must be wired before ksu. This jack may all look the same as digital ones but is actually not connected t a digital port. This would give capability to have one call answered at a time when closed.Set rings to whatever you wish but keep in mind that during the day an unanswered call could go to machine if you're not quick enough.
I never suggested plugging into analog port....but analog phone line.

 

[achuchman]

You have yourself a VoIP system...

I do not have much experience with these systems, so I would recommend that you contact a vendor or wait for someone else here to chime in.

If memory serves me, you will need an analog adaptor for your answerer.

 

[lenny109]

thanks byrontel, So it looks like I should find where the telephone line enters the building and run an extension from there and connect the answer machine to that?

 

[byrontel]

If you are using analog phone lines to feed system ....yes.
Now that we know you are using VOIP system you may need to get someone familiar with it for some help.Your incoming lines may not be analog.
Sorry but I'm not familiar with the main equipment you describe.

 

[HUCHIMAMA]

Lenny,

It is best to contact a vendor near you. Your local vendor could easily do this connection of the answering machine for you for a fee of 80 dolloars or so. yes this alot of money for ten minutes of work. But you it could cost you alot more if something is to fry besides a $20 answering machine.

The folks in this forum are heret o help but are very weary about telling you exactly what to do with the possibility of damaging some equipment. Which inturn will end up costing you more then $80 dollars for a service call.

kgrant

 

[achuchman]

kgrant,

Well put...

There are configurations that end-users can walk through on their own. The more complicated the set-up, the more likely something can go wrong.

Since you are on a VoIP solution, you could be dealing with digital trunks and so on. There really are too many variables that we are dealing with here.

 

[acewarlock]

All the telephones extensions plug into a 10/100 network hub and from there it goes to the Norstar Unit


I didn't know you could plug a norstar phone into a data network hub.

 

[byrontel]

The problem after all this discusion .....we really don't know exactly what your system is! You mention the website description of your phone...it appears to be an M7208..doesn't jive with the VOIP info. A vendor may be your best bet.