Changing Outgoing Line Selection Order

[Datanomics]

I have Merlin Magix 1.5 v6 with 49 extensions & 11 POTS lines.

Due to our LEC calling plan I want the 11th line to be the LAST number available to our users when making an outgoing call. Yet it's frequently one of the first to be used!

When dialing out from x10 (a 4424LD+ phone and the ONLY extension where I can see all 11 POTS lines programmed one per button) it randomly picks phone lines to make an outgoing call. I've yet to recognize any pattern as to how the lines are selected but in general, it seems as though it selects from the end of the group (lines 9, 10 & 11) instead of the beginning!

I tried using the *14/**14 feature on x10 but that only succeeded in changing that extension FROM: picking up SA-Ring / SA-Voice / SA-Orig & having to dial 9 to get an outside line TO: picking up the POTS line directly, but in the proper order.

That was a step in the right direction.... sort of. I reset it to pick up SA lines instead but it went right back to picking up the POTS lines randomly.

So I'm close.... but need a little push in the right direction.... How do I make 'dialing 9' pick up POTS lines in a particular order!?!

Thanks so much for your time!!

 

[CarGoSki]

You can create different sets of pools with 1 to x number. You can then add those pools in the order of your choosing to ARS Tool and Local tables. Then when 9 is dialed the selection will occur in the order you have arranged in ARS.

 

[CarGoSki]

I sould say from 1 to x number of lines in the pool.

 

[merlinman]

If you are only concerned with the one line, I would put it into the 890 pool and then add the 890 as the 2nd choice for Tables 25 and 26.

That should do it for you.

http://home.comcast.net/~merlinman

 

[Datanomics]

CarGoSki & MerlinMan thanks for the replies!

Yes, it is only 1 line.

I definitely get the CONCEPT of what you're both explaining.... but I'm confused as to how / where to create this!

I just went to x10:
'Menu', 'System Program', 'Start', 'LineTrunks', 'Pools', entered '890', and this is where I'm stuck. It says 'Assign line to pool'. Under that 'Lines 01-20 (blinking) Entry Mode'. I hit the button corresponding to the line that I want to add to the 890 pool but nothing happens! It doesn't light up... the display doesn't change...?! What in the world am I doing wrong!?

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Datanomics]

Hold the phone! (ba-dum-bump)

First, I found an article that said I have to REMOVE the line from its existing pool before I add it to another SO.....

I went back, same steps, entered pool 70 instead.... lines 1 thru & including 8 were lit up but lines 9, 10 & 11 AREN'T. How do I scroll thru the pools to locate the pool to which lines 9, 10 & 11 belong?! The only way I can figure is to manually enter a pool # (e.g. 70, 71, 72, etc.). If there are 890+ pools I'm thinking that's not the most efficient way to find them!

 

[CarGoSki]

Print general trunk

 

[ttech]

You should look into using WinSPM to do the ARS programming.

It gives you a much better picture of what's going on, and unless you have a serial printer hooked up to the system you will pretty much need it to do print outs.

 

[Datanomics]

Ahh, a serial printer. You beat me to it - that was about to be my next post. I was hoping it would print to screen as well as to a printer (which I don't have set up), alas, after a few minutes of staring at 'Print in progress....' I figured that wasn't going to happen.

I will check out WinSPM / ARS programming now. But a fellow tech happened to catch me with my nose buried in the Merlin System Planning Forms binder - I told him what I was trying to do. He suggested simply swapping line 11 with a line in the middle of the group. Not exactly a fix, but certainly a viable workaround.

 

[merlinman]

To print to a FILE you change PRINT OPTIONS to PC Port.

This is on the very first screen of "STANDARD SPM" you can access with WINSPM.

Once you do that, you can see exactly what you are dealing with when reports are printed.

Let me just say this, a lot of trouble shooting on LEGENDS & MAGIXS is started by doing a "PRINT" of something first.

Therefore, this will probably not be the last time you have a need to see what's up with the programming, so I suggest getting this issue resolved prior to any additional trouble shooting.

http://home.comcast.net/~merlinman

 

[Datanomics]

Gotcha.

I found my WinSPM CD... I located the port on the processor card... Now I'm looking for the cable & connector. This may take a little bit - or I may have to order it.

Stay tuned & THANKS!

 

[Textron68]

Default Pool numbers: 70, 890-899
If pool 70 has lines 1-8 but not 9,10 or 11, and your picking up 9, 10 and 11 when dialing '9' for an outside line than you need to look at ARS and see what the pool is set 1st for your dial '9' access. Or the lines 9, 10 and 11 may not be pooled acting as direct line access or personal lines and assigned to the phones. If you are looking for all lines to be treated equally, than you need to have all lines in pool 70 and set your ARS accordingly.

 

[Datanomics]

Textron68 -

Default Pools: Thanks for narrowing the scope!! I went thru EACH pool, the ONLY pool with any lines assigned is pool 70. Those lines being 1 thru & including 8. I tried to enter random pool #s (e.g. 859) and the system would 'boop' at me.

Back to basics - I wanted to make sure I have a level playing field.

One by one I manually selected each line, got an outside dial tone & then dialed 958 to verify the lines.

First I discovered that:
A) The line labels weren't correct - e.g. labeled on the display as 5180 when it should be 5120 (no biggie - went to Labeling, LineTrunks, etc. fixed that right up)
B) Lines 10 & 11 were switched on the description card. Meaning the button assigned to Line 810 -I was actually labeled as 11 8928 when it should have been 10 5124. While this doesn't seem like a big deal it is when the problem I've been trying to address has to deal with one of the mislabeled lines. ARGH! Once corrected the pattern of line selection was immediately apparent. Yes, when hitting 9 to get an outside line it ALWAYS starts with line 9, then 10, then 11, then 1, 2, etc. Which explains why line 11 always has so much usage!!

OK, next up, the pools: I cannot cannot cannot add more lines to pool 70. There are 8 lines in it now. Every time I try to enter a line # (e.g. 809, 810, 811) it boops at me.

So I tried to add 809, 810 & 811 to pool 890. Same 'boop'. Just for kicks I tried to add 805 (which was already assigned to pool 70, same 'boop'.

ARS: In table 25, route 2 and table 26, route 2 I added 890. Route 1 for each was already set to 70. But if I can't add lines 809, 810 & 811 then I'm not sure what good that will do. Also, if 70 was already set as route 1 doesn't that mean it should be picking up those lines first!?

Also, still looking for the cable & adapter to go the WinSPM route. I think I lovely full screen GUI will make my life (and definitely all of yours) MUCH easier. But I have to say, with every little step in the right direction (thanks to everyone!!) it's so exciting to see another post pop up in my inbox!

 

[Datanomics]

I *THINK* I got it......

Googling around, I found

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=676185&page=229

I checked out Table 17 & Table 18 (what TTT refers to as Route 17 & 18, respectively), both were blank.

I set Table 17, Route 1 & Table 18, Route 1 to Pool 70.

I'm not celebrating yet.... BUT I played w/ it a few minutes & it looks like it's picking up lines starting with line 1, 2, etc. vs starting with 9!!

 

[Textron68]

If you want to add lines 9, 10 and 11 to pool 70... you need to find out where they are currently assigned. The easiest way is to do a Print All and find the associations of those lines. If they are assigned to individual phones, than you need to remove them from the phones before you can assign them to the pool.

 

[CarGoSki]

Another factoid is that 911 calls come from the 70 pool.

 

[Datanomics]

Hey kids...

Tied up with a client today so I won't be able to work on this until tomorrow, but 2 quick things:

Textron68 - Yes, CarGoSki recommended doing a Print earlier in the convo - but I don't have a serial printer set up as ttech described. WinSPM seems to be the best solution here - I'm just trying to locate that adapter!!!

CarGoSki - So is that to say if someone happens to pick up line 9, 10 or 11 they wouldn't be able to dial 911 since those lines are not currently a part of pool 70?

 

[CarGoSki]

The system will match 911 and attempt to connect the call from the 70. The digit string match is performed first then the pool is selected.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Build an ARS table, with 911, 411, 611, and 811 in it as exchanges, with routes to use both pools.

 

[CarGoSki]

Didn't know you could do that. I thought that 911 was hard coded to use 70 pool only. Something new every day.