Norstar Starter Guide?

[bigb49]

Hi,

Found you guys and a lot of great tips on Norstar phone systems, decided to register and join in with you guys. Hope to be able to help the next new guy in the future.

So, my background is on the Network/Data side of things, never played with phone systems. I have had our company phone system dropped on my lap, due to the previous person being laid off.

Now, I knew a few little user station changes, and have a decent grasp on a fair amount of the system, but learning, and just picked up a user manual and VM manual to read soon.

I have one pressing issue/problem I want to get started on, hope I can get some help:

1. I need to change the Music on Hold MOH from its current recording (Some kind of MP3 uploaded by a vendor no longer used) to a new recording I will have shortly. From what I see, its on a dial up analog connection. Is it possible to do myself, locally?

2. Does any admin/backup software exist for these systems I can get to start an overhaul of the phones to find potential problems and/or restore a backup in case of failure?

3. Does any software exist for remote admin of the box? I can setup a PC locally and remote into that, to perform basic tasks, even simple things like station name changes, vm password resets and so on?

Thanks! Sorry for the basic questions, but I am starting here, reading all I can as of today.

 

[allworxguy]

Welcome, to get proper advise we need to model and software version of your system.

Your questions
Question 1: There is no provision to upload MOH into a Norstar system. This must be a third party device.

Question 2 and 3: Yes to both, need answer to model and software for correct procedure.

Marv ccna

http://www.telemarv.ca

 

[Splic3d]

You are going to find probably a 3 party device hooked to the MOH port of your system. Most have an analog line or Ext. hooked to it for downloading new .wav files. It may have a flash stick plugged into it that you can reload or change. But as allworxguy says give us the system info and someone will point you to the right directions.

http://www.i3techgroup.com

Avaya/Nortel/NEC/Asterisk/Access Control/CCTV/DSX/Acti/UCx

 

[nessman]

1. MOH is an external audio source - some are made specifically for phone systems (i.e., Muzak), some will connect to your network to download the appropriate .WAV or .MP3 files, I've seen consumer-grade MP3 players and CD players on an infinite repeat loop, an AM/FM radio, etc... all using the headphone out into the port on the Norstar for MOH.

2. You'll need a Norstar FastRAD (a box that goes between a Norstar voice port and the serial port on your PC) and the appropriate Norstar Remote Utilities software for your Norstar model and software.

3. See #2. My experience is the Windows GUI in Norstar Remote Utilities that emulates a Norstar phone's keys is slow and clunky. I find programming on a M7310, M7324 or T7316e phone goes much faster. If you have a Norstar phone at your desk - you can remotely administer your Norstar system. It can be done with a M7208 or T7208 as well - but the navigation keys are in different places. I keep a beater M7310 in the back of the truck for service calls.

 

[bigb49]

I have access to admin the box via the handset. Use that currently for all tasks. Just would like a remote way, when I am out of the office.

As far as the model of the system, I am sorting through a 4" pile of paperwork I found labeled "Phones". So far, I am in 1999 dated documents.

Revision over revision.

Several M7310 and M7324 handsets seen... but nothing of the main system.

I did find one document from a "Williams Comm Solution" where they did a software upgrade in 1999 "2.03 to 2.4L". Appears that company is no longer in business.

Still looking.

Any way to pull main system software information from a handset?

 

[allworxguy]

Log in to telset and go to Maintenance > Software Version.

Marv ccna

http://www.telemarv.ca

 

[bigb49]

SP 30NcG04 NAT

 

[allworxguy]

MICS 4.1 XC

You will need a Remote Access Device (RAD) and Norstar Remote Utilities (NRU) to program remotely.

Marv ccna

http://www.telemarv.ca

 

[nessman]

You're running a fairly old version of Norstar if you're on v4.1. Needless-to-say, it's end-of-life, no support from Avaya. But... it's not too hard to administer.

Google around - you can download the system coordinator and administrator guides off the interwebs.

The FastRAD is maybe 8x6x2" in size with a cube AC adapter... so it's not something you can easily throw into your laptop bag. Best to hook it up to a PC where you work and have a means to remote-access that machine. The FastRAD will connect either directly to the PC via a serial cable, or a modem, and it connects to the Norstar just like a phone via any available digital port.

To be honest - I have a good number of Norstar customers - and the need to do any "administration" for any of them is fairly infrequent, not worth the time/expense to toss a FastRAD on their system to dial in to. I keep one in the truck to do occasional backups for larger systems - and restores because they don't put them on UPS's - lose the power and the programming gets lost because the cartridge is 15 yrs old.

 

[bigb49]

Okay, first task is to connect to this Bogen MOH device.

Anyone have experience here? Looking for software to connect to it, via analog line.

(Yes, found a FastRAD, but not attempted to connect just yet.)

Nessman

 

[curlycord]

You should be starting a new thread for each topic in future.

You could try calling Bogen and see if they have it in their archives as it is an old discontinued product.


=----(((((((((()----=
curlycord

http://www.curlycord.com

Toronto Canada

http://www.telcopc.ca

 

[nessman]

Looks like one of these doohickeys...

http://www.bogen.com/support/discontinued/pdfs/PRO6m.pdf‎

The telephone jack is for a studio that produces on-hold messages, etc... can just dial in, download/manage content for you. No tapes, CD's or digital media for you to change or mess with. In other words, it's probably something you'd have to pay for on an ongoing basis. I've seen quite a few MOH boxes out there that are actually leased from the company/studio that provides the MOH services (Muzak is one we're all familiar with)... gotta turn it in when the lease/contract is up. For some reason, a company's marketing dept usually handles that - I just provide an interface for the MOH vendor to plug the 600 ohm output into.

Now, given the copyright date of 1997 in the PDF linked above, and that it's discontinued, my guess is you have nothing more than a paperweight that can be tossed away, recycled, used for target practice, etc.