Partner system question

[jimjg]

I installed a Partner system in my wife's office in 2000, so it was already pretty old. In includes three R3.x 206Es, an R4.1 Processor, and a VM box. It has worked reliably over the years, except for the VM box needing a new power supply and fan, both from a PC/XT, but I've lately been playing "whack a mole" with extensions. A given extension either quits working (no sign of life) or gets "crackly audio". I can solve the problem by just moving the line to an empty port on the same 206E. A few days later, another extension will do the same thing, and the same fix works. Eventually, the original failing phone fails again, and if I move it back to it's original port, it cures the problem (for a few days). I've gone through the entire system with contact cleaner and a vacuum cleaner. I've ordered a couple of 206Es that I'm hoping will fix the problem, but maybe the processor is involved?

Can someone provide a real basic diagram or explanation of the interaction between the processor, the 206Es, and the handsets? Does the processor actually route the calls or is it just directing traffic via other signals? Do the phones and the 206E have some sort of handshake protocol that can "crash"?

Each 206E must throw it's incoming lines onto the backplane, and the processor must generate all the receptionist interaction and then pass the call to the appropriate 206E/extension. At that point, is the call going "thru" the processor or is out of the loop?

I'm a pretty smart engineer, but phones have always been out of my expertise, and if there's a service manual, I don't have it.

 

[Dexman]

At this juncture, you'd be best served by upgrading the processor and expansion cards to the final models. That would be the Partner ACS R8, a suitable number of 308EC expansion cards, an Avaya Partner Messaging R7 and a license that will be suitable to handle traffic.

It is just not worth the effort to fight with equipment that is well past it's lifetime.

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http://dexman.webs.com/

 

[jimjg]

My wife hopes to retire in the next few years, and a couple of $25 206Es seemed to have fixed the problem. In case things deteriorate, what is the compatibility between the R4.1 processor and 308ECs, or the ACS R8 and 206Es?

 

[Dexman]

The R8 will accept the 206s. I don't think that the 4.1 will work with the 308s.

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http://dexman.webs.com/

 

[jimjg]

Thanks!