Thoughts on dealing with remote access with todays digital lines- what works best?

[broody81]

Hi all,

As time has gone on, I have had increasing issues trying to support customers with either SPM or WinSPM remotely from our office, mostly I believe because of all the digital lines every where. We just don't have the good old copper we had. At our place, we have a fios line which is most likely the start of the issue. Add to that, a customer with a cable modem, or, an Adtran T1 handing off analog lines and we go down from there.

I have:

1. Had mixed results with different PCs and laptops on my side.
2. I have had carriers condition a customer's line for fax/data use, but it's not much better.
3. Tried dialing through our PBX as well as putting the modem direct to our line.
4. Tried Remote access to dedicated lines with barrier codes.
5. Tried dialing through their AA

I have the following questions which I think could benefit everyone if we could establish some general habits and techniques:

1. Has anyone found an internal or external modem that has worked well and what is the model? Serial or USB?

2. Playing with modem settings, do you typically use EC, No EC, or forced EC?

3. Flow control? NONE or Hardware? My SPM used to be Hardware in Control Panel, but I notice WinSPN says none in Tapi setup. Speed 1200, etc.

4. Other than having them setup a pc next to the control unit, loading logmein and running WinSPM onsite remotely via the 355A, has anyone found an IP to serial device that can be remotely and securely accessed for such a use via the internet?

Thanks!


I

 

[HiDesert]

I have had the same problem..I have Fios and using SPM with
internal 56k modems I get mixed results. I went to an external
14,400k modem at 1200 baud...with better connections. it takes forever
to backup a big system..but worth it.
So, far I have my customers retain a copper line for RA...but with
so many buildings going w/th Fiber Optic feeds....my options are getting
fewer.
VPN connections are an option...I have not set one up yet.

 

[exsmogger]

Years ago I setup a VPN to program my company's Nortel BCM and allow the connection of remote IP telephones. It was relatively easy for me since I also handled the LAN. You'll have to huddle with the IT admin to get the necessary router ports opened and forwarded in order to use a VPN for programming the telephone system or voicemail.





Brian Cox
Georgia Telephone

http://Georgia-Telephone.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/briancox1952

 

[merlinman]

Considering I have been doing this since the inception of SPM & WINSPM, I have had this problem A LOT.

As far as modems, I have found that the LUCENT'S and AT&T'S (if you can find one) seem to do best, and I have one machine with an AGERE WIN MODEM that I have good luck with as well. But, let's face it, there are machines out there I simply cannot dial into. Also, there's the ones I can get into but they LOCK UP, KICK ME OUT and/or GO NUTS! (I hate it when that happens!)

The solution that Bell Labs came up with is the SOCKET MAGIX. It allows an IP connection to the ADMIN Port (which remains a SERIAL Port). That eliminates the issue of bad lines, funky modems and weird settings. However, those things COST a fortune. That being said, there's a much cheaper alternative that's been mentioned in the forums.

Go to thread689-1418898 and take a look at memphisbill's comments.

And no, I have not used this but I did, at the time, talk to him and he swears by this set up.

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

-merlinmansblog.blogspot.com

 

[broody81]

Thank you Merlinman and all others who replied. I could really relate to your frustration as I read your post. Especially the go-nuts part! I suppose you too have had to learn French a few times. I will check this out.

On the modem settings in Windows, did you end up using EC, no EC or forced EC? What about flow control? Hardware or None?

Thanks

 

[merlinman]

The story book says:

NO EC, NO FLOW CONTROL

Sometimes just for grins I've tried it, but alas, the CHEAP MODEM they put on the processor doesn't do that, or it doesn't do it very well.

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

-merlinmansblog.blogspot.com

 

[merlinman]

In my original post I told you to look at "memphisbill", that should have been MEMPHISRIBS.

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

-merlinmansblog.blogspot.com

 

[bassbill]

Usually we talk the customer into getting (or keeping)a few analog lines for two reasons.

1)When is their PRI/T-1 goes out of service, most providers offer a "call forward on busy" where inbound calls can be automatically forwarded to those lines keeping the customer marginally in service.
2)When that circuit is out of service there isn't any other way to remotely provide support.

However, you still need to have an analog line on your end as well which may or may not be a problem.

If that isn't an option, we'll try to find a cheap PC (Most companies have them just lying around)load the WINSPM on it and connect it to the switch. Then have their IT folks set up a Remote Desktop connection to it that we can access over the internet.

Unfortunately these switches, although still reliable are quickly becoming dinosaurs and the codecs used for voice just don't support modems.

 

[merlinman]

I concur, but it's not always easy or possible to get them to do that.

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

-merlinmansblog.blogspot.com

 

[Dexman]

Granted that I have only 1 Magix to support, but, I've had no problems with remote connections using WinSPM over my FiOS service here at home. Now trying to establish a remote session with an R1 through R6 Partner ACS is an entirely different story.

I "FEATURE 00"

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7n25t/

 

[papagigo1]

Just a note.

I administer 31 AVAYA Magix Systems from a central location and use the IP Socket Magix unit made by Interactive Northwest, Inc. It has saved alot of money in travel cost and down time over the years.

It requires a "STATIC" IP address at the remote site, is very reliable and easy to install. The cost, as Merlinman said is steep running about $700 per unit.

Mike