Dialling * codes from a Fritz!Box..?
Ivor Jones
Hi All,
As many of you will know, I've been using an AVM Fritz!Box Fon for quite
some time now, mainly on Sipgate but also on FWD and Gradwell.
However I've recently come across a slight problem that I haven't been
able to find a way around, so I wonder if anyone else with a Fritz has had
the same problem..?
Basically I need to be able to call an American toll-free (1-800) number
for tech support on a certain item of software I'm using. FWD
(FreeWorldDialup) allow free calls to these numbers but you have to prefix
the number with a * so for example 1-800-123-4567 would be dialled
*18001234567.
This is all well and good, but the problem is the Fritz!Box uses a * as
the prefix for some of its own internal commands, so a * sent doesn't get
passed to line but is "interpreted" by the unit. This means that I can't
dial the number as required.
Is there a way around it..? If so I'd be *very* grateful for any info..!
Ivor
Jono
"Ivor Jones" <iv...@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
news:4p2o0bF...@individual.net...
>
> Basically I need to be able to call an American toll-free (1-800) number
> for tech support on a certain item of software I'm using. FWD
> (FreeWorldDialup) allow free calls to these numbers but you have to prefix
> the number with a * so for example 1-800-123-4567 would be dialled
> *18001234567.
>
> This is all well and good, but the problem is the Fritz!Box uses a * as
> the prefix for some of its own internal commands, so a * sent doesn't get
> passed to line but is "interpreted" by the unit. This means that I can't
> dial the number as required.
>
> Is there a way around it..? If so I'd be *very* grateful for any info..!
I know the question was posed at Fritz!Box users, which I am
not..........however, is it pssible to programme speed dials at all?
Is the * prefix on 1-800 numbers peculiar to FWD? Why is it even necessary?
Ivor Jones
"Jono" <jo...@NoThanksNeverBlueYonder.com> wrote in message
news:vB0Xg.33163$r61....@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk
Yes it is, but it has to be in the format *1800x...@fwd.pulver.com.
However, I tried and it works, but that is only good if you want to dial a
specific number, if you want to be able to dial any old 1-800 number at
random then you can't do it, you would have to program the speed dial for
the required number in full, you can't just specify a prefix and dial the
remaining digits from the phone. That would require a dialling rule, and
the dialling rule setup doesn't allow non-numeric characters such as a *
in the string.
> Is the * prefix on 1-800 numbers peculiar to FWD? Why is
> it even necessary?
I believe so, why it's necessary I don't know, but it is..! However it's
the only account I have that allows free calls to 1-800 numbers.
Ivor
Jono
>> I know the question was posed at Fritz!Box users, which I
>> dials at all?
>
> Yes it is, but it has to be in the format *1800x...@fwd.pulver.com.
> However, I tried and it works, but that is only good if you want to dial a
> specific number, if you want to be able to dial any old 1-800 number at
> random then you can't do it, you would have to program the speed dial for the
> required number in full, you can't just specify a prefix and dial the
> remaining digits from the phone. That would require a dialling rule, and the
> dialling rule setup doesn't allow non-numeric characters such as a * in the
> string.
Well, in the absence of a Fritz!Box expert, other than yourself, coming
along, I'm stumped!
>> Is the * prefix on 1-800 numbers peculiar to FWD? Why is
>> it even necessary?
>
> I believe so, why it's necessary I don't know, but it is..! However it's the
> only account I have that allows free calls to 1-800 numbers.
There must be another VSP that allows it with normal direct dialling.
What about an account with voipcheap.com E10 +VAT for 90 days free
calls to UK blah blah. P'raps a bit OTT to ring a freephone number.
Ivor Jones
news:mn.5c677d6a7...@blueyonder.invalid
[snip]
> There must be another VSP that allows it with normal
> direct dialling. What about an account with voipcheap.com
> E10 +VAT for 90 days free calls to UK blah blah. P'raps a
> bit OTT to ring a freephone number.
Just a bit..! I used to terminate FWD on a Sipura 2000 which handles the
initial * fine, but there were other reasons for moving it to the
Fritz!Box.
Don't start me off about "free" calls at a price ;-)
Ivor
Jono
I won't. Although they are free calls, genuinely - the E10 can all be
used on non-free calls.
Can't you put the account back into the spa2000?? and at the same time
leave it in the F!B too?
Ivor Jones
> Ivor Jones submitted this idea :
[snip]
> > Don't start me off about "free" calls at a price ;-)
> >
> > Ivor
>
> I won't. Although they are free calls, genuinely - the
> E10 can all be used on non-free calls.
But I have plenty of credit on three Sipgate accounts that has hardly been
touched in 2 years..! My calls to PSTN numbers are so few as to be
practically non-existent, it's hardly worth me opening an account that
requires credit that will never be used just to call freephone numbers..!
Oh and if it requires credit then the calls aren't free..!
Aaaarrgghhhh..!! See what you've done, you've got me going..!
> Can't you put the account back into the spa2000?? and at
> the same time leave it in the F!B too?
No, I need both the phone ports on the SPA2000 for other purposes, the FWD
account is rarely used and doesn't warrant a phone port all to itself (I
haven't got enough incoming line circuits on the PABX for a start..!) and
it is installed as an "extra" account on the Fritz as it can hold up to
10.
Ivor
Jono
"Ivor Jones" <iv...@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
>
> No, I need both the phone ports on the SPA2000 for other purposes, the FWD
> account is rarely used and doesn't warrant a phone port all to itself (I
> haven't got enough incoming line circuits on the PABX for a start..!) and
> it is installed as an "extra" account on the Fritz as it can hold up to
> 10.
>
> Ivor
Then you need to consider using voxalot.
You can set up FWD on voxalot so that any number beginning 1800x., actually
get sent as *1800x.
Jono
"Jono" <jo...@NoThanksNeverBlueYonder.com> wrote in message
Really, I meant "try setting up voxalot in this way" I have no idea if
voxalot's dial patterns allow the sending of * codes. It ought
to.........where's a Brian when you need one?
Gordon Henderson
Jono <jo...@NoThanksNeverBlueYonder.com> wrote:
>Then you need to consider using voxalot.
What about your own home asterisk box, Ivor? For what you're doing, I'd
have thought it would be the best thing for you. Not cheap though, but
if you have the time and an oldish PC then it'll work just fine. You
might need to fork-out for a TDM400 card though rather than use ATAs...
Gordon
Ivor Jones
message news:egksif$k81$1...@lion.drogon.net
It's a thought, but no, I don't want to rely on a computer-based system. I
have ATA's feeding the exchange line inputs of a PABX. The system has been
installed for a long time, is working well and is virtually bomb-proof.
It's not worth replacing it all for a simple problem like this.
Ivor
Brian A
At first I thought of using Voxalot for this as Jono suggested.
However, after writng a reply, I realised that it wouldn't work
because, at some part of the dialling sequence, you'd have to dial an
' *' . Speed dials on Voxalot are accessed via an ' * '. My extent of
knowledge re the dial plan settings has a small hole in it atm, I need
to do some more research. Currently I can't configure a way to do
this via the Voxalot dial plan though I think it is possible.
However, it is easy to do via easypabx.com.
You can have 4 figure speed dial numbers and these can trigger numbers
with ' * ' in them.
Further you can set up the LCR routing to do other tricks. With
easypabx you can have up to 2000 speed dial numbers. Further, easypabx
affords lots of other facilities.
There is easy to follow documentation on easypabx but, if you do try
it and get stuck, please come back and ask. I have found a way round a
few problems with easypabx, so I have a bit of experience in using it,
as have others in this group I think.
It is free so worth a play I think.
Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.
Skype Free Zone!!
Ivor Jones
news:n27si259t5fkbtifc...@4ax.com
[snip]
> At first I thought of using Voxalot for this as Jono
> suggested. However, after writng a reply, I realised that
> it wouldn't work because, at some part of the dialling
> sequence, you'd have to dial an ' *' . Speed dials on
> Voxalot are accessed via an ' * '. My extent of knowledge
> re the dial plan settings has a small hole in it atm, I
> need to do some more research. Currently I can't
> configure a way to do this via the Voxalot dial plan
> though I think it is possible. However, it is easy to do
> via easypabx.com.
> You can have 4 figure speed dial numbers and these can
> trigger numbers with ' * ' in them.
> Further you can set up the LCR routing to do other
> tricks. With easypabx you can have up to 2000 speed dial
> numbers. Further, easypabx affords lots of other
> facilities.
> There is easy to follow documentation on easypabx but, if
> you do try it and get stuck, please come back and ask. I
> have found a way round a few problems with easypabx, so I
> have a bit of experience in using it, as have others in
> this group I think.
> It is free so worth a play I think.
It all seems so complicated, all I want to do is dial * in front of a
number..! I can do it on the Fritz!Box as a speed dial, I can enter a
specific number there and it works, but if you want to be able to dial any
1-800 number without knowing in advance what it is, then it falls over.
Ivor
Roger Barrett
"Ivor Jones" <iv...@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
I couldnt get this to work with my spa and so put in a dial plan
<18:*18>xxxxxxxxx<:@fwd.pulver.com> - basically any number starting "18"
gets translated to the required fwd number. Can you use dial plans on the
friztbox to do the same?
Roger.
Ivor Jones
news:TEpXg.3162$69....@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net
[snip]
> I couldnt get this to work with my spa and so put in a
> dial plan <18:*18>xxxxxxxxx<:@fwd.pulver.com> - basically
> any number starting "18" gets translated to the required
> fwd number. Can you use dial plans on the friztbox to do
> the same? Roger.
No, it doesn't use dial plans in the same way as the Sipura. You can
specify speed dials and you can set dialling rules, but not dial plans as
such.
Ivor
news
<iv...@despammed.invalid> writes
>It all seems so complicated, all I want to do is dial * in front of a
>number..! I can do it on the Fritz!Box as a speed dial, I can enter a
>specific number there and it works, but if you want to be able to dial any
>1-800 number without knowing in advance what it is, then it falls over.
>
How about ** ?
Ivor Jones
news:yahz00Ak...@care4free.net
No, that's also used, as a prefix for speed dials.
Ivor
Jono
What's wrong with using voxalot?
Jono
I've seen one of the Brians' responses now.....
裌dinc盜盒偽
around uk.telecom.voip and said...
A simple and quick solution: before the number you have to call, dial
the *12x# prefix of the FWD line, then you can dial whatever you want,
even an asterisk. Once the line is chosen and taken, every other digit
you dial is passed as-is to the preselected line.
It's the way my Fritz!Box Fon WLAN works, don't know if it's the same
for you.
HTH
--
ßødincµs²°°° - The Y2K Druid
Ivor Jones
Nothing if you like that sort of thing, it's just overkill purely to allow
prefixing of US 1-800 numbers with a * ;-)
Ivor
Ivor Jones
news:MPG.1f98e45d3...@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk
[snip]
> Hi Ivor...
>
> A simple and quick solution: before the number you have
> to call, dial the *12x# prefix of the FWD line, then you
> can dial whatever you want, even an asterisk. Once the
> line is chosen and taken, every other digit you dial is
> passed as-is to the preselected line.
>
> It's the way my Fritz!Box Fon WLAN works, don't know if
> it's the same for you.
>
> HTH
Erm, no it doesn't work, whether it should or not I don't know, but it
doesn't..! The FWD account is configured as line 3 so I have to dial the
prefix anyway (although I've found *2# works just as well and is a couple
of digits less..!)
BTW do you get dial tone after the #..? I don't, I have to press # a
second time.
Ivor
PS - 啉dinc祍舶鞍 could you contact me off group please..? g6urp01 at
googlemail dot com
Philippe Deleye
"啉dinc祍舶鞍" <thi...@il.is.invalid> wrote in message
> A simple and quick solution: before the number you have to call, dial
> the *12x# prefix of the FWD line, then you can dial whatever you want,
> even an asterisk. Once the line is chosen and taken, every other digit
> you dial is passed as-is to the preselected line.
That's how I also would have proposed, however it want't work (just tested)
-- dial the *12x# prefix of line x > you get a new dial tone of the selected
line
-- however, once you get the selected line, dialing * is not passed as-is,
but interpretd by the FritzBox
For example
-- dial *121# gives you line 1
-- once you hear the dial tone of line 1, dialing *122# will give you line 2
(not passed as-is to line 1), etc...
attn 啉dinc祍舶鞍 .....
If this is different in your FritzBox, then you really has to explain how
you did it to make it work !!!
I do not see anything I can change in the settings (unless trying to make a
Firmware modification ??)
Phillippe (Belgium)
Philippe Deleye
"Ivor Jones" <iv...@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
> Basically I need to be able to call an American toll-free (1-800) number
> for tech support on a certain item of software I'm using. FWD
> (FreeWorldDialup) allow free calls to these numbers but you have to prefix
> the number with a * so for example 1-800-123-4567 would be dialled
> *18001234567.
>
> This is all well and good, but the problem is the Fritz!Box uses a * as
> the prefix for some of its own internal commands, so a * sent doesn't get
> passed to line but is "interpreted" by the unit. This means that I can't
> dial the number as required.
>
> Is there a way around it..? If so I'd be *very* grateful for any info..!
Ivor
On a german newsgroup (http://www.ip-phone-forum.de/showthread.php?t=70760)
I found the the following:
quote
Nach *# erwartet die Box keine weiteren Steuerkommandos und schickt weitere
* oder # Eingaben auf die Leitung (Keypadmodus), damit man z.B. dort
Einstellungen vornehmen kann.
unquote
In english this means that after you have dialed the combination *# the
FritzBox does not expect any more commands, therefore sends all subsequent
characters on the line (Keypadmodus)
In your case this would mean:
-- assume your FWD account is on Voip line 3
-- dial *123# to get Voip line 3
-- dial *# to stop the Box to wait for further commands
-- dial *18001234567 to get your American toll-free (1-800) number
complete string = *123# *# *18001234567
Note
Do not end the dialing sequence with another # (to speed-up connection) as
this # will also be sent on the line (normally the final # is not sent but
just used to indicate that the dialed number is complete)
I have not tested this. Could you do and report back ???
Philippe (Belgium)
Ivor Jones
wrote in message
news:453a089f$0$30052$ba62...@news.skynet.be
[snip]
Hi Phillipe,
Thanks for that, I can report that yes, it does work, with one slight
modification to the dial string. I have to dial a second # after *123# in
order to sieze the FWD line, if I dial the *# after just a single # I get
rapid beeps and no further digits are processed. But yes, I can get it to
work, so many thanks..!
Ivor
Philippe Deleye
"Ivor Jones" <iv...@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
> > In english this means that after you have dialed the
> > combination *# the FritzBox does not expect any more
> > commands, therefore sends all subsequent characters on
> > the line (Keypadmodus)
>
> modification to the dial string. I have to dial a second # after *123# in
> order to sieze the FWD line, if I dial the *# after just a single # I get
> rapid beeps and no further digits are processed. But yes, I can get it to
> work, so many thanks..!
>
No thanks, glad I could find a solution for your problem
I'm reading the german newsgoups:
http://www.ip-phone-forum.de
news://de.comm.internet.telefonie
and there is a lot of interesting contributions around the FritzBox. Also a
lot of firmware modifications (of course not supported by AVM), e.g.
to get ENUM working
to enable to set-up your Box remotely
to enable to monitor on all PC's in your network incoming calls (with
name display)
to get your Box sending you an e-mail if there is a new Firmware
to get 2 FritzBoxes connected wireless (WDS) and using Voip on the second
Box (over the DSL line of the 1st Box)
etc ... too much to list ;)
rgds
Philippe
Philippe Deleye
"Ivor Jones" <iv...@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
> Thanks for that, I can report that yes, it does work, with one slight
> modification to the dial string. I have to dial a second # after *123# in
> order to sieze the FWD line, if I dial the *# after just a single # I get
> rapid beeps and no further digits are processed. But yes, I can get it to
> work, so many thanks..!
Just tested on my FritzBox, also with a FWD account
I can confirm the dial string:
*123# *# *1 800 xxx yyyy
this sends the number *1 800 xxx yyyy on the FWD line, and it worked
Ivor Jones
Hmm, if I try that I get rapid beeps after the *123# part, I have to put
in a 2nd # (which gets me dial tone) i.e.
*123## *# *1 800 xxx yyyy
I am using the basic Fritz!Box Fon (without wireless) using firmware
version 06.04.02 if it makes a difference, maybe there's something
different in your firmware.
Ivor
Herman
FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7050 Annex A, Firmware version 14.04.20
Herman
firmware isn't suitable?
Ivor Jones
message news:2b8%g.7350$t6....@newsfe4-win.ntli.net
[snip]
> Remember in the UK we use Annex A, in Germany, Annex B. Could be the
> firmware isn't suitable?
It may well be a firmware issue, although I wouldn't have thought Annex
A/B had any relevance on what is effectively a decision on which digits
are sent to line or not.
Ivor
Ivor Jones
message news:_88%g.7348$t6....@newsfe4-win.ntli.net
> "Ivor Jones" <iv...@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
> news:4q4387F...@individual.net...
[snip]
> > I am using the basic Fritz!Box Fon (without wireless)
> > using firmware version 06.04.02 if it makes a
> > difference, maybe there's something different in your
> > firmware.
>
> Works OK for me without the extra #, doesn't work with it.
>
> FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7050 Annex A, Firmware version 14.04.20
Definitely a firmware problem then.
Anyway, I've found a solution, so a # here or there isn't a huge issue..!
Thanks everyone, esp. Phillippe.
Ivor
Herman
firmware updates Philippe had spotted on the German newsgroups which
probably are not suitable for the UK. Maybe suitable for Belgium, where he
is though.
Philippe Deleye
> Sorry, didn't make myself clear. I meant in terms of the unofficial
> firmware updates Philippe had spotted on the German newsgroups which
> probably are not suitable for the UK. Maybe suitable for Belgium, where
he
> is though.
Annex A or B does not make the difference
But indeed, the german pseudo images may only work on german boxes (with
german firmware)
Mine is a german one (bought on ebay): FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7050,
Firmware-Version 14.04.15