Don’t judge me dog, it’s been one of those days.

Speaking for all of these SAMIT videos...

If you would literally rip the audio from these videos, and put these on a podcast, my drive to the office could be more educational... :)

Setting one of these up for an office.

Hi Mangolassi! I've been stalking this site for a while and thought it's time for my first post here.

I'm currently hosting a FreeBPX box on a VPS. Lately, the performance has been subpar to say the least. Lots of jitter, and drops. The VPS provider is looking into it, but I'm looking for plan B. Does anyone here have any experience with FreePBX on a VPS? If so, which provider would be best? I am located in Pennsylvania, so NY, NJ, or better still, Ashburn, VA would be the best location for us.

I've been reading up on Linode, Backspace, Vultr, and DO. Ideally, the ability to upload my own ISO (the FreePBX distro ISO) would be the easiest, but I am open to other options as well.

I'll be using the VPS exclusively for FreePBX systems, so obviously, the main requirement is voice quality. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

2 things: First, Unifi makes some pretty nice looking phones. Android based) Second, Mangolassi displays just fine on this phone.

That is all...

th

I recently setup my EdgeRouter X as a L2TP server with local user authentication. We've been using this for the past few days without any issues. Connecting from various platforms/OS's works perfectly. Let me know if anyone has an alternative method or if this guide should be tweaked at all.

Assumes outside WAN interface is eth0

configure

set vpn ipsec ipsec-interfaces interface eth0
set vpn ipsec nat-traversal enable
set vpn ipsec nat-networks allowed-network 0.0.0.0/0
set vpn l2tp remote-access ipsec-settings ike-lifetime 3600

If you have a static IP from your ISP, issue the following command, where x.x.x.x is your IP:

set vpn l2tp remote-access outside-address x.x.x.x

Gateway/next hop for public IP above:

set vpn l2tp remote-access outside-nexthop x.x.x.x

set vpn l2tp remote-access client-ip-pool start 10.0.1.10
set vpn l2tp remote-access client-ip-pool stop 10.0.1.20

set vpn l2tp remote-access ipsec-settings authentication mode pre-shared-secret

set vpn l2tp remote-access ipsec-settings authentication pre-shared-secret horsebatterystaple

set vpn l2tp remote-access authentication mode local

set vpn l2tp remote-access authentication local-users username adam password adampassword

set vpn l2tp remote-access mtu 1492

set vpn l2tp remote-access dns-servers server-1 8.8.8.8
set vpn l2tp remote-access dns-servers server-2 8.8.4.4

commit 

To verify the server is setup, the following command can be used.

show vpn l2tp remote-access

Save to keep changes on reboot

save

Set firewall rules for VPN traffic:
This can be done via the GUI as well, but I used CLI. Just make sure to pay attention to your rule numbers and order.

set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 20 action accept
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 20 description Allow_L2TP
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 20 destination port 500,1701,4500
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 20 log disable
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 20 protocol udp
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 30 action accept
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 30 description Allow_ESP
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 30 log disable
set firewall name WAN_LOCAL rule 30 protocol 50

That's it! Now setup the built in client on your OS of choice and you should be good to go.

Actual video of me programming my coffee pot to brew coffee...

Coffee Programming

@DustinB3403 said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

@Dominica said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

I'm about to throw my effing laptop across the room if wordpress doesn't let me start customizing my damn website template. Argh!

Isn't this a Wordpress issue, and not a laptop one?

Yeah, but she cant physically throw wordpress. The laptop is the closest accomplice.

Thought I would circle back on this one and give a review of OrangeComputers.

I purchased an R710 from OrangeComputers a few months ago. They were very willing to work with me on price and upgrade components for a very reasonable price. I believe they even upgraded the controller from a Perc6i to an H710 for little to no cost. The server arrived within about 2-3 days, very well packaged, and all firmware up to date. The condition of the server was great, and it has been running 24/7 ever since I booted it with 4-5 VMs on it.

In summary, after 3 months of usage, I would recommend this company for refurb servers, as long as warranty is not a huge issue for you. Their warranty is 90 days standard, but you can pay a little extra and get a 1 year warranty. If you want a 3 year warranty, then these are not the guys to go with. For home use, or even small business, I'd buy from them again. Their pricing is excellent.

Do we have a date and location for this yet? For planning purposes.

@irj said in It's the CEO's Birthday!!!:

@travisdh1 said in It's the CEO's Birthday!!!:

@irj said in It's the CEO's Birthday!!!:

@jaredbusch said in It's the CEO's Birthday!!!:

@scottalanmiller said in It's the CEO's Birthday!!!:

Awwww.... this was our sale day for tickets for the last MangoCon.

Fingers crossed we get another soon.

With dick shirts?

How did this happen is the real question? 😂😂😂😂

This had to be intentional?

It was intentional, I was just sad I missed it.

Whats the joke? We're dicks? 😂😂😂

The joke was that the shirt had a questionably shaped object as the main center piece of the shirt. I didn't even feel comfortable wearing it around my kids. :) Right @scottalanmiller @Dominica ?

@scottalanmiller said in Cellular backup options:

@AdamF said in Cellular backup options:

@dbeato said in Cellular backup options:

@AdamF said in Cellular backup options:

@scottalanmiller Yeah, Our team, when working from home, likes to RDP into their PCs at the office. They use either traditional VPN, or Zerotier. Some of them claim to have issues with Zerotier, claiming it is "slow" for them. I never use traditional VPN anymore and I only use Zerotier if I have to RDP to anything at the office. I never experience slowness of any kind with Zerotier.

Yeah, change is "hard" :)

:) Zerotier is was such a game changer for us. Remember the old MPLS / pay a fortune days? DO NOT miss those.

I've never had to deal with that. We had better options than MPLS before MPLS hit the market. Even by 2000 we had ways to handle that stuff well without MPLS.

Yeah I only dealt with MPLS in a larger global company I worked for previously. They spend SOOO much money on AT&T managed WAN connections. Like insane amounts of money.

@dbeato said in Cellular backup options:

@AdamF said in Cellular backup options:

@scottalanmiller Yeah, Our team, when working from home, likes to RDP into their PCs at the office. They use either traditional VPN, or Zerotier. Some of them claim to have issues with Zerotier, claiming it is "slow" for them. I never use traditional VPN anymore and I only use Zerotier if I have to RDP to anything at the office. I never experience slowness of any kind with Zerotier.

Yeah, change is "hard" :)

:) Zerotier is was such a game changer for us. Remember the old MPLS / pay a fortune days? DO NOT miss those.

@scottalanmiller Yeah, Our team, when working from home, likes to RDP into their PCs at the office. They use either traditional VPN, or Zerotier. Some of them claim to have issues with Zerotier, claiming it is "slow" for them. I never use traditional VPN anymore and I only use Zerotier if I have to RDP to anything at the office. I never experience slowness of any kind with Zerotier.

@scottalanmiller said in Cellular backup options:

@AdamF said in Cellular backup options:

What is the physical connection layout for the Cradle point? I understand that the static IP block that I have from Comcast would NOT work during a failover scenario. I can deal with that. However, under normal operation (not in LTE failover), is this configured in such a way that creates double NATing? We have VoIP phones connecting to a cloud PBX, and I would not want to deal with double NAT.

I've not tested with static, but the assumption would be that the static would still work.

I just heard from my rep. Static IPs will not work during LTE backup. Once normal service is restored, the IPs are available again, but not during the LTE backup.

@travisdh1 said in Cellular backup options:

@AdamF said in Cellular backup options:

What is the physical connection layout for the Cradle point? I understand that the static IP block that I have from Comcast would NOT work during a failover scenario. I can deal with that. However, under normal operation (not in LTE failover), is this configured in such a way that creates double NATing? We have VoIP phones connecting to a cloud PBX, and I would not want to deal with double NAT.

A previous employer of mine had a very large client that used Cradle Point as a backup for each location. The Cradle Point had static IPs as well, so we could set the VPNs to use either the main or Cradle Point IP.

Did they use cradlepoint direct with their own LTE connection? Or did they use the Comcast connection pro solution?

What is the physical connection layout for the Cradle point? I understand that the static IP block that I have from Comcast would NOT work during a failover scenario. I can deal with that. However, under normal operation (not in LTE failover), is this configured in such a way that creates double NATing? We have VoIP phones connecting to a cloud PBX, and I would not want to deal with double NAT.

@scottalanmiller said in Cellular backup options:

@AdamF said in Cellular backup options:

@JasGot said in Cellular backup options:

We use the Peplink MAX BR1 Mini LTE | Industrial-Grade 4G LTE Router | MAX-BR1-MINI-LTE-US-T at about 80 customers. We like it. It's easy, it works. Verizon charges anywhere from $10 to $20 per month depending on how you get them to include it.

The hardest part of any failover system (except the integrated solution from Comcast) is the router setup. We use all Sonicwall and it works perfect for FailOVER, but every once in a while it doesn't failBACK.

I even carry one of these with us on vacation when we travel to remote places where cellular IS available but decent copper broadband ISN'T.

This plugs into you network via ethernet, or it can be a WiFi router. (or both!)

Here's a link: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MR5YKF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That looks like a decent solution too. I like that you can go to other networks like Verizon, etc.

It's always another network. 4G providers are almost never physical ISPs.

Right, but what I meant was that I didn't know if Comcast used their own cell network. However I think Comcast uses Verizon under the hood anyway for their cell network. Can anyone confirm that?

Another alternative would be to get a second physical connection in the building. However, the only other option is a super slow DSL connection. But as just a backup, that could works as well.

@JasGot said in Cellular backup options:

We use the Peplink MAX BR1 Mini LTE | Industrial-Grade 4G LTE Router | MAX-BR1-MINI-LTE-US-T at about 80 customers. We like it. It's easy, it works. Verizon charges anywhere from $10 to $20 per month depending on how you get them to include it.

The hardest part of any failover system (except the integrated solution from Comcast) is the router setup. We use all Sonicwall and it works perfect for FailOVER, but every once in a while it doesn't failBACK.

I even carry one of these with us on vacation when we travel to remote places where cellular IS available but decent copper broadband ISN'T.

This plugs into you network via ethernet, or it can be a WiFi router. (or both!)

Here's a link: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MR5YKF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That looks like a decent solution too. I like that you can go to other networks like Verizon, etc.

@scottalanmiller I’ll contact my rep. Is it unlimited data I assume? Any idea on cost?