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When you create a new account for a customer, you will need to send that customer the following information so that they can configure their VoIP devices and reach their online control panels.

 

 

Device configuration

 

They will need to configure their VoIP devices to send calls to your switch.  DUAL Softswitch support many types of call ingress:

 

SIP devices
 

Most of your consumer customers will use SIP devices from dynamic IP address.  SIP provides a mechanism for authenticating per-call, so you do not need to concern yourself with their IP address.  Your customers will need the following information to configure their SIP devices:

 

 

They can send calls to the standard SIP port (5060) or use the non-standard port 7060.

 

Alternatively, some SIP customers may prefer to authenticate by IP address and not allow dynamic IP address activity on their account.  You can remove the ability to operate from dynamic IP addresses using the customer's account page in the DUAL Softswitch Administration System.  You can then specify the IP address authorised for the customer and, optionally, a technical prefix.  A customer does not need to configure their account number or password in their device when using fixed IP address authentication.  In this case, the customer will only need the following information:

 

 

H.323 devices

 

Although in decline for consumer devices, your wholesale customers may wish to send you traffic using the H.323 protocol.  If they operate from a fixed IP address, then they will only need to know the IP address of your switch.  DUAL Softswitch supports the following modes of operation:

 

 

Gateway to Gateway is the preferred method of interconnection, because of its simplicity.  You can remove the ability to operate from dynamic IP addresses using the customer's account page in the DUAL Softswitch Administration System.  You can then specify the IP address authorised for the customer and, optionally, a technical prefix.  A customer does not need to configure their account number or password in their device when using fixed IP address authentication.

 

It is possible for H.323 customers at dynamic IP addresses to register to DUAL Softswitch.  In this case, they must use the gatekeeper service and register using an E.164 alias made up in the following way:

 

1822 + [account number] + [password]

 

This method of authentication should be discouraged because it sends the password across the Internet without encryption.  Also, it does not provide per-call authentication.  If a customer registers from a particular IP address, then all other devices at that public IP address will have access to their account.

 

Call shop devices

 

Each booth in a call shop must be connected to port on a SIP device that uses a unique User ID (for SIP) or Calling Party Number (for H.323).  This unique reference is used by DUAL Softswitch to distinguish between calls from different booths and present the calls properly on the Call Shop Billing System.  The authentication details for each line should be identical, so that all calls are authenticated into the same account.

 

Linksys adapters are very popular with call shops, and a sample configuration for a Linksys PAP2 is provided.

 

Windows softdialler

 

Alternatively, your customers can use the free Windows softdialler to access your service.  They can download this from the CDR Control Panel.

 

Control panels

 

Your customers have two control panels available to them online.  The CDR Control Panel is available at http://cdr.dualsoftswitch.com/ provides them with their balance, downloadable Excel rate tables and a call history for their account.  The Call Shop Billing System at http://callshop.dualsoftswitch.com/ provides them with the tools to manage a pre-pay or post-pay call shop.  They will need the following information to log on to these control panels: