[Snap] Fritz!Box 7390 as PBX with standard phone line; How do I connect it up?

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cychronz

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#115999 15-Apr-2013 10:25

Hi,

I just moved to Snap, and the experience has been great...until this morning. My line is getting switched today, and I phoned up to enquire as to how I should physically connect the Fritz!Box to the DSL line, for use as PBX.

In Europe the Fritz!Box ships with a Y-cable, to run to the DSL filter, and then connect to the single port at the back of the box, but mine arrived from Snap with a simple telephone cable, with no split. I phoned Snap support to enquire, and I was told they do not support using the 7390 as a PBX, and that they can not assist me at all. I was surprised by their response, as surely this is what makes the 7390 great?

My question is: Has anybody succeeded in connecting the Fritz!Box up to a DSL filter, and used the standard phone line as part of the PBX features of the Fritz!Box 7390? In my opinion the product arrived "incomplete" if I need a NZ Y-splitter to use these features?

A simple solution would be switching it to Naked DSL, and porting my number to a VOIP provider, but I want to try avoid depending on VOIP only. As part of the marketing Snap certainly did not advertise the PBX features of the 7390, but it was also never mentioned that this configuration can not be used in NZ...

Thanks in advance for your responses...

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296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#799593 15-Apr-2013 12:55

I want to do this as well. I have found this post but the picture is missing.

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/inquisitor/3874
How to connect a Fritz!Box Fon in New ZealandBy , in AVM Fritz!Box Fon, posted: 3-Oct-2007 04:03In order to take advantage of the full capabilties of the Fritz!Box Fon it requires to be connected to the ADSL socket of your ADSL filter as well as to the filter's phone socket. By doing so regular phones, connected directly to the Fritz!Box Fon, become "hybrid" - that means you are able of placing and receiving phone calls through VoIP and also through the regular landline. So you can e.g. place cheap outgoing calls through VoIP while still being reachable on your landline number with the same phone.

For your initial installation you need at least two standard RJ11-phone cables, of which one would connect the "DSL"-socket of the Fritz!Box Fon with the ADSL filter and the other a regular phone with one of the "FON"-sockets of the Fritz!Box Fon. If you want to run a second phone, you'll need a third standard RJ11-phone cable.

In order to hook up your Fritz!Box Fon to the telephone landline, you'll need a custom cable as depicted below connecting the ADSL filter's BT-socket with the "ISDN/analog"-socket of the Fritz!Box, which presumably isn't sold anywhere in NZ. This special cable needs to connect pin 2 and 5 of a BT431A plug (which is connected to the ADSL filter) with pins 1 and 8 of an RJ45 plug (which is connected to the Fritz!Box).
With a crimping tool and an RJ45-plug you can modify a regular BT-phone cable easily within seconds. Alternatively you could try connecting a cut BT-phone cable with a cut RJ45 network cable through a screw terminal.

If you wonder why AVM have placed the analogue telephone signal on the outer two pins of the "ISDN/analog"-socket instead of the inner ones, as it's usually the case with western plugs, here's the answer: Pins 3 to 6 are used for ISDN, a digital phone system, which the Fritz!Box Fon also fully supports alternatively analoge landlines.

wiring scheme of a FritzBox Fon for New Zealand

wiring scheme of a FritzBox Fon for New Zealand

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You will find anything you want at MightyApe (affiliate link).

cychronz

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#799614 15-Apr-2013 13:11

Perfect! Sounds like a workable solution...I will try this tonight.

dashicat

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#804049 23-Apr-2013 07:47

I'm also going through this process. After some teething problems with dirty network connectors which Chorus repaired I contacted Snap regarding the y cable connections for NZ so I could get the telephony to work via the analogue line. The Tech who was helping me trouble shoot the net work problem was very helpful and Snap supplied me with the y cable and the 2 adapters which I had to collect from them, one grey marked 090 and the other black marked 058 which looks like its for the black end of the y cable and swaps the outside analogue pins in the socket to the middle two analogue pins on the RJ11 plug for connecting into the filter so I've ordered an RJ11 socket to BT plug adapter from DS to connect this into the phone socket of the filter while the grey DSL end of the y cable can go directly into the ADSL socket of the filter.

I've also contact AVM who were very helpful and offered to post me out the y cable which they said should have been in the box with the adaptors anyway. So if you have no luck with Snap supplying you the y cable and adaptors which they have taken out of your box then maybe AVM.

cychronz

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#804060 23-Apr-2013 08:18

Thanks for the info! I did try to build the cable, but in the end decided to port my number to 2talk and just use VoIP.

I am a bit annoyed that Snap sells the router without the correct y-cable, and the technician I spoke to was very blunt, and just refused to give me any info to make it work.

I might ask again :)

Hopefully this thread will help someone else in the future.

chevrolux

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#804091 23-Apr-2013 09:15

Seems simple... standard RJ11 on one end, modified RJ45 on the other. I do agree though, Snap should include the cable for $390. I think they probably leave it out because they have to assume everyone is stupid and will use it for the DSL connection and mess it up.

In all honesty don't see the point in even bothering when moving to VoIP would be the superior option.

cychronz

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#804107 23-Apr-2013 09:27

Yep I agree...out of principal I just want a complete product when paying top dollar.

dashicat

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#805289 25-Apr-2013 06:43

The 'RJ11 Socket BT Plug Adaptor' arrived from DSE. Plugged it all up according to the pinout diagram AVM sent me using the black adaptor which changes the analogue from the outside pins on the black y cable connector to the middle pins on the RJ11 and then through the BT adaptor and into the filter. DSL line on the y cable is grey so that just goes straight into the ADSL side of the filter.

Got the DSL working as before but couldn't get the phone to enable my telephone number or connect to the analogue through the fritzbox Fon1 even though Frtizbox recognises it. Tried different cable configerations and software settings with the latest firmware update for the Fritzbox but unfortunatly no go. I even continuity tested the cables and adaptors and they all test ok.

AVM got back to me and once they realized I am in NZ then didn't want to send me the cable because of the postage costs but did email the pinout. I've contacted them regarding the problem with connecting 'Telephony' to the analogue line which they say it should do. When I get an answer I'll post it here.

I didn't choose VDSL because it costs a lot more than ADSL with Snap so it dosn't seem I have the option of setting up voip through the Fritzbox.

dashicat

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#805297 25-Apr-2013 08:06

Update: Tried thinking outside the box and got it to work via my analogue fixed line.

Just tried plugging the black RJ45 plug from the y cable directly into the BT connector and then phone jack. Set up number as an ISDN number without area code, which it accepted and enabled. Tested using my Samsung mobile using the Fon app and it worked???

I'll leave it at that for now as I have other stuff to get on with and will get back to it later to test the phone through the fon1 on the Fritzbox and tidy up the cables and plug it through the filter.

sbiddle

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#805301 25-Apr-2013 08:20

It's mere speculation but it could be that the device wasn't tested for PTC compliance or failed PTC compliance for the FXO interface. A telepermit for DSL and telepermit for VoIP and PSTN connectivity are entirely different things and each require their own individual telepermits.

cfnz

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#811159 4-May-2013 11:43

cychronz: Thanks for the info! I did try to build the cable, but in the end decided to port my number to 2talk and just use VoIP.

I am a bit annoyed that Snap sells the router without the correct y-cable, and the technician I spoke to was very blunt, and just refused to give me any info to make it work.

I might ask again :)

Hopefully this thread will help someone else in the future.

Yip, I agree... just talked to Snap support... I don't get angry easily, but was pretty annoyed at Snap support response, very much - no, not supported... not our problem... (reading the other posts, looks like there may be other support people at Snap which are more helpful)

I got two other routers in the garage, but signed up for the fritzbox for all the supposedly great features which support says I can't use...

I started talking about the manual and the support guy says wait, we don't give you that in the manual... which is true, the box comes with no manual at all which I thought was a little surprising in itself... apparently you are not supposed to go looking for a manual on line either.

Also, I don't think you are right when you say they don't advertise the features... here is the link you get when picking which FrizBox... https://myaccount.snap.net.nz/info/fritzbox7390, plainly talks about all the great features... what they fail to say is they don't support them!!!

Not a great first impression with Snap for me!

Anyway, thanks for this post, I shall see if I can make it work from here...

sbiddle

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#811161 4-May-2013 11:52

cfnz: I started talking about the manual and the support guy says wait, we don't give you that in the manual... which is true, the box comes with no manual at all which I thought was a little surprising in itself... apparently you are not supposed to go looking for a manual on line either.

No Fritz!box hardware actually ships with a manual, merely an installation guide (I've got various models of them here sourced from various places incl Australia and Europe).

chevrolux

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#811163 4-May-2013 12:02

I dont see the issue tbh. I think it would just simply be a bit ridiculous for an ISP to give a customer free reign of the router config and then have to support it.
If Snap auto provisioned them with all the sweet features and kept it locked down, that is when I would expect support.

If you want support for your router call a local IT tech.

cfnz

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#811236 4-May-2013 17:24

sbiddle:
No Fritz!box hardware actually ships with a manual, merely an installation guide (I've got various models of them here sourced from various places incl Australia and Europe).

And that is fine these days, though it would be nice with at least a URL to the manual...

The main point is that the support guy was not happy I was using an on-line manual as it had features that were not supported in New Zealand... but yet did not have any manual, on-line or otherwise, for New Zealand customers...

So they want you to pay lots for this flash device, but only use it as an ADSL router... (which I already have two of)

dashicat

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#811274 4-May-2013 18:34

chevrolux: I dont see the issue tbh. I think it would just simply be a bit ridiculous for an ISP to give a customer free reign of the router config and then have to support it.
If Snap auto provisioned them with all the sweet features and kept it locked down, that is when I would expect support.

If you want support for your router call a local IT tech.

Fair nuf, but actually it's like this. AVM are the manufacturers so you go to them for support of the product. They inform you that the features you bought it for from your ISP needs the Y cable that should be in the box but they have replaced with NZ cable instead of the US to BT adapter needed to use the Y cable. So now you contact your ISP for this missing Y cable which you thought you were buying as part of the box and you go out and buy the US to BT adapter.

AVM have requested a ton of information including screen shots of my frtizbox settings when it is in error so they can trouble shoot the fault. Unfortunately I have been too busy to provide these yet but as soon as I get time I will. I now have a fritzbox working as it should complete with answer machine and using smart phone with fritzapp etc. Except the settings I am using shouldn't be working with my set up which AVM will trouple shoot.

chevrolux

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#811406 5-May-2013 00:11

I agree that this magical 'y cable' should be included for your $390.

If I am being blunt, the fritzbox makes it dead easy to set up the telephony stuff in it. Granted you need the cable, but that is dead easy to make. If you cant set up the basic set up then you need a managed service from someone like WorldXChange

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