ISDN Tab

Usage: Click the Help button at any time to get online help for the settings in the current tab.

This opens a World Wide Browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, and displays information about the settings.

To close the help display, close the browser as you would any other program. For example, in Windows 95, click the X button at the upper right of the window or choose Exit from the File menu.

With some browsers, a new window will open each time you click the Help button. If this happens, simply close each window when you're done with it.

Finding setting descriptions: At the beginning of each help window is a table of contents for the window. To get information about a particular setting, click the hyperlink (the underlined text in most browsers) for that setting in the contents. To return to the contents, use the control in your browser for going back, such as the Back button in Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer 3.0.

Usage: Click this button to send the settings shown in the Java-Based Pipeline Configurator to the Pipeline.

These new settings replace the previous settings in the Pipeline. You can use this button at any time; you do not have to enter values for all settings before updating the Pipeline.

Usage: Click this to save the settings shown in the Java-Based Pipeline Configurator in a file on your computer.

You then use your operating system's facility for specifying a name and location for the file, such as the Save To dialog box in Windows 95.

You can later open a file in which you've saved settings by clicking the Open a Configuration File button in the first window that appears when you run the Java-Based Pipeline Configurator.

You can use this button at any time; you do not have to enter values for all settings before saving settings.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• ISDN
  This displays settings for ISDN Basic Rate Interface (BRI) connections. These settings are described in the ISDN settings section.

• Frame Relay
  This displays settings for frame relay connections. These settings are described in the Frame Relay settings section.

• Serial WAN
  This displays settings for serial WAN connections. These settings are described in the Serial WAN settings section.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• The Switch Type setting does not apply to a link using inband signaling (Call Type setting is 56K or 56KR) or consisting entirely of nailed-up channels (Call Type setting is Nailed).

  For inband signaling, a line uses 8 Kbps of each 64-Kbps B channel for WAN synchronization and signaling. The remaining 56 Kbps handle the transmission of user data.

• All switch types outside of North America except German operate in multipoint mode.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• Switched
  This is the most common type of service. With switched service, the Pipeline dials a telephone number to make a connection to a remote network. In addition, remote ISDN devices can connect to the Pipeline by dialing a telephone number.

• Leased
  With leased service, the Pipeline has a permanent connection to a remote network. There is no telephone number for the B channel.

• Unused
  Unused means that the B channel is not used. The Pipeline can use only the other B channel, which limits the speed of data connections to 64 Kbps.

Usage: The phone number can include any of these characters:

1234567890()[]!z-*#"

You can include a hyphen in the phone number but not spaces.

Example: 5105551972

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• You get this number from the telephone company providing your ISDN service. There is no telephone number for leased service.

• When the Pipeline receives a multichannel MP+ call, it reports the primary phone number (Number A) and the secondary phone number (Number B) to the calling party. The calling Pipeline can then add more channels. If you do not specify a phone number and the calling Pipeline needs to add more channels, it redials the phone number it used to make the first connection.

A SPID is typically formed by adding a code to the phone number assigned to the line. Your phone company provides you with one or more SPIDs.

Usage: The SPID can contain up to 16 characters.

Dependencies: Keep the following additional information in mind:

• For ISDN service in North America, you must enter a value for SPID A unless you have AT&T Custom Point-To-Point service for your ISDN line. If the value of Switch Type is AT&T Point-to-Point, there are no SPIDs for your ISDN line.

• If the Pipeline uses only one channel of a multipoint ISDN BRI line and another ISDN device uses the other channel, set Usage for one B channel to Unused and enter a SPID for the B channel that the Pipeline uses. Use the second SPID for the other ISDN device.

• The Pipeline appends a terminal identifier (TID) to the SPID if you are connected to a Northern Telecom switch running NI-1.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• Switched
  This is the most common type of service. With switched service, the Pipeline dials a telephone number to make a connection to a remote network. In addition, remote ISDN devices can connect to the Pipeline by dialing a telephone number.

• Leased
  With leased service, the Pipeline has a permanent connection to a remote network. There is no telephone number for the B channel.

• Unused
  Unused means that the B channel is not used. The Pipeline can use only the other B channel, which limits the speed of data connections to 64 Kbps.

Usage: The phone number can include any of these characters:

1234567890()[]!z-*#"

You can include a hyphen in the phone number but not spaces.

Example: 5105551972

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• You get this number from the telephone company providing your ISDN service. There is no telephone number for leased service.

• When the Pipeline receives a multichannel MP+ call, it reports the primary phone number (Number A) and the secondary phone number (Number B) to the calling party. The calling Pipeline can then add more channels. If you do not specify a phone number and the calling Pipeline needs to add more channels, it redials the phone number it used to make the first connection.

A SPID is typically formed by adding a code to the phone number assigned to the line. Your phone company provides you with one or more SPIDs.

Usage: The SPID can contain up to 16 characters.

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• For ISDN service in North America, you must enter a value for SPID B unless you have AT&T Custom Point-To-Point service for your ISDN line. If the value of Switch Type is AT&T Point-to-Point, there are no SPIDs for your ISDN line.

• If the Pipeline uses only one channel of a multipoint ISDN BRI line and another ISDN device uses the other channel, set Usage for one B channel to Unused and enter a SPID for the B channel that the Pipeline uses. Use the second SPID for the other ISDN device.

• The Pipeline appends a terminal identifier (TID) to the SPID if you are connected to a Northern Telecom switch running NI-1.

SPIDs identify devices connected to the ISDN line. All types of ISDN service in North America except AT&T Custom Point-to-Point use SPIDs to specify the device that receives an incoming call. When you order ISDN service for a Pipeline, you normally get two SPIDs, one for each telephone number.

Each SPID for a Pipeline can identify more than one device. It identifies the Pipeline when the corresponding telephone number is used for an incoming data call. It identifies a telephone or other analog device when the device uses the corresponding telephone number for an incoming voice call. This sharing of SPIDs is possible because a single telephone number can handle data or voice, but not both at the same time.

See the descriptions of the Phone 1 Usage and Phone 2 Usage settings for information on using the same SPIDs for voice.

The proper value for this setting depends on the telephone switch and type of ISDN service for your ISDN line.

• For an AT&T 5ESS switch providing either National ISDN-1 or AT&T Custom Multipoint service, you can specify either or both SPIDs for incoming data calls. Because the 5ESS can use a single telephone number for all data calls, including simultaneous calls to different locations, you can specify just one SPID--which is associated with one of the two telephone numbers--to be used for all incoming data calls. In this case, the other SPID is never used for data calls, and the telephone number that corresponds to it remains available for use by an analog device on that telephone number, such as a telephone or fax machine.

  The drawback is that if the telephone number is being used for a voice call--which can happen if there are analog devices connected to both Phone ports--it cannot also be used for data, and an incoming call to that telephone number receives a busy signal.

  If you specify both SPIDs--A + B--data calls can be received on either telephone number. If one of the Phone ports is in use, the call can be received on the other telephone number.

• AT&T Point-to-Point service does not use SPIDs. Because of this, the Data Usage setting is dimmed if the Switch Type setting is AT&T Point-to-Point.

• For ISDN services provided by Northern Telecom DMS-100 switches, each telephone number can handle only one of the two B channels needed for 128Kbps data connections. To handle incoming data calls that use both telephone numbers, you must set Data Usage to A + B, which makes the SPIDs corresponding to both telephone numbers available for data calls. Specifying just one SPID for incoming data calls limits the data connection to a single B channel.

• SPID A
  This allocates SPID A to data usage.

• SPID B
  This allocates SPID B to data usage.

• A + B
  This allocates both SPIDs to data usage.

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• AT&T Point-to-Point service does not use SPIDs. Because of this, the Data Usage setting is dimmed if the Switch Type setting is AT&T Point-to-Point.

SPIDs identify devices connected to the ISDN line. All types of ISDN service except AT&T Custom Point-to-Point use SPIDs to specify the device that receives an incoming call. When you order ISDN service for a Pipeline, you normally get two SPIDs, one for each telephone number.

Each SPID for a Pipeline can identify more than one device. It identifies the Pipeline when the corresponding telephone number is used for an incoming data call. It identifies a telephone or other analog device when the device uses the corresponding telephone number for an incoming voice call. This sharing of SPIDs is possible because a single telephone number can handle data or voice, but not both at the same time. The description of the Data Usage setting explains how to use the same SPIDs for data.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• SPID A
  This routes incoming voice calls for the telephone number corresponding to the SPID A setting to the Phone 1 jack. This is normally the telephone number specified by the Number A setting.

• SPID B
  This routes incoming voice calls for the telephone number corresponding to the SPID B setting to the Phone 1 jack. This is normally the telephone number specified by the Number B setting.

• None
  This prevents analog calls from being routed to the Phone 1 jack.

• AT&T Custom Point-to-Point service does not use SPIDs. Because of this, the Phone 1 Usage setting is dimmed for Custom Point-to-Point service. With Custom Point-to-Point service, the Pipeline can handle only one voice call at a time. An incoming voice call is always routed to the Phone 1 jack.

SPIDs identify devices connected to the ISDN line. All types of ISDN service except AT&T Custom Point-to-Point use SPIDs to specify the device that receives an incoming call. When you order ISDN service for a Pipeline, you normally get two SPIDs, one for each telephone number.

Each SPID for a Pipeline can identify more than one device. It identifies the Pipeline when the corresponding telephone number is used for an incoming data call. It identifies a telephone or other analog device when the device uses the corresponding telephone number for an incoming voice call. This sharing of SPIDs is possible because a single telephone number can handle data or voice, but not both at the same time. The Description of the Data Usage setting explains how to use the same SPIDs for data.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• SPID A
  This routes incoming voice calls for the telephone number corresponding to the SPID A setting to the Phone 1 jack. This is normally the telephone number specified by the Number A setting.

• SPID B
  This routes incoming voice calls for the telephone number corresponding to the SPID B setting to the Phone 1 jack. This is normally the telephone number specified by the Number B setting.
• None
  This prevents analog calls from being routed to the Phone 1 jack.

• AT&T Custom Point-to-Point service does not use SPIDs. Because of this, the Phone 2 Usage setting is dimmed for Custom Point-to-Point service. With Custom Point-to-Point service, the Pipeline can handle only one voice call at a time. Incoming voice calls are always routed to the Phone 1 jack.

When ISDN service is provided by a Northern Telecom DMS-100 switch, each B channel is associated with a particular telephone number. Because of this, when a B channel is in use, its telephone number is not available. If Phone Number Binding is set to No, an outgoing call that would normally be made on a particular telephone number can be made on the other telephone number if the B channel for the first telephone number is already in use and the B channel for the second telephone number is free.

If outgoing calls must come from a particular telephone number to be identified by Caller ID, setting Phone Number Binding to Yes ensures that the call is made using the telephone number for the port to which the device is connected. If the B channel for this telephone number is already in use, the call cannot be made.

When Phone Number Binding is dimmed, any call originated at the Pipeline is associated with the phone number set in the Data/Phone Usage settings. If the outgoing call is a data call and Data Usage is set to A+B, the data call will be placed from the first available phone number.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• No
  This means an outgoing call that would normally be made on a particular telephone number can be made on the other telephone number if the B channel for the first telephone number is already in use and the B channel for the second telephone number is free.

• Yes
  This means that an outgoing call is always made on the telephone number for the port to which the device is connected. If the B channel for this telephone number is already in use, the call cannot be made. Set this to Yes only if calls must be made on a particular telephone number to be identified by Caller ID.

Usage: Enter a name containing up to 16 characters.

Dependencies: To enter a name, the Active checkbox must be checked.

Usage: To make the configuration available for use, click the checkbox if it is not already checked. If the box is checked, clicking it deactivates the configuration.

Dependencies: Most Frame Relay settings are dimmed if Active is not checked. You can change these settings only when Active is checked.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• Nailed
  This specifies a connection that consists entirely of nailed-up channels.

• Switched
  This specifies a connection that consists entirely of switched channels.

  You must specify the Switched setting if the Pipeline always initiates the connection to the frame relay switch; if a device at the remote end of the link initiates bridging or routing sessions, do not choose Switched.

• If the Active checkbox is not checked, this setting is dimmed.

• If the Call Type setting is Switched, the Nailed Group setting is dimmed.

• If you choose Nailed, you must use the Nailed Group setting to specify which channels are in the connection.

• If you choose Switched, you must specify the bandwidth of the switched connection in the Data Service setting.

Usage: Enter the telephone number. You can enter up to 37 characters, and you must limit those characters to the following:

1234567890()[]!z-*#|

The Pipeline sends only numeric characters when placing a call.

Dependencies: Keep this information in mind:

• If the Active checkbox is not checked, this setting is dimmed.

• If the Call Type setting is Nailed, this setting is dimmed.

Usage: Choose the number from 1 to the maximum number of nailed-up channels that your Pipeline allows. The default is 1.

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• If the Active checkbox is not checked, this setting is dimmed.

• The Nailed Group setting is dimmed if the Call Type setting is Switched.

• Do not associate a group with more than one active Frame Relay profile.

Description: This setting specifies the type of connection between the Pipeline and the frame relay switch.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• DTE
Specifies that the Pipeline is configured as data terminal equipment (DTE) and that the frame relay switch is configured as data communications equipment (DCE).
• DCE
Specifies that the Pipeline is configured as data communications equipment (DCE) and that the frame relay switch is configured as data terminal equipment (DTE).

To make a 64 Kbps data connection, all the telephone companies used for the connection must provide 64 Kbps service. If any of them provide only 56 Kbps service, you must specify a 56 Kbps connection.

In a few cases, it is necessary to use a voice connection to carry digital data. This technique, known as Data over Voice (DOV), also can be used when voice calls are less expensive than data calls.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• Voice
  This specifies a Data over Voice (DOV) connection, which uses a voice call to carry digital data. The Voice setting applies only to switched channels.

• 56K
  This specifies a 56 Kbps data connection.

• 56KR
  This specifies a restricted 56 Kbps data connection.

• 64K
  This specifies a 64 Kbps data connection.

Note: Although 56KR service carries data at the same rate as 56K service, 56KR and 56K are different types of service. If your network service provider requires 56KR service, Data Service must be set to 56KR.

• If the Active checkbox is not checked, this setting is dimmed.

• Data over Voice (DOV)--the data transmission technique used when the value of Data Service is Voice--is often less reliable than a standard data connection. To avoid loss or corruption of data when using Data over Voice, do the following:
  • Make sure that the connection carries only digital data.

  • Make sure that the phone company is not using any intervening loss plans to economize on voice calls.

  • Do not use echo cancellation; techniques for removing echoes from analog calls can corrupt data.

• The speed of DOV connections is limited to 56 Kbps.

• If the Pipeline requests a type of service that is unavailable, it cannot connect to the network service provider.

• The speed of a data connection is the speed, in kilobits per second, specified by this setting (56 Kbps if the value is Voice) multiplied by the number of B channels (either 1 or 2) used for the connection.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• None
  This specifies no link management.The Pipeline assumes that the physical link is up and that all logical links (as defined by the Frame Relay DLCI setting) are active on the physical link.
  • T1.617D
    This specifies the link management protocol defined in ANSI T1.617 Annex D. Ask your service provider whether you should specify T1.617D.

  • Q.933A
    This specifies the link management protocol defined in ITU Q.133 Annex A. Ask your service provider whether you should specify Q.933A.

Usage: Enter the number of polling cycles that you want the Pipeline to wait. You can specify a number from 1 to 255. If you specify 1, the Pipeline requests a full status report every polling cycle. The default is 6.

Dependencies: The Polling Cycles (N391) setting applies only if the Protocol setting is T1.617D.

Usage: Enter a number between 1 and 10. The default is 3.

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• The Maximum Errors (N392) setting applies only if Protocol setting is T1.617D.

• If you turn off the Pipeline, disconnect its WAN connection, or uncheck Active for the Frame Relay profile, the setting of Maximum Errors (N392) multiplied by the Polling Cycles (N391) setting indicates the time it takes the frame relay switch to declare an inactive state.

Usage: Enter a number between 1 and 10. The default is 4.

Dependencies: The Events setting applies only if the Protocol setting is T1.617D.

Usage: Enter a number between 5 and 30. The default is 10.

Dependencies: The Status Inquiry Frequency (T391) setting applies only if Protocol setting is T1.617D and Status Inquiry Duration (T392) is set to a nonzero value.

Usage: Enter 0 (zero), or a number between 5 and 30. The default is 15.

If you specify 0 (zero), the Pipeline does not process WAN-side Status Inquiry messages. If you specify a nonzero value, the Pipeline uses T1.617D (a link management protocol defined in ANSI T1.617 Annex D) to monitor another Ascend unit over a nailed-up connection.

Dependencies: The Status Inquiry Duration (T392) setting applies only if Protocol setting is T1.617D and the Frame Relay Type setting is DCE.

Usage: Choose one of the following:

• SWAN Data

  This is the normal mode for sending data over a serial WAN link.

• NORTEL Voice

  Choose this only if your Pipeline has special software specifically for allowing communications between a Northern Telecom MCK switch and a remote PBX port extender via ISDN.

Usage: The phone number can include any of these characters:

1234567890()[]!z-*#"

You can include a hyphen in the phone number but not spaces.

Example: 5105551972

Dependencies: Keep this additional information in mind:

• You get this number from the telephone company providing your ISDN service. There is no telephone number for leased service.

• When the Pipeline receives a multichannel MP+ call, it reports the primary phone number (Number A) and the secondary phone number (Number B) to the calling party. The calling Pipeline can then add more channels. If you do not specify a phone number and the calling Pipeline needs to add more channels, it redials the phone number it used to make the first connection.