Documentation ShareISDN Server

Requirements of the ShareISDN Server (for Linux)

You need a linux system with an ISDN card. It is necessary that your system provides a CAPI interface. ShareISDN for Linux will not work with the ancient HISAX driver. Please check if the manufacturer of your ISDN card provides a CAPI 2.0 interface for Linux. As far as we know, this applies to the following cards:

AVM Computersysteme Vertriebs GmbH
- AVM A1 card
- AVM B1 card
- AVM Fritz!Card PCI
- AVM Fritz!Card USB
- AVM Fritz!Card Classic
- AVM Fritz!Card PNP
- AVM Fritz!Card PCMCIA
- AVM Fritz!X USB
- AVM Fritz!X ISDN

Eicon Networks GmbH
- Eicon Diva Server BRI
- Eicon Diva Server 4BRI (4xS0)
- Eicon Diva Server PRI (1xS2M)

HST Projekt- und Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH
- HST Saphir ISA
- HST Saphir III PCI
- HST Saphir III ML PCI (4xS0)
- HST Saphir V Primary PCI (1xS2M)
- HST VII MiniPCI

Hypercope / Hermstedt AG
- Hypercope Champ2
- Hypercope Ergo2
- Hypercope Metro4

To connect ShareISDN to an S2M line (30 b channels) we recommend the use of a HST Saphir V Primary PCI. Even on slow systems (Asus P2B, Pentium II 333) the processor load was only 20% during complete utilization of all channels (full duplex).

Installation of the ShareISDN Server (for Linux)

Download the file "ShareISDNServer.tar.gz" and extract it:
[root@server root]$ tar xvfz ShareISDNServer.tar.gz

You will find the following files in the directory "ShareISDNServer":
- shareisdnserver (the executable)
- shareisdnserver.conf (an example configuration)
- README

You can directly edit the configuration file and start the ShareISDN Server, or you can first copy the executable into an appropriate folder, for example "/usr/bin" or "/usr/local/bin".

The executable will first try to find its configuration file in the same folder. If there is no file present, the executable will try to find it in the folder "/etc". It is recommended to move the configuration file into the "/etc" directory. To do so, you will need root privileges.

To start the ShareISDN Server on your Linux machine, simply type:
[root@server root]$ ./shareisdnserver &

Be aware that, without entering a valid license key, ShareISDN will cut all connections after two minutes and will allow only 6 connections altogether.

Entering the License Key (for Linux)

If you are just testing ShareISDN proceed with the next step.
If you have registered your ShareISDN version and have received a License Key, you should execute ShareISDN with the "-l" parameter:
[root@server root]$ ./shareisdnserver -l
Please enter the license key:

If the License Key is accepted, a Key-File is created in the same directory where the configuration file resides. Please restart the ShareISDN Server and check the System Log to verify that ShareISDN doesn't use the Demo Mode any more.
If ShareISDN still runs in Demo Mode, please try to enter the License Key again.

Configuration of the ShareISDN Server (for Linux)

In most cases you will not need to change the configuration after the installation. The default configuration is:

- Listening on the TCP/IP-Port 6500 for connections with clients
- Allowing all clients to connect, no restriction
- Running in Demo Mode (No License Key)

To change these settings open the configuration file "shareisdnserver.conf" with your favorite text editor.

Here are the most important settings and their effects:

- Port
Enter the TCP/IP port from which the clients shall communicate with the server. If you discover that the service does not start again after you have modified the port number, you have probably entered a port which is currently in use. Simply choose another port.

- AllowAllClients
If you set this parameter to "On", you allow every computer to connect to the server. If you set this parameter to "Off", you restrict the access to the server to only those computers which are listed in the configuration file.
You can use the parameter "AllowAllClients" only with the Demo and the Unlimited Licenses. If you have a "5 Client Computer License" or a "10 Client Computer License" this parameter is ignored and you MUST enter the names or IP-Numbers of the client computers.

- Client
You can enter the name or IP-Number of a client computer after this parameter. This parameter can be used more than once. It is recommended that IP-Numbers are used rather than names of computers as names have to be resolved. Of course, if you use a DHCP-Server with dynamic IP-Numbers it is useful to use names.
If you have a "5 Client Computer License" or a "10 Client Computer License" you MUST enter the names or IP-Numbers of the client computers. You can only enter 5 or 10 computers, depending on the License purchased.

- Password
Enter a password here if you want to restrict the access to this server. If a client tries to connect to this server, it must provide the appropriate password. This setting only affects pure CAPI connections! Clients can build up RAS connections without having the password!
Leave this field empty to turn off this feature.

- LogFileSize
With this parameter you can determine the maximum size of the LogFile "shareisdnserver.log" in Kilobytes (kb). Setting this parameter to "0" turns off the LogFile. You can still find error messages in the System LogFile.

- ConsLogSize
With this parameter you can determine the maximum size of the file "shareisdncons.log" in Kilobytes (kb). This file is used for connection logging. Setting this parameter to "0" turns off the connection logging.

- PptpMSN
Own phone number (MSN) for RAS connections.

- DisablePPTP
With this parameter set to "On" you can turn off the RAS support. This might be useful if you run an own PPTP Dial-In Server on the same machine, and the RAS support of ShareISDN interferes with it.

Please see the configuration file for less important parameters and their explanations.

If you discover that you can't restart the ShareISDN Server check the LogFile for Error messages.

Errors, Warnings and Infos
Errors, warnings and infos are written into the System Logfile and into the file "shareisdnserver.log". You will find this file in the directory "/var/log/" or in the same directory where the executable resides.
The maximum file size will be 400 kb (default, editable through configuration file). If the file size exceeds the limit, it is renamed to "shareisdnserver.old", and a new file is started. An already existing "shareisdnserver.old" file will be deleted.

Connection Logging
The file "shareisdncons.log" contains records of the ISDN connections as "Comma Separated Values". You will find this file in the directory "/var/log/" or in the same directory where the executable resides. You can easily process it with spreadsheet and database applications like MS Excel and MS Access.
The maximum file size will be 400 kb (default, editable through configuration file). If the file size exceeds the limit, it is renamed to "shareisdncons.old", and a new file is started. An already existing "shareisdncons.old" file will be deleted.

The columns of the file have got the following meanings:

• Date/Time
• Called Party Number
  
• Calling Party Number (if available)
  
• Client IP
  
• Duration (in Seconds)
  
• Type (Capi or RAS connection)
  
• Direction (in or out)
  
• Remarks (successful or not)

Uninstall ShareISDN Server (for Linux)

Simply stop the ShareISDN Server and remove all corresponding files:

- shareisdnserver (the executable)
- shareisdnserver.conf
- README
- shareisdnserver.log
- shareisdnserver.old
- shareisdncons.log
- shareisdncons.old