Line bridging is one of the more difficult concepts in Axon to understand. Basically put, line bridging allows calls from two different types of phone systems to connect to each other. In the case of Axon this allows a hardware line (like a TAPI modem or CAHTA device) to connect to a VoIP line within Axon and vice versa. This is not necessary with FXO/FXS adapters since they handle this internally and only work as a VoIP device for Axon.

In order to set up line bridging you will first need to install your hardware device and its drivers. Once this is complete, your hardware lines should appear in the Options ~ Line Bridging dialog. If they do not, your device may not be compliant with Axon's line bridging feature. Supported devices include CAHTA devices and 100% TAPI compliant full-duplex voice modems.

After you have gotten the devices to appear in the Line Bridging configuration dialog, you will need to enable line bridging and configure the VoIP and hardware lines to connect correctly.

Being able to place an outside call through a hardware line requires you to set up external dialing rules as well as line bridging. Usually, the caller will prepend an 8 or 9 to a number (e.g. 9-555-1234) to reach an outside line. If the rule supplied connects to the external line "Carousel FXO Gateway", then it will use the line bridging rules. Because of the way an external line is reached, it is most common to have Axon dial "The number that was dialed by the incoming caller". This ensures that, for the previous example, Axon would dial 555-1234. It is generally recommended that you allow the call to be placed on any available hardware line, but if you connect to multiple phone networks it may be preferable to have outbound calls dial on a certain line to reduce long distance or other charges. For more information on configuring VoIP to Landline settings, see Options ~ Line Bridging.

When a call comes in from a landline, it will usually be directed to a single incoming extension (direct dial) or to a call attendant or operator. In any case, generally this will mean that when a call comes in you will want Axon to dial a certain extension. You can select the extension that you would like the call to be made on, but generally it is best to allow the call to be dialed from any available VoIP line. For more information on configuring Landline to VoIP settings, see Options ~ Line Bridging.

If line bridging is set up correctly you should be able to both place and receive a call on the hardware line. If you are unable to get this working, you may have issues in your configuration or you may be using a half-duplex TAPI modem. Check your hardware information to ensure that your device is capable and then try the recommended settings above to test if you are still having issues.

• Options ~ Line Bridging
• Options ~ Line Bridging ~ Bridge