Posts Tagged ‘pbx’

PBX 101: Running Your Home Like A Business

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

You’ve probably found yourself admiring the various traits of your place of work and thought, “That could really work well in my house.” Some people have lucrative careers modifying industrial designs for consumer use. Well, some things really don’t need to be modified. That includes PBX phone systems coupled with Access Control.

What does this mean?
Essentially, you can upgrade your home telephone system from all phones on one line to 1 or 2 lines with 8 extensions. Along with this, you can incorporate a Door Phone as an extension, monitor visitors at your entrance and allow them access to your home from any of the telephone extensions. For larger homes or home based business this can be a key factor in home automation and security.

Inside the home, the multiple extensions allow family members and employees the privacy and freedom of their own line without the added expense. Add a PBX Door Phone and you have provided a security measure with the capability to talk with visitors and open the door remotely from any extension.

The system shown here is comprised of the eMax208 Auto attendant PBX Exchange and a PBX Door Phone.


There are two types of PBX Door Phones offered by ILUS Electronics:

  1. Extel with a Call Button – when the call button is pressed all preset extensions will ring
  2. ExCode has a call button and keypad - in addition to the Extel features it will allow the visitor to dial to the extension of choice or let authorized people activate the electric lock by keying a pass word

What are the benefits?

  • Open Door(s) remotely from any Extension
  • Extensions can be either rooms in the home or office (see Image)
  • Initiate calls to or from any extension or Door Phone (you can have multiple Door Phones)
  • Setup day or nighttime ringing extensions when called from the door phone
  • Block or enable calls from outside lines to selected extensions
  • Pre-Recorded Outgoing Message (OGM) will eliminate the nuisance of all phones ringing when an outside call comes in. The caller listens to the message and selects the desired extension.

If you run a home based business, you may have one extension to your office and several others around the house.

Maybe you hang out by the pool or in your workshop and need a way to answer the phone and also monitor visitors coming to the house.

  • The C.O. (Central Office) Line Reservation allows the user to reserve a line that might be busy. Once the line becomes available the extension will receive a ring and will be connected automatically to the CO line so that a call is not interfered.
  • The eMAX 208 supports caller ID on all extensions. Allows display of an incoming call on a telephone with the caller ID feature.
  • Control your Telephone Cost – Set Extensions with permitted area codes and numbers
  • Call transfer – Transfer any incoming or internal call to any extension
  • Call pick up – Pickup incoming or internal calls from any extension
  • Budget Calling Time – Set maximum desired duration of a call for an extension
  • Different Call Waiting tones signaling calls waiting from external line, internal ext. or door phone, while line is in use. Easy back and forth switching between the calls.
  • Programmable from any remote phone, even mobile

It’s clear that no matter where or how we live, our home is our castle. For those that work from home this sentiment may ring even more true. As you upgrade your home with all of the modern conveniences that keep you safe and happy, consider one home automation technique that is not only simple, but affordable.

Take a look at the accompanying diagram and let us know if you have any questions about how an Access Control system may best fit into your world. Send us an email at support@iluselectronics.com or call our sales line at 267-983-1300. We look forward to answering your questions.

Note: This blog entry, like all of our entries, is for information only. If you are not well versed in installation, please hire a professional. ILUS Electronics is not responsible for improperly installed equipment. If you would like our technical support or advice, just send us a note at support@iluselectronics.com

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Posted in Access Control, PBX | 7 Comments »

Five Essentials of a Home Office

Saturday, August 15th, 2009

Telephones, fax machines and the internet have made it possible for many of us to work from home. Whether we are self-employed or otherwise, there are a growing number of us who make only a 10-20 yard commute to our place of work. If you are self motivated and hard working, this is fantastic.

Several years of working out of my home have taught me well. I have learned the rules to being productive and the tools I need to get there. Depending on your field some of the tools may change, but there are five essentials to successfully running your home office.

1. Reliable Computer Setup
A computer probably seems pretty obvious. You can’t really telecommute without a computer. However, as you transition into the home office, remember that John from IT will no longer be available to run in and fix the glitches.

Invest in a good computer that has the capacity to do the work you need at the speed that is required of you. If your old Pentium has been with you for four or more years, chances are you need to upgrade. And, when you upgrade choose something you can adapt to quickly.

To really secure your success, find the software that best suits you and purchase it. Knock offs and pirated software will prove to be very frustrating. You can’t get the help you need direct from the vendor and you are at the mercy of the best copy you can snag. Just make the investment in yourself!

2. Telecommunications System
In order to truly run a professional and efficient home office, you need a separate telephone line and a solid telecommunications system. It goes hand in hand with your computer and is just as much of an extension of your physical self. In fact, the computer and telecommunications systems are so entwined that they can be integrated and controlled as one complete system. You’ll find SOHO PBX (I’ll talk more about this another time) and VoIP that can be controlled directly from your PC.

Long Distance service and the phone company aside, the equipment is an essential entity. Select equipment that will grow with you and serve you well in the long run. This is a vital and important consideration if you currently have or intend to eventually have others working with you from your home office.

The telecommunications system encompasses the physical phone, answering system and fax machine. Ideally, you incorporate your final selection into an Access Control System like the Phone Gate 102 for 2 Doors/Gates. The Phone Gate 102 is one of several such systems that allow you to control access at your home’s entrances with your phone. No more missing important business related house calls or deliveries.

The Phone Gate 102

Phone Gate Telephone Entry System

Phone Gate Telephone Entry System

is your direct intercom to the outside world. Most Telephone entry systems and PBX door phones and systems would be more complicated and/or expensive in performing similar functions.

When visitors arrive at your door and press on the Door Phone button, your office phone rings. You determine who is at the door and whether or not you want to give them access with the click of a button or run to the door to greet them yourself. Better yet, if you are out of the office, visitors can leave you a voicemail message like any other telephone call.

3. File Storage
I am not referring to filing cabinets, because if you are smart, you’ll keep these to a minimum. In this day and age, we owe it to ourselves to go paperless. It’s better for the environment and it keeps the clutter down.

Since paperless is the goal, your computer will serve as the center of all information. So, back it up! External hard drives are readily available starting at about $50. Carbonite and Iron Mountain are two of the many online paid services that allow you to back up your computer daily. If you can expense it, or afford the fee of $50 per year (varies by vendor), this can be a great complement to any file back-up system you have at home.

4. Dependable Desk
As trivial as the desk may seem, you will become very intimate with yours. It must provide you with a sufficient work area and storage for the supplies you need close at hand. I searched high and low for my desk and it has served me well for the last few years.

Your desk and its placement within your office needs to take into consideration lighting, spatial planning with regards to electrical outlets and phone jacks, orientation to additional work areas and overall comfort. The bottom line here is: plan well. Measure your space and narrow it down to 2-3 options before you make your decision.

5. World Class Chair
Unless you are interested in keeping a chiropractor on speed dial, you will research and test until you find a chair that is suitable for your body and your office space. Not all office chairs are equal. I can’t recommend specific manufacturers, because in the end price and comfort are subjective. I can recommend that you take these factors into consideration:

· Wheels for mobility
· Comfortable material (Faux leather need not apply!)
· Back height for optimum support
· Adjustable height
· Adjustable arm rests
· Adjustable tilt
· Durability

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