The NTS Server has all of the hardware and software you need, except for wiring, connectors, and telephones. You can order cables and break-out boxes to simplify your wiring tasks, so that the do-it-yourself person can easily accomplish it all. See the order information page for more details. You can use any standard analog telephone you can buy at the local consumer electronics store. We like the Panasonic speaker phones with the built in volume control, which are available for about each.

If you are going to use the CTI (Computer Telephony) features of the NTS, then you will need a client computer running Netscape or Mozilla, and a TCP/IP network. The NTS Server has a Ten Base T (Twisted Pair, or TP) network connection built in. If your network is coax or Thick-Net, you will need an adaptor. You will also need to assign the NTS Server a system name and IP address, using a screen and keyboard, or using a DOS compatible floppy disk and following the instructions in your system administration manual.

If you have pre-existing building wiring, the installation is relatively simple, and you can be operational in fifteen minutes or less.

Remember, the network is not required to run the NexPath telephone system, but it does allow much more custom configuration, and access to desktop call control, from any network connected PC.

What happens during power failures? Do I lose telephone operation? What about the files on the hard disk?

The hardware telephony cards on the NTS Server have power-fail bypass relays that connect all of the outside lines to the inside lines in the event of a power failure. This means that certain, pre-designated telephones in the building will operate as conventional telephones during the outage. You can still conduct business! And, if the power is restored while you are talking on a by-passed line, the system software will maintain your call until you hang-up, then return the line to the outside line group.

The NTS Server has a read-only file system for system software files, and a Veritas^® journaling file system for data areas (voice mail, etc.). This makes the possibility of a hard disk crash very unlikely in the event of a power outage, although you may lose a voice mail file that is in progress. However, since data integrity is never guaranteed, important voice mail files and phonebook files should be saved to local PC storage using the CTI interface.

For further data integrity, NexPath also provides a UPS input, that is designed to interface to APC uninterruptible power supplies. The NTS Server will save all cached data, and begin an orderly shutdown, upon command from this input that power is about to be lost.

The NexPath Server also comes with a CD and boot floppies, so that the entire hard disk can be reformatted and reloaded, using a network connected Windows PC for CDROM access, in about 10 minutes. Both the OS and the application files are completely restored in one step. Used in conjunction with the NexPath Backup Utility, the entire phone system, including user configuration data, voice mail greetings, etc., can be reloaded from scratch in well under 20 minutes.

If I buy an NTS/8 system now, can I upgrade it later to an NTS/16 or /24?

Yes. NexPath has an upgrade program for its NTS servers. The amount of expansion depends on the chassis you originally purchased. Upgrading is usually as simple as adding another interface card, and possibly more memory. This can be done in the field or at the factory. All of the NTS Servers run the same software, so the only software changes required are in the configuration. Configuration changes can be made using AdminTool via the network with a Web Browser. If you need a larger chassis, you can purchase the next size chassis from NexPath, and move your CBTI cards and software to the new chassis.

What type of lines should I order from the telephone company? What are Loop Start Lines?

You should order standard, loop start lines. This is the same type of line you have at your home, which works with conventional telephones. By utilizing conventional loop start lines, the NTS Server can provide outside-to-inside line by-passing during power failures, so that regular (non-proprietary) telephones will still function in this situation.

If you are replacing an older PBX, you may have ground start lines. This type of line will not work with the NexPath NTS, and you will need to have your telephone company convert them for you. This is done at the central office, and can be accomplished with a simple phone call.

I am installing an NTS/24, which comes pre-configured for 7 CO (central office) lines. However, I only have 5 CO lines connected. How do I tell the system which CO jacks are connected, so that when I dial '9' I do not get an empty line?

The NTS Server has dynamic outside (or CO) line sensing. When the system is first powered, the software checks each outside line to see if the central office is supplying power. If not, the line is taken out of the seize order. The inactive lines are set to off-hook or busy condition. These inactive lines are continuously checked by the software to see if an new outside line connection has been made. So if you plug in a new outside line, the system will almost instantaneously determine the fact, clear the busy-out condition, and put the line in the seize order.

When connecting outside lines, you should be careful about the order so that the seize order, i.e. the order in which outside lines are selected when you dial 9, is opposite the order in which an incoming call rotates if your main number is busy. This is all explained in your installation manual that comes with the system.

The seize order, like most things on the system, can be changed using the network and AdminTool. Point your browser at http://your system name/Admin/. Note that the trailing "/" is important.

Is the NTS Server designed for talking over the Internet?

You can, with 3rd party equipment, such as Cisco or MultiTech. The NTS Servers are network controlled telephony appliances, but they use conventional analog phones for voice. The network is used for access, control, and administration from a client PC. Voice communications over Ethernet requires external equipment. Unless you have multiple sites in distant cities, for most small businesses, the increased complexity, the ever changing standards, and the hazards of the network being "down" and losing voice communications, are not worth the benefit. At the present, the NexPath Servers are completely immune to network problems, so that the network can be "down" or disconnected, and all voice communications proceed without any effect. Most our customers indicate they would like to keep it that way.

After I have installed an NTS Server, and wired each extension, how can I tell which extension is which, without tracing wires?

You can dial the sequence #8 from any telephone extension, and the system will annunciate all of the extensions assigned to this telephone, and the system hardware line (e.g. port) of this connection.

What operating system does the NTS Server use?

The NTS Server is an embedded network telephony appliance, and all application software runs on network connected Windows (95/98/ME/2k/XP) systems. Apple and Unix are also supported with the browser based tools. What is under the hood in the NexPath system is really irrelevant (think of it as a network connected printer!), but many people do ask. The NTS Servers run a special real-time, embedded version of Unix/Linux. This special version has real-time and file system extensions necessary for telephone systems. Unix was chosen for its low cost and rugged 24 hours by 7 day uptime. Its special journaling file systems are much more impervious to damage by power interruption. NexPath systems are completely self-administering, and the user is never required to interact with the Unix operating system. No expensive experts are ever required for the NTS Servers! They will run for years without any attention at all. The NTS Server is not shipped with a keyboard or a monitor (although they can be convenient for setting the network parameters, and are required for a re-installation from CDROM), but is administered, maintained, and upgraded via network web browsers and native Windows tools. A network connection is not required, however, to use the default configuration of the server. Assignment of the IP address and system name, and software upgrades, may also be accomplished with a DOS compatible floppy disk without the network.

Explain the port and line capacities of the NTS Servers. What does 6x10 mean?

The telephony interface cards for the NTS servers are proprietary to NexPath, and handle 8 lines or "ports", arranged as 3 outside lines (also called Central Office or CO, or trunk lines) and 5 inside (i.e., station or desk telephone) lines. The line or port capacity is stated as the sum of the outside + inside lines.

On each telephony interface card, one CO line can be configured with AdminTool software to be a paging output or a music on hold input. Only one music on hold line is allowed per system, but multiple paging lines are allowed. The standard configuration for each system allocates a paging output for all sizes of systems, and a music on hold input for all systems 16 ports or larger. So, for example, the NTS/16 as shipped is pre-configured as a 4x10 system, with additionally one paging output and one music on hold input. With the AdminTool software (included), you can get two additional outside lines by changing the paging and music on hold lines to CO lines. So, without paging or music on hold, the NTS/16 becomes (using software) a 6 x 10 system. Which means it then supports 6 central office lines and 10 desk telephones.

What type of telephones does the NTS Server use? Do you recommend any particular brand? Can you use digital phones?

The NTS Servers use plain old analog telephones, the kind you have at your house. NexPath has had good luck with Panasonic and Aastra single line phones, but most any analog telephone will work. Proprietary digital telephones are not compatible. The NexPath NTS Server supports the voice mail waiting light, and caller ID and caller name display, on most common analog phones.