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̈ Chapter 12: Office communications with LANCAPI LANCOM Reference Manual LCOS 3.50
265
Office communications with
LANCAPI
12 Office communications with LANCAPI
LANCAPI from LANCOM is a special version of the popular CAPI interface.
CAPI (Common ISDN Application Programming Interface) establishes the con-
nection between ISDN adapters and communications programs. For their
part, these programs provide the computers with office communications func-
tions such as a fax machine or answering machine.
This section briefly introduces the LANCAPI and its use for office communica-
tions tasks.
12.1 What are the advantages of LANCAPI?
The main advantages of using LANCAPI are economic. LANCAPI provides all
Windows workstations integrated in the LAN (local-area network) with unlim-
ited access to office communications functions such as fax machines, answer-
ing machines, online banking and eurofile transfer. All functions are supplied
via the network without the necessity of additional hardware at each individ-
ual workstation, thus eliminating the costs of equipping the workstations with
ISDN adapters or modems. All you need do is install the office communica-
tions software on the individual workstations.
For example, faxes are sent by simulating a fax machine at the workstation.
With LANCAPI, the PC forwards the fax via the network to the router which
establishes the connection to the recipient.
Please note: All LANCAPI-based applications access the ISDN directly
and do not run across the router of the device. The connect-charge
monitoring and firewall functions are thus disabled!
12.2 The client and server principle
The LANCAPI is made up of two components, a server (in the LANCOM) and
a client (on the PCs). The LANCAPI client must be installed on all computers
in the LAN that will be using the LANCAPI functions.
12.2.1 Configuring the LANCAPI server
Two basic issues are important when configuring the LANCAPI server:
̈ What call numbers from the telephone network should LANCAPI respond
to?