NCID - Network Caller ID User Manual Copyright © 2014-2021 Authors: John L Chmielewski Todd A Andrews Last edited: Sep 26, 2021 Table of Contents Introduction Getting Started Installation Obtaining Caller ID Supported Clients Client Output Modules Using NCID FAQ Verbose Levels Contributors TODO LICENSE Introduction NCID (Network Caller ID) is Caller ID (CID) distributed over a network to a variety of devices and computers. The NCID server monitors either a modem, Caller ID device, or gateway (e.g., SIP, VoIP, smartphones) for the CID data. The data is collected and sent, via TCP, to one or more connected clients. The server supports multiple gateways which can be used with or without a modem or device. The server also supports one line text messages. The NCID project website is the central place to go for the latest downloads, updated documentation and user/technical support for the official NCID package and its optional client packages. This document contains information on how to get started with NCID, the hardware needed, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section and a TODO list. It also provides information on supported clients, gateways and optional server features. Troubleshooting information is also provided. Getting Started Table of Contents NCID can be overwhelming for users who have never used it. Current users of NCID are probably not aware of all of its features, or how to use them properly. This document will try to help with those cases. The FAQ should also be of some help. In this document: NCID is the package name ncidd is the server name ncid is the client name Unix is a generic term to mean any UNIX-like or Linux-like operating system, e.g., Fedora, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, Debian, etc. Uncommenting a line means to remove the # Getting Started Index Install the NCID package Configure the ncidd server Configure the ncid client Configure call log rotation Configure yearly call log NCID startup Install the NCID package See the list of Package Distributions. SourceForge distributes NCID packages for several operating systems. In addition, operating system specific third parties distribute NCID. For example, there are Ubuntu and Fedora repositories that include NCID, making it easy to install with their package management applications; however, they are not always up-to-date with the latest version at SourceForge. The first step is to download and install the NCID server, optional gateways and client. You can download the NCID packages from sourceforge or a repository for your operating system if it is up to date. If you are using Fedora, Ubuntu, or Raspbian, be aware that NCID is split into multiple rpm and deb packages. The server package is required. The gateways package is needed if you are using a gateway instead of a modem. The client and default output modules package is needed if you want to use the basic ncid client instead of another supported client, or if you want to use an output module. The Macintosh shell package and the FreeBSD shell package on sourceforge have the complete NCID system. There are many Linux distributions based on Redhat or Ubuntu so the Fedora or Ubuntu packages may install just fine. (For example, Linux Mint is an operating system based on Ubuntu.) Refer to the INSTALL-"operating system" section for your "operating system". If you cannot locate a package, you can download the source, compile and install it. Refer to the INSTALL (generic) section of this documentation. Configure the ncidd server Now that you have installed NCID, you need to set the country code to format the telephone number and configure the method used to obtain Caller ID: set the country code to format the telephone number a Caller ID modem connected to a Unix computer the serial NetCallerID device connected to a Unix computer the CTI Comet USB device via the NCID XDMF gateway the Holtek HT9032D based PSTN Caller ID module via the NCID XDMF gateway a Caller ID modem on a Windows computer via the NCID YAC (Yet Another Caller ID) gateway VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones via the NCID SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) gateway Whozz Calling (WC) Ethernet Link network device via the NCID WC gateway an Android smartphone via the NCID Remote Notifier (RN) gateway Set the country code to format the telephone number You need to set the country code for your country from the country code list. Edit ncid.conf and uncomment one of the following lines. No need to uncomment the default but you need to replace <CountryCode> with your country code: # set country = "US" # Default: country is United States # set country = "ZZ" # No country code for country # set country = "<CountryCode>" # use your country code Using a modem connected to a Unix computer Most modern modems support Caller ID but to determine if yours does follow the steps below and then refer to Modem Caller ID Test. The server needs to know which port the modem is on. The default port is different depending on the Operating System: Unknown Operating System distribution: /dev/modem Fedora, Redhat, Debian, Raspbian, Ubuntu: /dev/ttyACM0 FreeBSD: /dev/cuaU0 Mac OS X: /dev/cu.usbmodem24680241 Cygwin: /dev/com1 If the default modem port is incorrect, you need to enter the correct port by editing ncidd.conf and either uncomment one of these lines, or add a line with the correct port: # set ttyport = /dev/cu.modem # default Mac OS X internal modem # set ttyport = /dev/cu.usbmodem24680241 # Mac OS X USB modem # set ttyport = /dev/ttyS0 # Linux Serial Port 0 # set ttyport = /dev/ttyACM0 # Linux USB modem 0 If you wish to use the internal hangup feature, you need to uncomment one of these lines if not using the default: # set hangup = 0 # Default: do not terminate a call # set hangup = 1 # terminate the call # set hangup = 2 # generate FAX tones, then terminate the call # set hangup = 3 # play an announcement then terminate the call If you wish to use the external hangup feature, you need to uncomment one of these lines if not using the default: # hupmode = 0 # Default: do not execute the hangup extension # hupmode = 1 # terminate the call # hupmode = 2 # generate FAX tones, then terminate the call # hupmode = 3 # play an announcement then terminate the call After modifying ncidd.conf, start ncidd. If ncidd is already running, it must be restarted. Using a serial NetCallerID device connected to a Unix computer The serial NetCallerID (on the Wayback Machine) device is no longer manufactured by Ugotcall, but you can sometimes find it on eBay. Even though it supports Caller ID, the NetCallerID device is not a modem and it does not support the NCID hangup feature. Start by hooking it up to a serial port and making the changes above. Once that is completed, make these additional changes to ncidd.conf: Uncomment this line: # set cidinput = 1 Leave all hangup and hupmode set lines commented, for example: # set hangup = 1 After modifying ncidd.conf, start ncidd. If ncidd is already running, it must be restarted. Using the XDMF gateway You would use the xdmf2ncid gateway if you are using the CTI Comet USB device or the Holtek HT9032D based PSTN Caller ID module connected to a Linux based machine. We have a complete section devoted to the XDMF gateway. See xdmf2ncid setup in the Gateways topic for more information. Using a Caller ID modem on a Windows computer via the NCID YAC gateway You would use the YAC gateway if you are using a YAC server on a Windows computer running Microsoft Windows 98 or later. We have a complete section devoted to the YAC gateway. See yac2ncid setup in the Gateways topic for more information. Using the SIP Gateway You would use the sip2ncid gateway if your VoIP phone is using SIP. We have a complete section devoted to the SIP gateway. See sip2ncid setup in the Gateways topic for more information. Using the Whozz Calling (WC) gateway You would use the wc2ncid gateway if you are using a Whozz Calling Ethernet Link device. Serial Whozz Calling units are not currently supported. We have a complete section devoted to the WC gateway. See wc2ncid setup in the Gateways topic for more information. Using the Android smartphone Remote Notifier (RN) gateway You would use the rn2ncid gateway if you are using an Android smartphone. We have a complete section devoted to the RN gateway. See rn2ncid setup in the Gateways topic document for more information. Configure the ncid client Normally the client does not need to be configured, but you should review ncid.conf to see if you want to change the defaults for displaying the number format, displaying the date format and ring options if using an output module. There are other changes you can also make. After making any changes to ncid.conf, start the ncid client. IMPORTANT: The ncidd server and any needed gateways should already be running. Configure call log rotation The /etc/ncid/ncidrotate.conf file controls how or if the call log is rotated: Set RotateOff=0 and Lines2keep=0 to backup and then empty the call log each month. This is the default and is required for the yearly call log. Set RotateOff=1 to let the call log keep growing until the operating system decides it is too large. Set Lines2keep=<NUMBER> to backup and then keep NUMBER of lines in the call log at the start of the month. The /etc/ncid/rotatebysize.conf file allows the call log to grow to a minimum size before it is rotated: Set minsize=1 to rotate the call log monthly. This is the default and is required for the yearly call log.