description: "Connect Dograh AI to your Asterisk PBX using the Asterisk REST Interface (ARI)"
---
## Overview
Asterisk ARI (Asterisk REST Interface) allows you to connect Dograh AI voice agents to your existing Asterisk PBX. ARI provides a WebSocket-based event model for controlling calls via Stasis applications, giving Dograh full control over call flow and audio streaming.
This guide focuses on the Dograh-specific configuration. For general Asterisk installation and administration, refer to the [official Asterisk documentation](https://docs.asterisk.org/).
## Prerequisites
Before setting up the ARI integration, ensure you have:
- A running Asterisk instance (version 16 or later recommended)
- ARI module enabled in Asterisk
- `chan_websocket` (WebSocket channel driver) enabled in your Asterisk build
- Network connectivity between your Dograh instance and Asterisk
- Dograh AI instance running and accessible
<Note>
If you compiled Asterisk from source, ensure `chan_websocket` is included during the build. This module is required for external media streaming between Asterisk and Dograh. Refer to the [Asterisk build system documentation](https://docs.asterisk.org/) for details on enabling modules.
</Note>
## Asterisk Configuration
The following Asterisk configuration files need to be set up to work with Dograh. These are minimal examples focused on the Dograh integration -- refer to the [Asterisk documentation](https://docs.asterisk.org/) for full configuration details.
### Enable ARI (`ari.conf`)
Create an ARI user that Dograh will use to authenticate:
```ini
[general]
enabled = yes
[dograh]
type = user
read_only = no
password = your_secure_password
```
<Note>
The username (section name, e.g., `dograh`) and password here must match the **Stasis App Name** and **App Password** you configure in Dograh.
</Note>
### Enable the HTTP Server (`http.conf`)
ARI requires the Asterisk HTTP server to be enabled:
```ini
[general]
enabled = yes
bindaddr = 0.0.0.0
bindport = 8088
```
### Configure the Stasis Dialplan (`extensions.conf`)
Route incoming calls to your Stasis application so Dograh can handle them:
```ini
[from-external]
exten => _X.,1,NoOp(Incoming call to ${EXTEN})
same => n,Stasis(dograh)
same => n,Hangup()
```
Replace `dograh` with the app name you configured in `ari.conf` and in Dograh.
### Configure External Media Streaming (`websocket_client.conf`)
Dograh uses Asterisk's external media streaming to send and receive audio over WebSocket. Configure a WebSocket client connection that points to your Dograh instance:
The section name (e.g., `dograh`) is the **WebSocket Client Name** you'll enter in the Dograh telephony configuration. This name tells Asterisk which WebSocket connection to use for external media streaming during calls.
2. Open the configuration you just created and add each SIP extension that should be reachable as a **phone number** (e.g. `8000`). For inbound, you'll assign a workflow to each extension separately — see [Inbound Calling](#inbound-calling) below.
3. Create a test workflow and initiate a test call to verify the connection.
Unlike other telephony providers that use HTTP webhooks for inbound calls, ARI delivers inbound calls as **StasisStart events on the ARI WebSocket**. Dograh automatically detects these events and activates the workflow assigned to the called extension.
2. Asterisk fires a StasisStart event over the ARI WebSocket with the channel in `Ring` state and the dialed extension in the dialplan context
3. Dograh looks up the called extension in your telephony configuration's phone numbers, finds the assigned workflow, validates quota, and creates a workflow run
