Cannot receive FAX

I installed the FAX on my Dell Win XP Media and can send faxes but cannot receive them. The phone rings but even when using the FAX control monitor and asking it to pick up the call, it does not.

 

First thing to do is check all your settings in the fax wizard again
and make sure that both sending and receiving are checked.
Also check for error messages in Event Viewer.
From some internet links it seems that some of these problems are due to the modem.
Make sure the drivers are up-to-date for your tel/fax modem.

Pete.

 

Hi, tenbob.

Did you remember to configure your modem to automatically answer incoming calls? (DIP switch setting on an external modem, for example)

You might need to send certain AT commands to your modem (depending on your modem make/model) to make the modem automatically answer incoming calls.

If you provide us with the make/model of your modem and let us know whether it is internal or external, we might be able to help you with your particular modem's DIP switch setting and/or initialization string.

If you happen to have an external USRobotics Sportster 56k Faxmodem, then the DIP switch #5 (Auto Answer Suppression) should be set to OFF (up position). That will cause that particular modem to answer on the first ring, or higher if specified in the modem's NVRAM.

 

This is not an external modem. I am using the internal Windows FAX console. One problem I have to solve is the conflict between my Fax modem and my answering machine.
That isn't what caused my previous problem. It is possible it was not set to automatically answer a FAX call. I will have to check on the various settings necessary to avoid conflict with the answering machine.

 

Hi tenbob,

I ran into the same problem and the easiest way is to use an automatic
phone/fax/answering switch.

The lowest price I found was $50.99 for a CS5500 at
http://www.keenzo.com/showproduct.asp?ID=831&ref=FRG

Trying to fiddle with the number of rings for pickup was not working.
Always one -usually the wrong one was picking up the call.
The switch is the way to go.

Pete.

 

DiggerP, it's been a long time since I used my computer to receive faxes so I defer the current-day recommendations to you and anyone else who wishes to contribute.

tenbob, your modem make/model can probably be determined and configured as follows.

• Hold down your Windows key (often located between the Ctrl and Alt keys) and press the Pause/Break key. That will open up Windows' System Properties window.
• Click the Hardware tab.
• Click the Device Manager button.
• Expand the Modems menu item.
• The modem make and model may be displayed there (although mine displays only "U.S. Robotics 56K FAX EXT PnP" and does not incude "Sportster" in the name).
• Right-click the modem and select Properties.
• Click the Advanced tab to add AT commands to the modem's initialization string.

If you don't have a modem manual handy for your particular modem, then you might be able to find one via Google.

Good luck!

 

Hi mailman

Actually I don't use fax that often anyway these days,but I found it nearly impossible to do it without using a line sharing device.
The reason is that if you set both (or all devices) to pick up after the same number of rings,the one that picks up fastest will answer the call.
The trouble is that this may not be the one you want.
Strangely enough,I also found it to be inconsistent at times.

If you give one device priority by setting it to pick up after 1 fewer ring than the others, then you defeat the whole purpose of the setup,because the others won't be answered at all.

You're right about the proper setup for the modem,be it internal or external.
Then the next step is the Fax Wizard setup.
Following that, is to make sure that any anti-malware protection is not blocking anything.
The same for the Firewall settings.