Resolved Lexmark AIO fax not working on Comcast

I have a Lexmark X5650 all-in-one printer/copier/fax. Last time I used the fax feature we were on Verizon.net DSL. After VZ bailed out of Washnigton State, we switched to the Comcast/Xfinity combo package for Internet, phone and cable TV (we already had Comcast cable).

I tried to fax something yesterday. The Lexmark did its scan and it went on to convert the document to fax format. When the all-in-one dialed out, I got half of the "beep" handshake, which I think is my machine trying to communicate with the recipient. The line remained open for about 10 minutes, but the AIO hung up in "Waiting to send" and the transmission time display remained at zero.

I have contacted Lexmark, but no reply yet and will try to wade thought Comcast's ridiculous support system tomorrow. I'll update if I get any useful info. Do any of you folks have ideas?

I suspect that the Comcast-proprietary digital phone system isn't recognising the input from my all-in-one. Lexmark's documetntaion doesn't address VOIP and its brethren.

System is Win XP, Sp3, using IE8 as its browser and hooked up to the web through a Comcast combination ISP/Phone modem. The machine worked fine on DSL.

If I get any intelligent feedback from Comcast and Lexmark, I'll update this post.

BTW, I reverted to USPS snail mail for the message I was trying to fax!

 

If you will google Free Fax, there are plenty of them out there. I have used them before. You just upload what you need to fax to them and go from there. The supposedly DO NOT keep your info after the fax is sent. Most of them have a limit on how many of these FREE faxes you get in a certain period of time. I would not use one of them if it was something that I was really worried about them seeing. Just ordinary things, I feel comfortable with.

 

fdamp, I can't help with your particular problem (other than suggest you change the line filter) but if comcast is anything like the company I worked for the minute they hear your issue is with another device connected to the line they will not help you.

I'm guessing if switching the line filter doesn't work you'll be out of luck mate.

(BTW I worked in the business customer side of support where you'd expect faxes to be connected on the line).

 

Been my experience VOIP line and fax machines don’t mix very well.
Doesn’t matter whose VOIP you’re using.

Faxes use analog signals – the internet digital. It comes down to how well the analog signals are converted on each end.

Vonage VOIP (with using Comcast as the ISP) sometimes works – sometimes doesn’t. Same thing with Comcast as the VOIP and the ISP.

Things to try are on fax machine are: slow down tx/rx rate to 600 or even 300. Cancel any error correction. Sometimes helps with just occasional faxes but reliability won't be there.

Choices are gonna come down to: Fax machine with land line or internet fax service.
Heard trustfax service works well for internet.

 

ps
Wildfire - Comcast is cable connection so no DSL line filters. Huge company - slowly taking over the world - soon tentacles will slither across the pond.

ok - got these edits right without a new msg - need to post more - or less - or pay attention

 

Thanks for the input ephemarial,

I my self have cable here (virgin media) but incorrectly assumed fdamp was using ADSL. I haven't tried a fax system on my phone line (no need) but have experienced some issues with CallerID (going out) to mobile networks.

Anyway, totally unrelated to fdamp's issue so please ignore my previous post.

 

I've heard back from Lexmark, who say that faxing depends on whether the modem signal is good quality analog.

I'm going to take another look at the hook-up today, as I suspect the ail-in-one is going directly into the wall jack and not going through the Comcast phone converter/modem.

Unfortunately, I'm only 3 weeks after lumbar disc surgery, so crawling around the wire runs behind my desk isn't as easy as it was a few weeks ago.

I will report again once I've gone as far as I can, hopefully with a "resolved" flag.

As far as Comcast is concerned, we're stuck with them for cable TV (local monopoly and we have awful RF reception here) so we chose their triple combination service. Their phone works fine and is a good price. Most of the internet stuff works and is plenty fast enough. Unfortuantely, their e-mail is one of the klutziest I've ever encountered. Comparing it to my previous MSN.com e-mail is like going from a Lexus to a Model T.

 

Re Email, I can recommend 2 services...

One is our very own Windows BBS available to lifetime subscribers, another free service suitable for most personal users is lavabit.com.

Obviously there are plenty more but I've found inevitably spam follows.

 

Wildfire:

I'd as soon not change my e-mail addresses, but I'd sure like an e-mail processor that would allow full function access to all my accounts from a single log-in. On MSN, I had that capability. Comcast uses your e-mail address as your username. With two different accounts, I have to log off one and then log into the other to access all account features.

They have a klutzy way of getting to the secondary account which copies across any unread e-mails into a folder in the primary account. It doesn't permit moving things to another forder in the secondary account or deleting messages fro the secondary account.

I honestly have no idea whether I could use another e-mail processor with my Comcast account.

 

Hi fdamp

yep "“ Comcast a little flakey "“ they provide internet service and consider supporting email accounts a bonus. Should be grateful they even support it. Got that response from their customer service when emails went down for a few days and called.

As for your problem of transferring emails to secondary accounts. Comcast considers secondary accounts belong to a different person in household. So of course you can’t transfer things. Requires a separate login.

You’ll have to use 3rd party programs. Outlook Express "“ Office Outlook "“ both work. 2 programs familiar with. Probably others will also.

 

I found out, when a transfer from DW's IRA showed up in our bank account, that the fax had actually been sent, despite the all-in-one status report insisting it was "waiting to send" 6 hours later!

I think I've tracked down that, with the Comcast combined ISP and analog telephone voice going through their modem, I really need to have the fax output from the printer going into a voice channel, so that all the beeps for the handsake are properly recognized.

I'll look into switching the e-mail processing program away from Comcast's included program over to Office Outlook.

I will mark this thread resolved shortly. Thanks for the inputs.