Using Fax Services

[Jack Gillis]

Let me see if I can explain my problem. This may be more of a hardware
problem than a software one but here goes.

I have FAX services installed and working under Home Edition except for one
wrinkle. The internal US Robotics Fax modem is connected to the telephone
line via one jack of a splitter at the wall jack. The normal telephone
service connects to the other jack of the splitter. My normal DSL
connection is to a separate jack on the wall plate. The DSL filter is in
the NIT and puts the unfiltered signal on the yellow-black pair.

The normal telephone line goes to my 'phone and then to an answering machine
which picks up after four rings.

I would like to have my XP Home FAX Service on all the time to receive faxes
unattended and distinguish between a voice call and an incoming FAX and not
answer the call unless it was a FAX. FAX services is set to answer after 2
rings. As it stands now, if someone calls and we don't pick up, the FAX
modem screams at them. If the modem is set to answer after 4 rings (the
answering machine ring count) the answering machine picks up and of course
the FAX never gets received.

Is there a way to solve this problem without buying a separate, stand alone
FAX machine? Perhaps some sort of Voice/Fax splitter?

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

 

[Alias]

Let me see if I can explain my problem. This may be more of a hardware
problem than a software one but here goes.

I have FAX services installed and working under Home Edition except for one
wrinkle. The internal US Robotics Fax modem is connected to the telephone
line via one jack of a splitter at the wall jack. The normal telephone
service connects to the other jack of the splitter. My normal DSL
connection is to a separate jack on the wall plate. The DSL filter is in
the NIT and puts the unfiltered signal on the yellow-black pair.

The normal telephone line goes to my 'phone and then to an answering machine
which picks up after four rings.

I would like to have my XP Home FAX Service on all the time to receive faxes
unattended and distinguish between a voice call and an incoming FAX and not
answer the call unless it was a FAX. FAX services is set to answer after 2
rings. As it stands now, if someone calls and we don't pick up, the FAX
modem screams at them. If the modem is set to answer after 4 rings (the
answering machine ring count) the answering machine picks up and of course
the FAX never gets received.

Is there a way to solve this problem without buying a separate, stand alone
FAX machine? Perhaps some sort of Voice/Fax splitter?

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Yeah, get another phone line dedicated to the fax.

Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.

 

[John Loaf]

If your fax modem driver and/or Fax Service recognizes Distinctive Ring, you
can get a second number for the fax without paying for a second line.
A second number is just $3 a month here. My all-in-one printer/scanner/fax
recognizes Distinctive Ring and my voice mail software does, too, so I think
you will find modern software and equipment can deal with ring-ring and
r--i--n--g-ring. I don't have Fax Service installed so I can't verify how
it works.
The drawback to ordering Distinctive Ring is the phone company charges an
arm and a leg for processing.

 

[Talahasee]

Let me see if I can explain my problem. This may be more of a hardware
problem than a software one but here goes.

I have FAX services installed and working under Home Edition except for one
wrinkle. The internal US Robotics Fax modem is connected to the telephone
line via one jack of a splitter at the wall jack. The normal telephone
service connects to the other jack of the splitter. My normal DSL
connection is to a separate jack on the wall plate. The DSL filter is in
the NIT and puts the unfiltered signal on the yellow-black pair.

The normal telephone line goes to my 'phone and then to an answering machine
which picks up after four rings.

I would like to have my XP Home FAX Service on all the time to receive faxes
unattended and distinguish between a voice call and an incoming FAX and not
answer the call unless it was a FAX. FAX services is set to answer after 2
rings. As it stands now, if someone calls and we don't pick up, the FAX
modem screams at them. If the modem is set to answer after 4 rings (the
answering machine ring count) the answering machine picks up and of course
the FAX never gets received.

Is there a way to solve this problem without buying a separate, stand alone
FAX machine? Perhaps some sort of Voice/Fax splitter?

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

I agree with Alias.

Sometimes the "low-tech" way is best. Likely your
"cheapest" solution is to buy a 2nd line, JUST for your fax
machine.

Until my phone company made my DSL cheap enough that it
LITERALLY became part of my "telephone services special
pak", I was forced to have a 2nd line for phone and
Internet, since I use my Internet service "excessively" (a
LOT).

Sometimes the low-tech way (a 2nd phone) is truly the
logical way to go.


There is another option that might be helpful in certain
situations. Some/ many phone companies offer a
"custom-ringing' service.

You have one phone line, but you can have SEVERAL phone
numbers, and each has a distinct ring. That way, you can
group your callers and give each one a separate type of
ring.

Family gets one ring. "Ring"
Friends get two rings. "Ring-ring". "Ring-ring"
Business associates, co-workers, get the buzz.
"Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

The boss gets an alarm. "Dong" "Dong" "Dong"


Tallahassee

 

[Jack Gillis]

I certainly think that is worth investigating.

Thank you very much.