Faxing using phone line

[Guest]

I recently started working from home and have a printer/copier/scanner.
Rather than buy a fax machine, I decided to try using the combined device and
the Windows Fax Console for faxing. At first, it worked perfectly. Then I
added vm to my line. (I am using one line for both phone and fax). The issue,
of course, is now if someone calls the vm picks up before the fax does (or
vice versa depending on how many rings I ask the fax console to wait for
before answering). My question is this...

Is there any way to configure the Windows Fax Console in Windows XP
Professional so that I can still use the same line for both faxing and
calling? For example, having the phone ring and the vm pick it up, requesting
the caller to press a certain key sequence if they want to fax?

Thank you in advance!

 

[John Beurket]

I recently started working from home and have a printer/copier/scanner.
Rather than buy a fax machine, I decided to try using the combined device and
the Windows Fax Console for faxing. At first, it worked perfectly. Then I
added vm to my line. (I am using one line for both phone and fax). The issue,
of course, is now if someone calls the vm picks up before the fax does (or
vice versa depending on how many rings I ask the fax console to wait for
before answering). My question is this...

Is there any way to configure the Windows Fax Console in Windows XP
Professional so that I can still use the same line for both faxing and
calling? For example, having the phone ring and the vm pick it up, requesting
the caller to press a certain key sequence if they want to fax?

Thank you in advance!

You can set the Fax Console to Manually answer. You will have to be
present to receive faxes. When you answer the phone and hear fax tones,
just go to the Fax Console and select "Receive a fax now ..." under "File".

John Beurket

 

[Guest]

Thank you for thte response John. So there isn't a way for me to have it set
up so that a caller can designate whether they want to leave a message or
send a fax? My only option is to do it manually?

 

[Lester Stiefel]

Thank you for thte response John. So there isn't a way for me to have it set
up so that a caller can designate whether they want to leave a message or
send a fax? My only option is to do it manually?

:

If this is windows fax software, that may be a solution.
Also check the help file for your voice message system, to
se if you can program an "escape code", such as #88 or other
letters/numbers in combination with the # symbol. The
#<letters> or #<numbers> would instruct your vm software to
transfer the call to the fax software. It's called a 'forced
routing preference'. If you can use this, then you will be
responsible to notify fax callers to use the sequence you've
programmed when the vm announcement starts.