Looking for phone/fax switch

[Tony]

In the ongoing saga of our switch to ADSL we dropped one of our phone lines. As a result I now have a problem when someone sends a fax, as either a human or an answering m/c or the PC fax modem may pick up the call, with good or bad results depending on which it is!

I think I need either a hardware or software switch that can distinguish between phone and fax and take appropriate action. The only mentions I have seen on Google are incorporated in stand alone fax machines.

Has anyone any suggestions?

Apart from the above, the ADSL is great - a huge improvement over Ihug Ultra.

[godfather]

The device you seek were known as "faxcatcher" or "fax boss", I used one for a few years here. They detect the CCITT fax tones and rout the call to the fax.

The downside is that they must answer every call, so voice callers experience a "pause" in the ringing tone while it listenes, then a different ringing tone as it sends the voice call to the phones.

Operated OK, but lost a few calls due to them assuming I had my calls diverted and was not actually in the office, the Fax Catcher transfer sounds just like a diversion.

I went to FaxAbility, with a different number (on the same line) for the fax, the fax machine can discriminate the different ring cadence and answers immediately.

The Fax Catcher device does not seem to be around these days (probably because FaxAbility is cheap and better)

[pctek]

Or you could upgrade to jetstream.

[PaulD]

Look for "Teltest Smartring Decoder". New around $100 but can be found secondhand.

pctek - did you read the original post?

[Tony]

I ask this without checking, something in the back of my mind says faxability is incompatible with ADSL.

True/false?

[bk T]

I ask this without checking, something in the back of my mind says faxability is incompatible with ADSL.

True/false?

It is not True. I know of a friend who has both Faxability and Jetstream ADSL and they are working fine.

[godfather]

ADSL has no impact on FaxAbility. I use it here.

[Murray P]

Tony, I have a Data Stealth ring decoder (fax/data catcher) that I used when I had one dialup line. It has Beta Test Unit on a sticker with the words "Although compliant this unit is not yet Telepermitted and is released for trial to verify performance" It has a CH CH number to report any problems to ETS, so it could be perhaps be verified by the manufacturer/importer if the unit did achieve Telepermit status. I did not experience any problems with it.

After a quick rummage. It has a phone jack and a "FaxAbility" jack. I'm pretty sure (80%) I used it with faxability and there was little delay that I recall with switching to the correct device. I used MS Fax on the computer not a dedicated fax machine so that may be the diff.

PM me if you wish.

[Billy T]

I have a Cannon Easyfax in original carton with manual and all cables etc. It is Telepermitted and was ultra reliable when I was using it before I got two lines and Jetstream.

PM if interested and we can negotiate value, and possibly delivery depending on where you are located, as I will be driving West sometime later this week.

Cheers

Billy 8-{)

[Mary]

We have jetstream at home plus phone, voicemail machine, and multifunction printer/fax/copier all plugged into the same phone socket and all work fine together - voicemail answers after 3 rings, fax after 5 rings.
How old is the fax machine? Maybe you need to get the correct ring sequence in place? I would check your manuals.

[PaulD]

A Smartring or Stealth decoder only allows the Fax or the Phone/Answering machine to ring based on the ringing pattern. If the call is to the fax, the phone doesn't ring. Fax machines with built in decoders can tell what ring to answer but that doesn't stop phones ringing to the fax call. A lot of people would just answer before checking the ring pattern.

[Tony]

Thanks for all the great responses.

I think I need to clarify the issue. On the same line (now with ADSL) I have phone, answering machine, PC with fax/modem. I don't have a stand-alone fax.

Depending on how I have the answering machine and fax set to answer, if I am not there, either the fax modem answers potentially a voice call, or the answering machine answers potentially a fax call. And if I am there, potentially I answer a fax call.

I think faxability may be one solution, although I don't like the idea of paying Telecom every month for the privilege. :annoyed:

[PaulD]

I think faxability may be one solution, although I don't like the idea of paying Telecom every month for the privilege. :annoyed:

The fee wouldn't even pay for one cup of Theresa's coffee.

[godfather]

The fee wouldn't even pay for one cup of Theresa's coffee.
Agreed.
At $2.50 per month for the separate number, its certainly OK by me.

[Tony]

Agreed. At $2.50 per month for the separate number, its certainly OK by me.It is the principle rather than the amount. :yuck:

The more I look the more confused I get :@@:

Even if I get faxability, I still need some sort of decoder to recognise the different rings and either ring the phone or let the fax take it, right? So if a fax comes through, the answering machine will never see it? So how do I set up my fax/modem? Presumably I set it up to answer after the answering machine so that if it is a voice call, the tam will pick it up, but if it is a fax, the tam will never hear it?

Why is nothing ever simple?

[godfather]

I think it is actually $3.95 - but it is the principle rather than the amount. :yuck:

Not on my bill.

$2.50 including GST.

That does depend on the "package" you are subscribed to of course.

[PaulD]

With the decoder, the answering machine would be on the telephone port. You end up with 2 numbers on same line, 2nd number gets different cadence ringing.
There used to be some all-in-one units that answered all calls - no fax tones - ring local phone then switch to being an answerphone which was fine if you didn't get many voce calls.

[Peter Coleman]

Hi how old is your PC.If it has an ISA slot you may be able to fit a REAL modem(as opposed to a winmodem) and use that.I have this set up;ADSL,phone,Telecom callminder,and faxability.The modem recognises the faxability(which a winmodem won't) we answer the phone(different ring) and the callminder answers when we can't(out or engaged).Works perfectly.

Peter

[Tony]

Thanks again everyone for your suggestions.

The more I think about it, the more I am coming to the conclusion that what I will do is handle all faxes manually. We only get a few, and usually we know they are going to be coming, so we ought to be able to intercept them when they arrive. Not very sophisticated, but veeery cheap! :)

[PaulD]

Peter Coleman, Winmodems can recognise distinctive ringing but Microsoft OSs ignore the standard reporting of such.
"The LT modem (Agere winmodem) uses the V.253 standard DRON/DROFF method for distinctive ring support; however, Microsoft operating systems do not support this standard, so MS-Windows programs (like MS Fax) may not recognize distincitve ring."

Telecom's ring cadence isn't a US standard pattern so I'm surprised your old ISA modem copes.

[rhiggins]

Tony,
In the States There is a product called "The Stick" ($139 US) http://faxswitch.com/stick.html that works very well with DSL and ADSL for sorting out your fax calls from your voice calls.

With the Stick your phones work line they did before you added the DSL because you only need one filter instead of having one for each extension. With a single phone line application with extension phones, a fax and a modem, you just plug everything in and your done. Your faxes automatically do to your fax machine or fax modem without ringing any phones and your voice calls ring all of your phones like normal. You can also dial into modems too. It is really very simple.

There is an installation diagram in the online manual under frequently asked questions about DSL. http://faxswitch.com/help/stick/stick/WebHelp/dsl_stick.html

The Stick works well with all phone company features except call forwarding (your fax calls get forwarded with your voice calls), phone company voice mail (since the stick answers all incoming calls you must use an answering machine because it can't send calls back to the phone company), and distinctive ring (the manufacturer has other products for that).

Since you live in New Zealand there will be an extra charge ($25) for the 220-240 electricity power requirements in your country. The company will add this charge to your order to include the proper power supply for New Zealand.

The RJ-11 phone jacks that you use in New Zealand are identical to the ones used in the States so you won't need any phone adaptors or do any wiring.

The only other thing that you need to be aware of is The Stick uses the US and Canada Bell Specification Ring back tone that the callers hear when they ring your phones so it would sound a little different to your callers than the normal double type ringback that I imagine your caller normally hear in New Zealand (it would sound like they are calling to the US). If you think this would bother your callers, it might be better to find a similar product manufactured in New Zealand. Otherwise I am confident that it will work correctly in your environment.

Besides this (the US ring back tone), the extra charges for the New Zealand Power Supply ($25 US) and the cost of shipping to New Zealand (about $70 US), I don't think you will find any other disadvantages of using this product.

If you can't find somthing locally, The Stick will solve your problem.

[Tony]

This looks like blatant advertising to me.

So I am being expected to pay US$139 + $25 + $70 = $NZ335 (approx) for this product that may work. I don't think so.

[Biggles]

Well, I agree it seems like advertising, in that the company selling that product is "Higgins International", and the user's name is rhiggins" and it is his first post. On the other hand, he didn't spam but gave you a directed response to your problem.

Our rules on this state:

"No commercial posting, spamming, or otherwise using the forum to promote products and services purely for your own gain. This doesn't stop you recommending products and services to other users, nor does it stop a vendor discussing their products in relation to a post. But users who post purely to promote their business/website may find their threads deleted along with their user ID."

... so I guess it's a matter of interpretation as to whether the user is merely trying to sell his product, or is genuinely giving you an option. Frankly, I think I'd give rhiggins the (marginal) benefit of the doubt on this one, given that he did reply to the subject of the thread, even if it is his own product/company he's promoting. If he's going to go around searching help forums for queries like this and replying to them all it's hardly a cost efficient way of promoting his business.

[PhillipPalmer]

I think I'm in a similar situation as Tony. I'm wanting to receive faxes with WinFax Pro 10 on a WinXP PC. I have Faxability on the phone line and want to still use Call Minder for voice messages. After toying with the idea of going to an old ISA modem I've come accross something called "Fax Mate" from www.natcomm.com.au. According to the blurb it seperates out the fax and voice calls through faxability before it hits your modem and only lets the faxes through so it seems just the ticket. Has anyone had any experience with one of these (it's NZ$111 so I'd rather be sure it was going to work before I put down the money). I would have thought this whole faxability/modem thing would affect more people than what it seems to.

Phillip

[NFrazer]

I have the same question. We have call minder and faxability. And dial up internet. Our fax has blown up. Installed MSFax option from XP disk but no faxability cofiguration with MS FAx. Seems like a common thing alright. Perhaps I should organise some software programming outfit to create a solution and then I could get megarich....But then some people dont want to pay for such things...Do they think I should do it all it for nothing? Or do they think outfits like Telecom should be savvy enough to provide the software to whoever has faxability and wants to use the fax software with their modem on their PC? Then Telecom could make MORE money..

[oldguy]

I had FaxAbility with ADSL for about 5 years. Always worked well and no compatibility problems at all.
It cost $4 / month on my phone bill. Quite reasonable for what it provided.