WTB: Fax software that auto switches between fax/answering machine
DY
to miss any phone calls. Is there any fax software that automatically
switches between fax and an answering machine hooked up to the same line?
Jeff R Lindstrom
Check into Silent Answer capability on your faxmodem. On
incoming calls, it listens to the line without answering. If it
detects the Fax CNG tone, it picks up and negotiates fax
reception.
Your answering machine will have to be considerate enough to
hang up if any other phone device picks up, and if you answer a
phone call yourself, you will have to hang up quickly when you
hear your faxmodem pick up. Also, most implementations require
that you not answer until the 2nd ring.
Regards,
Jeff Lindstrom
Technical Support
Prolific, Inc.
Okidata
: I would to have the ability to receive fax on the computer but I don't want
: to miss any phone calls. Is there any fax software that automatically
: switches between fax and an answering machine hooked up to the same line?
OK...I'm really straining my brain to remember this, but we had a PC card
here made by FRECOM (Fremont, California) that allowed you to share your
FAX machine, telephone and answering machine all on the same line.
Though I never used it, I did read the preface of the user's manual about
two years ago. Sorry, but I can't find it right now, so I tell you all I
can remember about it.
As I recall, you'd connect your own answering machine, telephone, and FAX
machine to the phone jacks on the back of the card. The system worked by
letting your answering machine answer the phone. The card would listen to
the phone line as your outgoing message tells the caller to press some
special touch-tone keys (like *9) if he wants to send a FAX. If the card
detected the special tones, it would activate the FAX machine. Otherwise,
the answering machine would just take a message as usual.
The product name has eluded me, but I think it was something like
"3-in-1" (yeah, I know that's a lubricant, but it's all I can think
of...). Anyway, you had to supply your own answering machine, which is
great if you already have one. Don't have any idea what it cost, either,
but it didn't LOOK expensive! I'd guess in the neighborhood of $50.
Hope this helps! If you really need more info from me, send me email at
the address below and I'll try to scrounge up the users manual.
Dav...@oatc.ccmail.compuserve.com
--
Dav...@oatc.ccmail.compuserve.com || "You ain't gonna' eat that, are ya'?
OKI Advanced Technology Centre || -FishTales
K. M. Peterson
> I don't want to miss any phone calls. Is there any fax software
> that automatically switches between fax and an answering
> machine hooked up to the same line?
You'll get some responses on this pointing you towards "silent answer".
I tried to get it to work with a Supra, but couldn't. I now have a
ZyXEL with distinctive ring detection; it works very well. Distinctive
ring is available from our local telco, it allows the assignment of a
second number to my "primary phone line", when someone calls this
second number it rings on the same line, but with two short rings at a
time rather than one long ring at a time. The modem only picks up on
this "distinctive" ring.
I also have voicemail from the local telco, as I've dumped call
waiting. This means that I will always get messages even if I'm
online, and that fax calls will also not be interrupted. The only hole
in the plan is people sending faxes will sometimes get a message rather
than a busy signal.
--------------
K. M. Peterson
email: K...@TIAC.NET
phone: +1 617 731 6177 voice
+1 617 730 5969 fax
Malome Khomo
>> I would to have the ability to receive fax on the computer but
>> I don't want to miss any phone calls. Is there any fax software
>> that automatically switches between fax and an answering
>> machine hooked up to the same line?
>You'll get some responses on this pointing you towards "silent answer".
>
>I tried to get it to work with a Supra, but couldn't. I now have a
>ZyXEL with distinctive ring detection; it works very well. Distinctive
>ring is available from our local telco, it allows the assignment of a
>second number to my "primary phone line", when someone calls this
>second number it rings on the same line, but with two short rings at a
>time rather than one long ring at a time. The modem only picks up on
>this "distinctive" ring.
There is another hardware solution ~$120 at Electek and their like which
is a little automatic switch that can send the call to one of 5 devices:
FAX, AUXILLIARY, HANDSET, ANSWER and something else I cannot remember off-
hand. Any way, it recognizes fax calling tones and automatically
connects to FAX, otherwise it will connect and ring the HANDSET, but
after a programmable number of rings it will switch again to the ANSWER
line on which you put the answering device. Alternatively (Night Mode)
it will always go to the FAX first before going to the ANSWER line.
I think this is how you'd hook it up if your target device was a FAX that
doubled as a modem or even an answering device a la vgetty, although some
of the switches features may clash with what you want your fax-modem to do.
If you put a modem on the AUXILLIARY line you get to it directly
with additional programmable digits after your phone number. This thing
will not accept another call while your external line is busy. It can
accept a second external line as described above, and I think that's what the
fifth inside channel takes - a second handset, but I'm not positive. - If
this is correct, then you lose calls while the ANSWER is already busy, but
you can easily hook another answering machine ahead of either handset.
>I also have voicemail from the local telco, as I've dumped call
>waiting. This means that I will always get messages even if I'm
>online, and that fax calls will also not be interrupted. The only hole
>in the plan is people sending faxes will sometimes get a message rather
This seems to be the recommendation, especially when your lines are in
a hunt group. Call-wait interrupts data transmission. It might be that
the next generation vgetty's will know how to handle call-wait correctly.
Malome.
Anthony E. Siegman
>is a little automatic switch that can send the call to one of 5 devices:
>FAX, AUXILLIARY, HANDSET, ANSWER and something else I cannot remember off-
>hand. Any way, it recognizes fax calling tones and automatically
>connects to FAX, otherwise it will connect and ring the HANDSET, but
>after a programmable number of rings it will switch again to the ANSWER
>line on which you put the answering device. Alternatively (Night Mode)
>it will always go to the FAX first before going to the ANSWER line.
HAL (Home Automation Laboratories) advertises a similar automatic
FAX/Voice switch for around $100, and several Distinctive Ring devices
for around $50. I haven't tried them, but I can post the address if
anyone wants it.
But, does anyone know if these kinds of switches must go in the
incoming phone line *before* any of the devices to be switched,
i.e. do they provide essentially a branching function? My fax modem
is way at the end of my home wiring backbone, with half a sozen phones
branched off the line before it ever reaches the fax.
Malome Khomo
> HAL (Home Automation Laboratories) advertises a similar automatic
>FAX/Voice switch for around $100, and several Distinctive Ring devices
>for around $50. I haven't tried them, but I can post the address if
>anyone wants it.
> But, does anyone know if these kinds of switches must go in the
>incoming phone line *before* any of the devices to be switched,
>i.e. do they provide essentially a branching function? My fax modem
>is way at the end of my home wiring backbone, with half a sozen phones
>branched off the line before it ever reaches the fax.
In my case I acquired the device precisely for that. I had a PC with an
old Hayes 4800B fax card that would always grab any incoming calls while
it was on. So I would put the switch ahead of all devices. You can experiment,
but I think that is the designed config.