Phones-Fax

[Glynda]

We currently have two lines with Bell South for our home service...one a fax line. We are thinking of discontinuing one and rely on our cell phones instead. However, we do need a fax machine at home. How does one use one line for both fax and phone service? Is there equipment, i.e., a specific phone one buys which recognizes an incoming fax and switches?

 

[Makai Guy]

There ARE siwtches you can buy that will analyze an incoming call and direct it to the proper equipment, but you probably don't need one.

Over the years we've had several fax machines. All of them could share a voice line without needing extra equipment. The secret was to set the fax NOT to answer incoming calls immediately, but to let an answering machine take the call. (Answering machine pick up on 4 rings, fax pickup on 6.) The fax machine would still "listen" to the incoming call if manually answered or picked up by the answering machine, and will take over if it detects fax tones in the call.

For this to work correctly with my current Lexmark fax machine, the phone must be connected through the fax machine, not plugged into the wall directly. Now that we've gone to a wireless phone where only the base station is connected to the phone line, that has not been a problem. I've had others where it worked okay even when the phones were connected separately.

So dig out your manual for the fax machine and check the section on how to set up and connect it.