BROTHER 4100E

[cucuklotz]

HI,

Installed machine last week(Replacing A small canon Fax Machine)Customer called me today telling me there are problems with new machine.Everything was fine until they tried to send a fax from a machine ON THE SAME LINE in another room(I was totally unaware it was sharing line with another fax machine).they said fax was blank to whoever they were sending to and a report would be printed on new machine(in front room).Now they say neither machine works. They said they never had problem when old fax machine was on the line,only since new one installed.They also told me they have a CREDIT CARD MACHINE ON SAME LINE.
They told me they want system to work like it did when old machine was being used.
They want new machine in front room to receive only,the machine in back office is to be used for sending only.Does anyone know how I can set this up to work like it did before I installed new fax machine?
THANKS ANDY

[blackcat4866]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

Each fax machine must have a dedicated line. End of story.

Fax machines are a little like a drunk party guest. They talk over everyone, and never listen to see if anyone is paying attention. So if machine #1 is on the line and machine #2 starts to send, it will talk right over #1 and both communications will fail. How do you know if the line is not being used by the other machine? You don't. There is no way to tell. Each fax machine assumes the line is his, and always available.

This just doesn't work well, ever. Don't waste your time trying to make it work. Spend your time convincing them not to do it. =^..^=

[slimslob]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

I don't work on Brother, but I have seen similar problems when 1 machine is set to pulse dial instead of tone. The other machine can read the dial pulses as ringing voltage and go off hook. The problems with two fax machines on the same line are which one answers incoming calls and how do you know if the line is already in use. A fax and a credit card machine can use the same line but should be side by side so that you know when the other is in use.

[slimslob]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

Each fax machine must have a dedicated line. End of story.

Fax machines are a little like a drunk party guest. They talk over everyone, and never listen to see if anyone is paying attention. So if machine #1 is on the line and machine #2 starts to send, it will talk right over #1 and both communications will fail. How do you know if the line is not being used by the other machine? You don't. There is no way to tell. Each fax machine assumes the line is his, and always available.

This just doesn't work well, ever. Don't waste your time trying to make it work. Spend your time convincing them not to do it. =^..^=

Cat you finished typing before I did.

[blackcat4866]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

I don't work on Brother, but I have seen similar problems when 1 machine is set to pulse dial instead of tone. The other machine can read the dial pulses as ringing voltage and go off hook. The problems with two fax machines on the same line are which one answers incoming calls and how do you know if the line is already in use. A fax and a credit card machine can use the same line but should be side by side so that you know when the other is in use.

Sounds like we were thinking along similar lines. =^..^=

[cucuklotz]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

THANKS BLACKCAT(AS ALWAYS) AND SLIMSLOB FOR SPEEDY REPLIES.
One last question,If I set the front machine to receive on two rings and rear machine to pick up on six rings,will this at least allow only the front machine to receive?
THANKS ANDY

[blackcat4866]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

Yes ... but, what about sending? The customer says "I'll just make sure nobody is using the other machine ... " but how will they know if it's sending from memory, or receiving? They won't.

This is a no win situation. Best to extricate yourself now before you spend many hours trying to make something work, that cannot. =^..^=

[cucuklotz]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

THANKS BLACKCAT.
I will take your advice.
ANDY

[Dickie]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

Make sure "Fax Detect" is swiched off in the receive settings. The default setting in the U.K is to "On" and this causes all kinds of weird and wonderful problems on shared lines. Hope this helps

[cucuklotz]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

HI,
Thanks everyone for all the help and time spent in trying to solve problem. The machine that shares a line with new 4100e is a Brother MFC 8860..I got then 4100e to be receiving machine and it works fine.
The MFC 8860 in back room will not send unless I disconnect 4100E from line.
I plugged their old machine(a small canon FAXPHONE L170) in again instead of new Brother 4100 and then I was able to send from the Brother 8860 and receive from the Canon L170 the way the customer said it should work.
There must be something in 4100E that needs to be set different to allow the Mfc 8860 to send while sharing same line.If I disconnect the 4100E I am able to send from 8860 machine.
Any help welcomed and appreciated.There must be some way to do this with the new 4100E.
Thanks ANDY

[blackcat4866]

Re: BROTHER 4100E

... There must be something in 4100E that needs to be set different to allow the Mfc 8860 to send while sharing same line.If I disconnect the 4100E I am able to send from 8860 machine.
Any help welcomed and appreciated.There must be some way to do this with the new 4100E.
Thanks ANDY

You're not supposed to share a line ever.
No setting for that. =^..^=