Faxing -what machines work?

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thunderbird
Posts:6388
Joined:Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:41 pm
Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by thunderbird » Sat Aug 27, 2011 4:01 pm

omahasc wrote:Ok. So get this. Before I bought Ooma (which is awesome with the exception of the fax issue) I tried Magic Jack. The MJ call quality wasn't great and the software was buggy. Also, you had to have your PC running for it to work. Anyway, we had problems with MJ so I tried Ooma and it's been great for phone calls.

I decided to see if MJ would work for my faxing and it does! So, for what it's worth, you may want to consider a MJ if you need to fax. That said I'll be keeping my Ooma for calls. If you've used Ooma for calls you will not be happy with MJ.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12241
by Bobby B » Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:17 pm
“A few weeks ago all Telos received fax tone detection support, which allows the Telo to change to an uncompressed codec when a fax call is detected. As a result of this change, the manual fax mode parameter is no longer needed. We're in the process of updating the documentation to reflect this change”.


I tried the HP Fax Test number 1-888-473-2963 this morning fully expecting it to not to work.
But it worked fine. Within five minutes I received a return Fax from the HP Fax Test number.

I have read where some people after connecting their Fax machine directly to the Ooma device Phone port, with nothing else connected, allows the Fax to work. (But mine goes all the way across the house with other phones connected, without any problems).

Others have said that after making adjustments to the Quality of Service settings in Ooma Setup, (and their router, if the Ooma device is connected after the router), their Fax began to work properly.

Also try dialing the complete number including the 1, example 1-xxx-xxx-xxxx. Remember that with Ooma, any call in the USA isn't long distance.

omahasc
Posts:5
Joined:Sat Aug 27, 2011 3:16 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by omahasc » Sun Aug 28, 2011 5:54 am

Thunder,

Thanks for the info. Would the fact that I'm using cable service cause any issues? Should I consider Fiber or a high speed DSL?

thunderbird
Posts:6388
Joined:Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:41 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by thunderbird » Sun Aug 28, 2011 6:16 am

omahasc wrote:Thunder,

Thanks for the info. Would the fact that I'm using cable service cause any issues? Should I consider Fiber or a high speed DSL?
I'd try connecting the Fax Machine directly to the Ooma phone port and try adjusting Quality of Service first, before trying another Internet provider. DSL would probably be going backwards, but who knows?
Try using the HP Fax test number listed in the previous post. The HP Fax test number will work with any brand of Fax Machine.

omahasc
Posts:5
Joined:Sat Aug 27, 2011 3:16 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by omahasc » Sun Aug 28, 2011 6:45 am

I've tried various QoS settings and I'm plugged right into the modem. So, Cable Modem, Ooma then wireless router. Fax plugged directly into the Ooma box. I've also tried a couple of different fax machines and turned ECM off and adjusted the resolution settings and baud rate (14.4 is as low as I could go on the machines I've tried).

thunderbird
Posts:6388
Joined:Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:41 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by thunderbird » Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:09 am

omahasc wrote:I've tried various QoS settings and I'm plugged right into the modem. So, Cable Modem, Ooma then wireless router. Fax plugged directly into the Ooma box. I've also tried a couple of different fax machines and turned ECM off and adjusted the resolution settings and baud rate (14.4 is as low as I could go on the machines I've tried).
Run http://speedtest.phonepower.com/ to see if we can see anything here. Then click on the Advance tab on the lower left side, and post the following values here in this thread, by clicking on "Quote" in the upper right hand corner of this post. Then fill in the blanks.

Download Speed: ________________
Upload Speed: ________________
Download Consistency of Service ________
Upload Consistency of Service _________
Maximum TCP Delay _____________
Jitter you server __________
Jitter server you _________
Packet loss: you server_______
Packet loss: server you ______
Packet discards _________
Packets out of order _________
Estimated MOS score ________

The other thing is sometimes the Fax machine manufacture wants you to use a certain phone cord for your fax. Find your Fax machine instructions and check.

omahasc
Posts:5
Joined:Sat Aug 27, 2011 3:16 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by omahasc » Sun Aug 28, 2011 1:50 pm

Here you go:

Download Speed: ________________8.29 mbps
Upload Speed: ________________ 4.76 mbps
Download Consistency of Service ________ 69%
Upload Consistency of Service _________ 86%
Maximum TCP Delay _____________ 75ms
Jitter you server __________ 5.3 ms
Jitter server you _________ 1.4 ms
Packet loss: you server_______ 0%
Packet loss: server you ______0%
Packet discards _________0%
Packets out of order _________0%
Estimated MOS score ________ 4.1

I don't think it would be the cord. The fax machine used to work with Ooma but now doesn't. I've tried a couple of HPs and the Epson Workforce 635 which was suggested from an article here. Not to mention that the HP that I'm using now (LaserJet 3390) works using Magic Jack.

Thanks for the help for sure!!!

thunderbird
Posts:6388
Joined:Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:41 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by thunderbird » Sun Aug 28, 2011 2:34 pm

omahasc:
Download Consistency of Service ________ 69% is usually 80% or higher, but if you can't send a Fax, this can't be the problem.

Using your HP LaserJet 3380 Fax machine, try sending the Fax to the HP Fax number, but with a comma in front of the number.
Example: ,1-888-473-2963

You can add a , by pressing the Pause button.

If that doesn't work, add two ,, s in fornt of the number.
Example: ,,1-888-473-2963


You could also press the * button first, to make sure you are getting a dial tone. You should see a W before the number.

Example: W,1-888-473-2963

If this doesn't work, explain in detail what happens. Did you hear the dial tone before Faxing, etc.

izmas
Posts:1
Joined:Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:27 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by izmas » Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:30 pm

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know that I am able to fax with my Ooma hub and Brother MFC-5860CN printer/fax by using:

*99phonenumber

without using pauses.

Example: *9918001231234
to send a fax to 1-800-123-1234

Hope this helps you guys.

bmccollum
Posts:89
Joined:Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:40 am

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by bmccollum » Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:53 am

My parents just got the Brother MFC-J835DW inkjet multifunction unit and faxing via their Ooma Telo works like a charm.

Nargg
Posts:9
Joined:Fri Jan 27, 2012 5:34 pm

Re: Faxing -what machines work?

Post by Nargg » Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:41 pm

Here's what's occuring. The Ooma will normally throttle down data use on a normal phone call. This allows for a better conversation and less data usage on your internet connection. A fax call requires all the normal phone sound and full spectrum available to send a fax. So the *99 to the Ooma tells the Ooma to not compress the data and sound spectrum in order to allow a full bandwidth fax to work. Pretty simple.

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