Fax troubleshooting

Fax troubleshooting checklist

If you encounter problems sending and receiving faxes, then check the connection first:

Check for a dial tone on the telephone line by plugging an analog telephone into the wall jack, DSL filter, VoIP device, or cable modem where you connected the printer. Make sure you plug the telephone into the same port.
If you do not hear a dial tone, then contact your line provider.
While the printer is connected to the telephone line, check for a dial tone by plugging an analog telephone into the port of the printer.
If you do not hear a dial tone, then use the checklist below. Listen for a dial tone after checking each item.
If you hear a dial tone but still have problems sending and receiving faxes, then see the other topics in this section.

Connection checklist

Make sure that the printer and other devices on the line (if applicable) are set up and configured correctly according to your setup scenario.
Make sure that the cables are connected to the correct ports.
Make sure that the cables are securely plugged in.
Check the cable connections for the following hardware, if applicable:
Power supply
Answering machine
Cable modem
Splitter
Telephone
VoIP adapter
DSL filter
RJ-11 adapter
If the printer is connected to a Digital Subscriber Line, then make sure you are using a DSL filter for the printer.
If the printer is connected to a VoIP adapter or cable modem, then make sure that the printer is plugged into the first phone port.
If you are using a splitter, then make sure that you are using a phone splitter. Do not use a line splitter.

Cannot send faxes

If the “Fax troubleshooting checklist” does not solve the problem, then try one or more of the following:

Make sure that you have registered your user information in the printer

If you did not enter your user information during initial setup, then enter your fax name and fax number. In some countries, you cannot send a fax without entering your fax name or company name. Some fax machines also block unknown faxes or faxes without sender information.

Decrease the transmission speed of the fax modem

The modem of the printer can transmit data at 33,600 bps. This is the maximum speed at which the printer can send and receive faxes. It is not necessary, however, to set the modem to its fastest transmission capability. The speed of the modem of the receiving fax machine must match or be greater than the speed at which you are sending your fax. Otherwise, your fax will not be received.

From the printer control panel, navigate to:
> Setup > > Fax Setup > > Dialing and Sending > > Max Send Speed >
Select a sending speed, and then press .

Enable error correction

Errors and blurs may appear in the faxed document if there is too much noise on the line. This option enables the printer to transmit the bad blocks of data again and correct the errors. When a fax has too many errors, the fax may be rejected by the receiving fax machine.

From the printer control panel, navigate to:
> Setup > > Fax Setup > > Dialing and Sending > > Error Correction >
Check to see if error correction is set to On.
If it is not set to On, then press the arrow buttons to select On, and then press .

Enable automatic fax conversion

If the receiving fax machine does not support color fax, then this option automatically converts the outgoing color fax to black and white. It also automatically reduces the resolution of the fax to a resolution that the receiving machine can support.

From the printer control panel, navigate to:
> Setup > > Fax Setup > > Dialing and Sending > > Auto Fax Convert >
Check to see if automatic fax conversion is set to On.
If it is not set to On, then press the arrow buttons to select On, and then press .

Make sure that the Dial Prefix setting is correct

The dialing prefix is the number or series of numbers that you press before you can dial the actual fax number or telephone number. If the printer is in an office setting or in a private branch exchange, this can be a specific number that you need to press so you can make a call outside the office.

Make sure that the dial prefix entered in the printer is correct for your network.

From the printer control panel, navigate to:
> Setup > > Fax Setup > > Dialing and Sending > > Dial Prefix >
Press the arrow buttons to create or modify the prefix.
If the prefix is not correct, enter the correct prefix, and then press .

Cannot receive faxes

If the “Fax troubleshooting checklist” does not solve the problem, then try one or more of the following:

Make sure that you have configured the correct settings for your setup

The fax settings depend on whether the printer is connected to its own fax line or shares the line with other devices.

If the printer is sharing the telephone line with an answering machine, then make sure that the following are set:

Auto Answer is On.
The printer picks up on a greater number of rings than the answering machine.
The printer picks up on the correct distinctive ring (if you subscribe to a distinctive ring service).

If the printer is sharing the telephone line with a telephone subscribed to voice mail, then make sure that the following are set:

Auto Answer is Off (if you have only one number on the telephone line).
The printer picks up on the correct distinctive ring (if you subscribe to a distinctive ring service).

Make sure that the printer is connected to an analog port

The printer is an analog device. If you are using a PBX system, then make sure that the printer is connected to an analog port on the PBX. You may need a digital line converter that converts digital signals into analog signals.

Make sure that the printer memory is not full

The printer saves an incoming fax to the printer memory before it prints the fax. If the printer runs out of ink or runs out of paper while receiving the fax, then the printer saves the fax so you can print it later. However, if the printer memory is full, then the printer may not be able to receive more incoming faxes. An error message appears on the display when the printer memory is full. Resolve the error to free up space in the printer memory.

Make sure that Fax Forwarding is disabled

From the printer control panel, navigate to:
> Setup > > Fax Setup > > Ringing and Answering > > Fax Forward >
Press the arrow buttons to scroll to Off, and then press .

Increase the ringer volume

If you set the printer to receive faxes manually (Auto Answer Off), then increase the ringer volume.

Make sure that you have the correct manual answer code

If you set the printer to receive faxes manually (Auto Answer Off), then you need to press the correct code when a fax comes in so that the printer can receive it.

From the printer control panel, navigate to:
> Setup > > Fax Setup > > Ringing and Answering > > Manual Pickup Code >
Copy the manual answer code that appears on the display.

Note: To increase the security, you can change your manual pickup code to a number that only you know. You can enter up to 7 characters for your code. The valid characters are the digits 0–9 and the characters # and *.

Fax error messages on the printer control panel

Error Message:	What it indicates:	Possible solutions:
Remote Fax Error	The receiving fax machine cannot receive the fax. The error on the receiving end could be due to several factors.	Resend the fax. There may have been a problem with the quality of the connection. Decrease the transmission speed of your fax modem. Register your user information. In some countries, you cannot send a fax without registering your fax name and fax number. Some fax machines also block faxes without sender information.
Fax Mode Unsupported	The receiving fax machine does not support color fax or the scan resolution of the document that you are sending.	Enable Auto Fax Conversion. The printer automatically converts color faxes to black and lowers the scan resolution of the document. Lower the fax quality. Reformat the document on Letter-size paper.
Unsupported Compression	The fax modem of the receiving fax machine does not support data compression. Fax modems compress data to speed up transmission, but the receiving fax modem needs to have the same compression code.	Lower the transmission speed of the fax modem, and then resend the fax. Enable Auto Fax Conversion.
Unsupported Resolution	The receiving fax machine does not support the scan resolution of the document that you are sending.	Lower the fax quality. Enable Auto Fax Conversion.
Unrecoverable Fax Error	The fax modem encountered critical errors.	Turn off the printer, turn it back on, and then resend the fax.
Fax Modem Error	The fax modem of the printer may be busy, or the fax modem may have encountered problems during transmission.	Turn off the printer, turn it back on, and then resend the fax.
Phone Line is connected to the incorrect jack on the back of the machine.	The telephone cable is connected to the wrong port on the back of the printer.	Connect the phone cable to the port on the back of the printer.
Digital line detected	The printer is connected to a digital line.	The printer is an analog device and must be connected to an analog line. To connect the printer to a digital line, you must use a digital line converter or a filter. For more information, see the ”Setting up the printer to fax” section.
Failed to Connect Phone Line Error Phone Line Not Connected	The printer cannot detect a dial tone.	See the “Fax troubleshooting checklist.”
Phone Line Busy	Your telephone line or the telephone line of the receiving fax machine is busy. This happens especially if the printer is sharing the line with other devices (telephone, answering machine).	Set the printer to redial. Increase the time between the redial attempts. Place a test call to the number to which you want to send a fax to make sure that it is working correctly. If the telephone line is being used by another device, then wait until the other device is finished before sending the fax. Schedule to resend the fax at a later time. Set the printer to scan before dialing. The scanned document is saved in the printer memory. The printer can then retrieve it and automatically redial the number.
No Answer	Auto Answer may have been turned off on the receiving fax machine.	Verify the number, and then resend the fax. Set the printer to redial. Note: Depending on your country or region, there may be a limit on the number of redial attempts, regardless of the redial settings that you set in your printer. Schedule to resend the fax at a later time.
No Caller ID Call Stopped	Your printer stopped the call because the incoming fax has no sender information. You may have chosen to block faxes with no Caller ID or faxes without Caller IDs are not allowed in your country or region.	Disable Block No-ID.

To troubleshoot error messages in the fax software, click Help to view the help information for the fax software.