How to make a modem answer a fax call?

Without knowing specifics about your system, I would guess that fax software included with the PC has not been installed and configured.

Windows XP also has a "built-in" fax applet that can be used. I have not used it personally, but have read that it is inferior to third party applications. Go to Start -> Help and Support and search for fax to obtain more information.

Dalton

I have installed Dell's standard modem and printer software that I thought was meant to do this.

I cannot find any settings to tell the modem to accept incoming calls. All I do know is that it used to work :(

Dalton is correct the Fax part of the Modem most likely has not been installed. To check this out click on the start button and then go into the Printers if there is not a Fax Printer there the software is not installed properly.

If it is there it isn't configured to run but I'm betting that it isn't there in the first place you'll most likely have to install some additional Windows Components from the Add Remove Software in the Control Panel. There is a box on the side of the Add Remove Programs for Windows Components. At the least you'll most likely need to install the Fax Service.

This should be in the manual that came with the computer on how to configure the Modem to send/receive Faxes. If you can not find th information post back the model of the PC and printer and if the modem was part of the original construction or an optional extra.

Col

Yeah, Dell have included some fax modem software with the machine. This has been installed.

I can run this software, and I can send a fax with it.

I just cannot get the computer to answer the telephone so that it can receive the incoming fax. I cannot find any menu options that will allow me to do this either :(

The first thing I suggest when troubleshooting fax problems with a modem is to try faxing with Microsoft Fax. This fax utility is included with all versions of Windows* - except WindowsMe - , and when installed, is a "printer" in Windows. By selecting the Microsoft Fax printer and printing any document, you should be able to send a fax.

If Microsoft Fax is not listed as a printer in your PRINTERS folder, go to Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs, and select the Windows Setup tab. Microsoft Fax should be listed as one of the components - add a check to it, click OK and the fax applet will be installed.

If Microsoft Fax works, but the application you are using doesn't (i.e. WinFax Pro, QuickLink, etc.), the problem lies in the 3rd-party fax application's compatibility with your modem. Some of these programs allow you to change the type of fax modem in setup; however, sometimes these programs will not have correct parameters. In addition, init strings for modem fax mode are complicated.

Receiving faxes: To automatically receive faxes, you configure your fax program to auto-answer the line. This means the fax program must monitor the modem. Since the modem can only be used by one program at a time, you may need to stop the auto-answer in order to use the modem with other programs (like to call your ISP with DUNs).

* - To install, or see if it's already installed, go to Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs. Then click on Windows Setup; the Fax application should be listed under Communications Details. If it has a check mark, it's already installed; if it has no check mark, you check it, and Install.

Some vendor or non-upgrade versions of Windows may not include Microsoft Fax in the pre-load or in the install list as described above - although the files for installation still come with Windows: Search for and run wms.exe which is the Window's Messaging Installation; reboot; then, search for and run awfax.exe which is the Microsoft Fax installation.

Thanks all for the suggestions, there is a lot of good stuff to work with here.

I shall go back to the computer and have another fiddle and see what comes of it.

I'll be honest here, I have never used a computer to receive faxes before. Whenever I have tried I have always found that it is just not as reliable as a stand alone fax machine. So my experience is limited.

When I was "trying to receive" faxes, I did not actually do anything. I just booted up the computer, made sure the modem was connected to the telephone line, and waited for the computer to do its magic. From what someone said here it sounds like I need to have the fax software open to monitor the line!

I shall have to confirm with the normal user how it was working beforehand. I got the impression that they did not start any software in order to receive their faxes.

Thanks all. I have "solved" the problem.

When I run the fax software, and then someone tries to send a fax it is received properly. As that last poster pointed out, the fax software needs to be running in order to monitor the modem.

For some reason it used to automatically monitor the modem without being run. I have no idea how it did this. I cannot see any settings at all with regard to this. But I am assured by my friend that when the machine came out of the box it "just received faxes automatically without any user intervention or setup at all".

I have popped this progrm into his startup folder, so it now appears to work like it used to. He is now happy, therefore so am I :)

Thanks for all your help