fax problems

Posts: 3 · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:23 pm Post subject: Vonage Fax Issue

Seems from reading other posts, this is why Vonage gives business free fax service because it doesnt work. I have a Dell 1600n MFD that sometimes works and other times doesnt. I am the owner of my company, and by the way it is a computer company so I am familiar with settings and bandwidth. Vonage keeps telling me they dont know what it is, every person you call you get a different answer to the problem. I guess I have an answer for there issue, Voip cannot run faxes. Come on Vonage just admit it, and let business people decide if they want to still have you as there provider for phone service, Vonages slogan should not be Phone for less....well then again maybe it should be.

Extremely frustrated after many years,

Kurt

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 03, 2011 Posts: 3

I've had problems -- off and on -- for years with Vonage FAX'es.

I think I've figured it out. Very Happy

But you're not out of the woods just yet. Evil or Very Mad

See the last section if you want to just cut to the chase and get a workaround.

The FAX machine on the other end answers the call and sends a series of 'handshake' tones.
I discovered that some FAX machines send a very loud series of tones, some are more "normal."

When I call a "loud" FAX machine from my cellphone, it's almost ear-splitting, but I hear the entire sequence of tones (then a pause while it waits for my FAX machine to reply, then another set, etc.).

HOWEVER, when I call that same number from my landline Vonage phone -- or my FAX machine -- the volume is so loud, that the handshake sound cuts in and out. It actually goes silent when it should still be heard. No handshake, no FAX.

This is reasonable. If the person on the other end is sending me a noise that would damage my hearing, it's reasonable to just block it.

In audio parlance, this is called "clipping." If you turn your stereo up as loud as it will go, the amplifier tries to play that loud, reaches a point where it's just not able to continue, then gives up and goes silent for a moment, then plays again, goes silent again . . . (Assuming you don't blow out your speakers first.)

Near as I can tell, this is what's happening to my Vonage line.

I've dumbed down the Baud rate to 2400, but it doesn't make any difference if I can't even connect to the other FAX.

Sometimes a troublesome machine will finally go through. Luck of the draw for the handshake to complete. They got a chance to agree before the signal went dead (clipped).

If true, this means that if you have trouble with a particular remote FAX machine, you might always have problems with it. Others machines will sail through without a hitch. Their manufacturers were simply less concerned that your old Bell Telephone landline had a grainy connection. Some vendors apparently try to "blast" through any scratchy wiring by raising the volume.

If your machine is the loud one, well, you're on your own. One way to tell is to call your FAX number from your cellphone. If it's really loud, you might have found the problem. Call a few other machines (nobody really cares if their FAX answers and hangs up) and you'll see what I mean.

SO, if true, the only solution is to have Vonage compensate on their equipment.

I spent (far too long) on the phone trying to explain this to a Vonage tech. Finally, she called my cellphone and I dialed two different FAX machines from my Vonage phone. She and I could hear that one FAX machine was sending perfect handshake tones and the louder one kept cutting out early. Only then did she finally grasp what I was saying.

Therefore, I don't expect anyone at Vonage to understand her messages to them.

Unless they read this message. How about it, Vonage?

Vonage cannot turn down the volume at my end of the line (well, they can, apparently, but it doesn't make any difference). Their system is set to protect my hearing in case of loud noises. Or, their equipment, like your overworked stereo, is just overwhelmed and gives up. Pick one.

The compensation has to come where the call transfers from the phone company into Vonage's network. Or, Vonage needs to stop "protecting me" from loud noises. I can't fix it on my end, since the sound never makes it this far.

I can tell, because I also tried to 'bleed off' some of the volume by leaving some extension phones off the hook when the handshake was coming through. (You can tell when someone picks up an extension because the volume drops.) No change. The problem is not that it's too loud at my end; it's being clipped inside Vonage's equipment downtown, so it never even gets to me. (Technically, they may be companding, where loud noises are dampened, and soft sounds are amplified automatically to make everything more 'normal.' If so, it's a feature, not a bug. )

Near as I can tell, all Voip providers have the same issues. Old Ma Bell didn't care how loud I yelled, but Vonage does (or is simply unable to carry loud noises through their system).

If you're trying to protect my hearing, please stop.

So, here's your possible solution.

The handshake tone series steps through a range of possible connection speeds. You want to 'hook up' at the beginning of that series, not at the end.

Try different Baud rates until you get one that works. I've had some luck with 4800. Your mileage may vary. Or, I could be full of hot air. You decide. After you call a few FAX machines from your cellphone.

If you want a free soft copy of the manual for your model FAX (or anything else), just Google the make, model, manual and PDF. You can also narrow the results to just the manufacturer's website:

hp 61000 manual pdf site:hp.com

Save a copy on your hard drive. You can use Acrobat Reader's "Find" box at the top to find the info you need. Hit F3 to go to the next one.

Good luck to you. Hope this helps. I've spent way too much time on this one, already.

Charlie Gosh

Posts: 3 · Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:33 am Post subject: Could be true

I think you may be onto somethign with teh baud rates. But I have an older D-Link Vonage box and also a real old Linksys Vonage box and customer sights and they recieve faxes no problem. Its the new boxes that are having the issue. Vonages "workaround" for this is to place the Vonage box in front of the router. This works ok but causes extreme bandwidth issues. Also I have two lines and a fax so I have two boxes, as most small business I am sure. When I asked if the other one should be placed in front of the router they said it didnt matter, just need one of the two in front. I am thinking they dont know either. Either way still not recieving faxes and customers are leaving Vonage for OOmma. Cant say I blame them.