"Christopher J. Pikus" <cjp%megatek.UUCP@ucsd.edu> (07/29/90)
I've been considering getting a fax machine for home use but am hesitant to connect it to my primary residence line. Mainly How do I prevent the FAX machine from answering calls meant for myself while receiving data calls. Since I am away alot, I would hope my answering machine will continue to intercept all the calls from humans but that the fax machine would get its due too. Now, I have seen these phone/fax switchboxes that allegedly do this but I'm not sure how it is done. So my question is: how does such a critter work? My only theory is that the originating fax machine sends a pilot tone to signal the answering machine (or switchbox) that a fax transmission is coming in. Does anyone know how (or if) these things work? Does anyone use one? Will it solve my problem? If not what will? (besides getting another line). Regards, Christopher J. Pikus, Megatek Corp. INTERNET: cjp@megatek.uucp San Diego, CA UUCP: ...!uunet!megatek!cjp
trebor@uunet.uu.net (Robert J Woodhead) (07/30/90)
cjp%megatek.UUCP@ucsd.edu (Christopher J. Pikus) writes: > I've been considering getting a fax machine for home use but >am hesitant to connect it to my primary residence line. Mainly How do >I prevent the FAX machine from answering calls meant for myself while >receiving data calls. In Japan, where there are many fax machines, there is apparently a nifty answering machine that also lets you connect a fax machine to it. What you end up with is something like this: [The Phone Company]<-->[Your Phone]<-->[Answering machine]<-->[Your Fax] When you answer the phone and hear the dulcet tones of a fax machine, you just push the button on your fax machine and the fax's talk to each other. When the answering machine picks up the phone, it starts with the outgoing message, and records an answer, but if it hears fax tones it shuts down and sends them on to the fax machine. To handle manual fax calls, you leave instructions ("Start your fax machine now") in your outgoing message. Note : I have never actually seen one of these, but have sent faxes to numbers in Japan that have them (imagine my surprise the first time, when a fax number starts talking to me in Japanese [my Japanese is rudimentary, unfortunately]). I'll be in Japan in September, and will check them out then. Robert J Woodhead, Biar Games, Inc. !uunet!biar!trebor trebor@biar.UUCP
mikes@uunet.uu.net (mike spann) (07/31/90)
In article <10225@accuvax.nwu.edu> cjp%megatek.UUCP@ucsd.edu (Christopher J. Pikus) writes: > I've been considering getting a fax machine for home use but >am hesitant to connect it to my primary residence line. Mainly How do >I prevent the FAX machine from answering calls meant for myself while >receiving data calls. > Now, I have seen these phone/fax switchboxes that allegedly do >this but I'm not sure how it is done. So my question is: how does such >a critter work? My only theory is that the originating fax machine >sends a pilot tone to signal the answering machine (or switchbox) that >a fax transmission is coming in. I have seen two common types phone/fax switch boxes. One uses a voice prompt and requires the caller to enter a touch tone digit to get the answer machine/fax and will get the fax/answering machine otherwise. This works ok if all your friends have touch tone and you have the default be to the fax machine. The other box (and the one I would select) uses the little known fact that audio energy is carried down the phone line when the phone is ringing. (This is commonly known to thiefs who sometimes talk to each other without answering the phone). An automatic fax machine sends a calling tone every three seconds while waiting for the phone to be answered. The phone/fax switch box listens on the line for this 'calling tone' and routes the call to the fax machine if one is heard. The box never answers the phone which I consider an advantage. This way you can have a real-live phone the voice connection and a fax machine on the other. People don't have to pay to call when you aren't home. (I personally hate answering machines..) The disadvantage of this approach is that manually dialed faxes and some older fax machines do not send the calling tone and will not be properly routed to the fax machine. Fortunately, in practice, very few people 'manually' dial numbers. They place the paper in the fax machine, press the buttons and let the machine do the work. Michael Spann Voice: +1-408-744-1430 Fax: +1-408-744-1549 UUCP: ...!uunet!gammafax!mikes CIS: 73747,441
Bill Huttig <la063249@zach.fit.edu> (07/31/90)
Then there is the option of getting the multi-pattern ringing service from you phone co. (Some common names for it are RingMaster, Smart Ring, RingMate....etc). There are several different companies that offer a device that you plug into your phone line that splits the line into multi-line two to four. On each call the box detects which ring pattern was used and send the calls to the proper line ... That way you fax will have its own phone number. In Southern Bell (FL) it costs 3.95/month for one additional number and 5.95/month for two. Bill
PCI@cup.portal.com (08/01/90)
I recommend the use of a Ring Rite by CMP inc *IF* you can get a distinctive ring on a second number from your telephone company. I am using this very successfuly in Hawaii with HawTel Smart Ring service. You have three dip switches that you set to pass the desired ring to the device (fax, modem, answering machine, telephone etc) and it blocks all other rings. You pay the phone company a small charge of $5-$8 a month for the second number on the same line and you then can route the calls based upon the dialed number. CMP is in Broomfield CO or send me an E-Mail if you need further information. Robert Kelley Internet: PCI@CUP.PORTAL.COM PCI Communications Inc. EasyLink: 62958477 (808) 599-4724 OnTyme: INTL.PCI/KELLEY FAX (808) 733-2011 SprintMail: RFKELLEY SnailMail: 1103 9th Ave, Suite 245, Honolulu HI, 96816
Dave Levenson <dave%westmark@uunet.uu.net> (08/01/90)
In article <10235@accuvax.nwu.edu>, gammafax!mikes@uunet.uu.net (mike spann) writes: > The other box (and the one I would select) uses the little known fact > that audio energy is carried down the phone line when the phone is > ringing. (This is commonly known to thiefs who sometimes talk to each > other without answering the phone). An automatic fax machine sends a > calling tone every three seconds while waiting for the phone to be > answered. The phone/fax switch box listens on the line for this I thought the phone/fax switch box answers and then listens for audio from a calling fax machine. If it depends upon the audio sent between rings before answering, then it will only work on the now mostly- obsolete crossbar and step-by-step central offices. The 1ESS, 1AESS, and 5ESS local central office switches do not pass any audio before they receive answer supervision. Dave Levenson Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857 Westmark, Inc. UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave Warren, NJ, USA AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave
john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) (08/01/90)
Bill Huttig <la063249@zach.fit.edu> writes: > Then there is the option of getting the multi-pattern ringing service > from you phone co. (Some common names for it are RingMaster, Smart > Ring, RingMate....etc). Anyone remember party lines? You know, one pair of wires serving multiple subscribers with different phone numbers -- useful when pair availability is limited. Bet you thought they were a thing of the past. Now the telcos have found a way to bring them back and sell both halves (or all four quarters) to the same subscriber! Talk about your simulated facilities! Well, it IS cheaper than having multiple lines, but much less useful. But the telco sure cleans up. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
Ken Abrams <kabra437@pallas.athenanet.com> (08/05/90)
In article <10235@accuvax.nwu.edu> mike spann <gammafax!mikes@ uunet.uu.net> writes: >In article <10225@accuvax.nwu.edu> cjp%megatek.UUCP@ucsd.edu >(Christopher J. Pikus) writes: >The other box (and the one I would select) uses the little known fact >that audio energy is carried down the phone line when the phone is >ringing. (This is commonly known to thiefs who sometimes talk to each >other without answering the phone). An automatic fax machine sends a >calling tone every three seconds while waiting for the phone to be >answered. The phone/fax switch box listens on the line for this >'calling tone' and routes the call to the fax machine if one is heard. >The box never answers the phone which I consider an advantage. This Another urban myth bites the dust. This is a "little known fact" because it is NOT a fact, ie. not true. Maybe that needs a little qualification. If you live in the rain forrest in Africa and are still using something like tin cans and string and calling it a phone, then maybe you have a case to make. It's also possible that some PBX systems might exhibit this strange behavior (don't know, I never worked on them animals). If, on the other hand, you are talking about REAL phone systems like the ones used by modern telcos to call across town or across the country, what you said above just plain and simply is not the case. There is no physical or electrical path between the calling and called party until the phone is answered, none, zip, zilch. This path did exist in some of the older vintage Step-by-Step switches but not in anything newer than that. Wake up and join the 20th Century. Ken Abrams uunet!pallas!kabra437 Illinois Bell kabra437@athenanet.com Springfield (voice) 217-753-7965
tad@beaver.cs.washington.edu> (08/07/90)
In article <10235@accuvax.nwu.edu>, gammafax!mikes@uunet.uu.net (mike spann) writes: > One uses a voice prompt and requires the caller to enter a touch tone > digit to get the answer machine/fax and will get the fax/answering > machine otherwise. This works ok if all your friends have touch tone > The other box (and the one I would select) uses the little known fact > that audio energy is carried down the phone line when the phone is > ringing. (This is commonly known to thiefs who sometimes talk to each > other without answering the phone). I don't think so! This used to be the case with SxS and maybe XBar switches, but I don't think modern ESS type switches do this. > An automatic fax machine sends a > calling tone every three seconds while waiting for the phone to be > answered. The phone/fax switch box listens on the line for this > 'calling tone' and routes the call to the fax machine if one is heard. Unless I am mistaken, the box answers the phone, listening for a tone. This sounds clumsy to the calling party. The best solution is to use one of the boxes that switch based on ringing cadence. This works with telco provided distinctive ringing, where a second phone number is assigned to one line. Tad Cook Seattle, WA Packet: KT7H @ N7HFZ.WA.USA.NA Phone: 206/527-4089 MCI Mail: 3288544 Telex: 6503288544 MCI UW USENET:...uw-beaver!sumax!amc-gw!ssc!tad or, tad@ssc.UUCP