I am trying to set up my faxing software with a dell optiplex 620.I have window xp using service pack three. Issue is my faxing software that comes with xp professional works fine if you manually answer it.when set to auto answer the faxing software answers every call not letting regular call go to my cordless phone/answering machine. I have tried playing with the number of ring settings but then the answering machine picks up and not the faxing software. I have a dual use incoming line with a dedicated fax and home number that is different.How do i fix the issue. 1 person needs an answerI do too

I am trying to set up my faxing software with a dell optiplex 620.I have window xp using service pack three.Issue is my faxing software that comes with xp professional works fine if you manually answer it.when set to auto answer the faxing software answers every call not letting regular call go to my cordless phone/answering machine. I have tried playing with the number of ring settings but then the answering machine picks up and not the faxing software.I have a dual use incoming line with a dedicated fax and home number that is different.How do i fix the issue.If I understand you correctly, you have a single physical telephone line that has two telephone numbers associated with it. This is implemented using a feature that the telephone company often describes as "distinctive ring ." You can't talk on the phone and use the fax at the same time.Windows XP Fax Services is not a very robust application. Among other things, it does not have the ability to recognize different ring patterns or to distinguish between incoming fax and non-fax calls (I don't know if Win 7 is any better on this point). Unless auto-answer is turned off, it simply answers every call -- as you've discovered.You have three options:1. Use a dedicated phone line connected to your computer's fax modem. This would be a physically separate line, and thus might cost more than your "dual use" line.2. Purchase a switch that directs the incoming calls automatically. These switches can either bedistinctive ring detectors or they may "answer" an incoming call,listen for fax tones and then direct the call to the telephone or the fax machine/modem as appropriate. The links are only examples. If you want to go this route, you'll probably be able to find others.3. Buy a fax machine that has its own built-in distinctive ring detector.

got it fixed I needed to adjust the amount of rings that the xp faxing software needed before answering it. I had to set it more than the answering machine needed to answer. answering machine was set at 5 rings now the xp software is set to 6 rings and then it works properly. thanks for the help but i figured it out on my own.

got it fixed I needed to adjust the amount of rings that the xp faxing software needed before answering it. I had to set it more than the answering machine needed to answer. answering machine was set at 5 rings now the xp software is set to 6 rings and then it works properly.thanks for the help but i figured it out on my own.Your "solution" works inasmuch as now the answering machine will pick up the line instead of the fax modem, but with this arrangement, the fax modem willnever answer. In other words, if someone tries to send you a fax, the answering machine will "answer" and record the fax negotiation tones, which won't do you much good.Unless you have an intelligent answering machine that detects the fax tones and transfers the incoming call to the fax modem (which you didn't mention), you might as well disable auto-answer for your fax modem.