Re: Fax machine answering incoming phone calls

In that last comment, I meant "not very expensive"

Lem wrote:
Reply is at the bottom

Gramma wrote:

It is HP Photosmart D7100; however, I contacted HP and was advised that there is no fax software in this model. Have uninstalled/reinstalled AOL program and had msgs frm them re access numbers, etc. but still have to unplug the dual phone/computer wall connection in order to receive incoming calls without the interference! Don't know what else to check about my modem settings and it sounds like a modem problem, what do you think?

"Charlie Tame" wrote:


"Gramma" <Gramma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:8843C5BF-7F85-41FF-B267-391642F82453@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WINXP Home Ed. Recently installed new HP Photosmart printer and AOL dial-up
internet connection with just one telephone line modem.

Since then I am having a problem with incoming phone calls schreeching
interference that sounds like a fax machine even though I am not on the
internet.

QWest repair came today and told me that a fax machine is answering my
incoming calls so it is not a phone problem but instead a fax software
problem. I do not have a fax machine so never set up fax software. He also
advised that I would have to unplug my computer wall connection to receive
incoming calls. I've never had to do this in all these many years.

This has been so frustrating since there was a death in the family and I was
not able to get the incoming calls so was notified by e-mail.

Pls help this 80-yr-old in great grandmother language!


Well, it seems like there are a couple of likely things.

You said HP Photosmart but not the model number, it is not some sort of "All in one" printer that is also a fax machine is it? If it is an "All in one" then it should not be connected to anything except the computer, certainly not the phone line. I don't think this is the case but have to ask because with "All in one" machines it's not uncommon for people to plug everything to everything just because wires are included. This is what I mean by all in one http://audiovisual.kelkoo.co.uk/b/a/ps_14996073/100052213.html

If there is any type of phone connector on the printer at all it should NOT be connected.

There are two ways to achieve fax with a printer, the all in ones often have their own built in modem and if that is plugged in it will try to answer the phone all the time, or they use the computer's modem which is where we consider the following:-

If it is only the PC connected to the phone line then some "Software" somewhere has set it up either to receive faxes (Which may be something HP installed and won't necessarily show up where you have been told to look so far) or else the modem has been set in auto answer mode. In Auto answer mode it will probably sound like it's screeching, in fax mode it will "Chirp" periodically to try and find a fax at the other end. I think if you can specify the printer model we may be able to find something in the software that came with it.

Charlie



I have no idea how it could have happened, but why don't you check to see if the Windows XP Fax Service has been installed (and if so, uninstall it).

1. Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs

2. In the left column of the Add or Remove Program window, click the button to "Add/Remove Windows Components"

3. You should see a windows with the title "Windows Components Wizard" that has a list of "Components." On mine, "Fax Services" is the second entry. If there is a check mark in the box next to Fax Services, click to remove the check mark, then click "Next" and follow the directions.

4. If there was no check mark next to Fax Services, "cancel" the Windows Components Wizard and scroll through the list of "Currently installed programs" in the main Add or Remove Programs window. If you find something that sounds like it's a fax program, uninstall it. If you're not sure what a particular program does, use Google to search for its name on the web before you uninstall it.

Once you uninstall any fax program, you should be able to receive phone calls without unplugging your computer, although if you are online, the caller may (a) get a busy signal or (b) knock you off-line.

If you can't find anything that looks like fax software, there is, as Charlie said, the possibility that somehow the modem was set to "autoanswer" in data mode. This can be undone, but it's not straightforward, and you might be better off seeing if you can find a local computer professional; it's not a big job if you know what to do, so it should be very expensive. If you want to try looking at your modem settings, post back.


--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
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