I think I found the problem...

[fixthecopier]

A contractor on base called our shop wanting to put a used Bizhub under maintenance. They had bought the Bz 250 from someone for $50. I went to inspect. The machine was in great shape, and if they paid for a drum dv replacement, surge suppressor and adf mat we would do it. All was well. 2 weeks later they called saying they could not fax out, only receive. I went to check it. Has dial tone and all settings correct. In all my years of doing this, 95% of fax calls are in the phone line, and almost 100% of those go to the same provider, and I have only changed 1 Bizhub fax board, and I am not sure it was bad. So I go back with a small fax machine and test again. When I send it says busy. I call the shop and verify that someone was using the shop line. I wait til she says it is free. I send and at first it is busy, then says sending. My girl at the shop says nothing is coming through. I am standing there thinking about this when a girl from another office walks up holding my test sheet saying it just came through on her machine. Now I know what my shop number is, and I don't know theirs. I do it again and walk into the other office. The machine lights up and prints my test fax.

"Ladies, unless you tell me my shop has been sending someone out here every day to collect our faxes, I am pretty sure I found the problem. Let me guess, you use Century Link as your provider. "

"That's correct, how did you know?"

"I love them, they help keep me employed"

[fixthecopier]

Re: I think I found the problem...

So, I am back here for a noise complaint. I take everything apart and lube. Then I get a "By the way".

By the way, the phone company came out and checked everything. They said the line was fine. We can receive, but not send.

I check and try a test fax, no answer. I call my phone from the machine, it works. I go to the truck and get a test machine. I hook it up, try to fax to the shop 4 times, 1 goes through. I connect to the Bizhub. It doesn't work. Also the fax screen is locked up. Will not let me enter numbers or go to copy screen. The owner is standing there insisting that when they tried the other fax in here on this line, it worked fine. He is sure I have a bad fax, even though my other machine only worked 1 out of 4 times.

The fax screen is loosing two of the tabs at the top, and that is when I can't dial. It keeps blinking from working to not. I unplug the line, it stops blinking.

Who ran that line, I ask. I did, he replies. My spider sense starts tingling. Show me where it starts at I said.

We walk into his server room and sure enough, 1 dedicated fax line, with a line splitter on it, trying to run 2 faxes on 1 line.

[blackcat4866]

Re: I think I found the problem...

I had a call like that on a bizhub 3320 recently. Their complaint was can send, but can't receive.

I attached my analog phone set and called the cell. Now I know the number. Then I dial the analog handset from my cell. It rings ... great, but so does the other fax in the adjoining office. So I disconnect the phone line to fax #2, dial again. It rings, then another fax answers, the one in the body shop. So I disconnect the phone line line to fax #3, dial again. It rings, then another fax answers, the one in the business office. So I disconnect fax #4 and dial again. Thankfully my handset rings and rings finally, and nothing else answers.

I then try to explain this to the customer:
Me: No, you can't have four faxes on the same phone line. And this is your fax number xxx-xxxx.
Enduser: But it's always been set up that way!!!
Me: Perhaps, but it never worked that way.
Enduser: And that's not our fax number!!!
Me: Is that your cell? Dial this number xxx-xxxx. Do you hear the handset ringing? Do you hear my voice? That is your fax number.
Enduser: But the number is supposed to be yyy-yyyy.
Me: Dial the number yyy-yyyy. The handset doesn't ring. It is not your fax number.

=^..^=