[Misc] MP2553

[sandmanmac]

I just installed a very low meter, refurbished MP2553 in a customer's office.
The next day, they reported that faxes were not coming through, and that they had reconnected their other machine and it was receiving them.
The next morning before visiting them, I decided to call them and have them reconnect the unit, so I could send a couple of test faxes. They went through without issue. I chaulked the issue up to some sort of coinicidental interference on the line the day before, but told them I would go by and check settings, and reset the fax. I did a reset of all bit switches, and a factory reset on the fax unit.

Next day, the customer gets a call from someone that says they can't send a fax. He connects his old machine and it comes through.
I've not witnessed it personally, but they tell me that they can hear the fax tone, but nothing is received.
I looked through bulletins, and did see a few issues with the fax, but none of them seemed related to this issue, and the F/W is pretty current for the related Modules:
System /Copy: Ver 1.15
Fax: Ver. 6.0
GWFCU: Ver. 7.0

They don't seem to have any issues sending faxes.
I'm at a real loss on this one.
I'm considering trying another fax unit, but thought I'd see if anyone had any suggestions before I go find and pay for one.

Thanks

[LNorris]

Re: MP2553

is ECM on or off. might want to slow down the baud rate. are they pots or voip?

[TonerMunkeh]

Re: MP2553

Are they using the same fax cable on both devices? Is the one for the old machine being used on the 2553? They can be wired differently for some reason. Switching off ECM can help too.

[guitar9199]

Re: MP2553

It's likely you've been bitten by the VOIP monster!!

There are some settings you can adjust in SP mode and User Tools that will more or less "Dumb-Down" your fax board in the 2553 so it will work better over the VOIP lines.

The key word here is "VOICE Over I.P."!! If the fax line puts out anything other than a clean signal, the receiving machine will pretty much just say "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot", and then disconnect.

Go into User Tools/Fax Settings and disable ECM, then go into SP Mode for the following adjustments...

++++++++++++++++++++++

FAX SP MODE using SP Direct.
SP 1-104-001 Compression Modes

Set the following.
Bit 0 = 0
Bit 1 = 1
Bit 2 = 0
Bit 3 = 1
Bit 7 = 0

SP 1-105-004 G3 V.8/V.34

Set the following.
Bit 1 = 0
Bit 2 = 0
Bit 6 = 0

SP 1-105-006 Initial TX Mode V.17/V.29 & V.8/V.34

Set the following.
Bit 0 = 0
Bit 1 = 1
Bit 2 = 1
Bit 3 = 0

SP 1-105-007 Initial RX Mode V.17/V.29 & V.8/V.34

Set the following.
Bit 0 = 0
Bit 1 = 1
Bit 2 = 1
Bit 3 = 0
Bit 4 = 0
Bit 5 = 0
Bit 6 = 1
Bit 7 = 0
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Good Luck.

[sandmanmac]

Re: MP2553

Are they using the same fax cable on both devices? Is the one for the old machine being used on the 2553? They can be wired differently for some reason. Switching off ECM can help too.

Yes, same fax cable

It's likely you've been bitten by the VOIP monster!!

There are some settings you can adjust in SP mode and User Tools that will more or less "Dumb-Down" your fax board in the 2553 so it will work better over the VOIP lines.

I've always just assumed that sending faxes over a VOIP line was a problem. They're using an analog line, but if I'm understanding you correctly, receiving faxes over VOIP is just as big an issue too?

Sorry, I know I've seen threads about this before, but I just never 'caught the bug' myself



Edit: I'm curious if changing all of those settings make the machine brutally slow? They're a law firm, and send/ receive very large faxes. Might just switching off ECM help at all, without the other changes?

Thanks fellas!

[sandmanmac]

Re: MP2553

So, I visited the customer today, and started by just disabling ECM. No luck.
Then I went through and changed all of the suggested Bit switches. No luck .

I sent faxes from another line in the office, and they were received. I had a colleague send me a fax, and got that one too.

If this mahcine was located anywhere else, it might never even be an issue, But they receive most of their faxes from one particular government office, and it just won't receive it. I can't be sure if they're the only one it can't recive from, but it receives without issue for most other senders at least. I don't think it's a VOIP issue, but I do know it's a computer they're sending from.

The machine picks up, and says "receiving" but it never does, and the sender receives a 'no answer' message.
I re-connected their old mahcine in between one of the redial attempts from the sender and it worked fine.
I've made arrangements to pick up another fax board, but I'm not oozing with confidence that it'll make any difference, sicne it works most of t
This is a new one for me, and it doesn't make much sense, and I'm open to any other ideas, before I go back.

[slimslob]

Re: MP2553

So, I visited the customer today, and started by just disabling ECM. No luck.
Then I went through and changed all of the suggested Bit switches. No luck .

I sent faxes from another line in the office, and they were received. I had a colleague send me a fax, and got that one too.

If this mahcine was located anywhere else, it might never even be an issue, But they receive most of their faxes from one particular government office, and it just won't receive it. I can't be sure if they're the only one it can't recive from, but it receives without issue for most other senders at least. I don't think it's a VOIP issue, but I do know it's a computer they're sending from.

The machine picks up, and says "receiving" but it never does, and the sender receives a 'no answer' message.
I re-connected their old mahcine in between one of the redial attempts from the sender and it worked fine.
I've made arrangements to pick up another fax board, but I'm not oozing with confidence that it'll make any difference, sicne it works most of t
This is a new one for me, and it doesn't make much sense, and I'm open to any other ideas, before I go back.

I had a similar problem with a machine a few years ago. Fax worked fine except for faxes from one sender. The problem was a compatibility problem with the handshaking between the two machines. Some of it had to do with ECM but there were other issues. I talked to tech support and they had me change a number of bit switches. That took care of the problem, but it was so long ago I can't remember exactly they had me change.

[limo]

Re: MP2553

Print the G3 dump list after a failed reception and check the protocols excanged to see where the problem is and enable the speaker in order to hear the sequence. May the line is cut in between and in this way you can hear it.

[Mark Bbb]

Re: MP2553

Here in Belgium we have simmular problems when MODERN fax machines are installed.
The problem is line quality; it will work with old fax machines, but not with new ones...
So, the telephone company must do adjustments on the fax-telephone line to be compatible with the latest digital technologie.
That explains why it is working at your place and give the fax tone when it is at customer place...
Nice reply, don't you think?

[TonerMunkeh]

Re: MP2553

Sandman I didn't explain myself very well in my original post. Is it the correct fax cable for the 3353?

[COPIERMAN]

Re: MP2553

i just had a mpc 2500 had same problem. we swap fax board and it work fine after that. They use voip at there location. we had provider check there line and said it was fine before we swap board. still recommend do the settings that one person said to change on new board.

[sandmanmac]

Re: MP2553

I had a similar problem with a machine a few years ago. Fax worked fine except for faxes from one sender. The problem was a compatibility problem with the handshaking between the two machines. Some of it had to do with ECM but there were other issues. I talked to tech support and they had me change a number of bit switches. That took care of the problem, but it was so long ago I can't remember exactly they had me change.

This also reminds me of a time about a decade ago when we still had lots of standalone faxes out, and there was a very popular HP MFP on the market, and I had more than a few calls about faxes not being recieved from particular senders, and when we followed up and asked them to confirm the sender's unit, it was always that model.

Anyway, My wholesaler was good enough to let me swap a fax board with them, and i returned to the customer to install, while being pretty sure it wouldn't resolve the issue- and I was right.
I proved the fact to them, by having several people send faxes, without issue. I also had the volme turned up, so we could here the fax signal. They were all the usual type, until this Government office was asked to try, and it was a very different,and strange signal that the machine just doesn't recognize I suppose. Why they don't have more complaints, I have no idea .
Thankfully , the customer is very reasonable and understands the situation now, and allowed me to leave their old smaller MFP connected for receiving faxes, and they'll just use the mp2553 for sending, which was the main thing they wanted it for - speed, duplex capability, ADF capacity, etc.

Thanks for all the suggestions, but I think this might be just one of those times that there may not be a solution

Sandman I didn't explain myself very well in my original post. Is it the correct fax cable for the 3353?

There are different/ special types of Phone cables? That's certainly something new for me too.
I mean, I know there are some really cheap quality (dollar store) ones, but I stay away from those

[guitar9199]

Re: MP2553

This also reminds me of a time about a decade ago when we still had lots of standalone faxes out, and there was a very popular HP MFP on the market, and I had more than a few calls about faxes not being recieved from particular senders, and when we followed up and asked them to confirm the sender's unit, it was always that model.

Anyway, My wholesaler was good enough to let me swap a fax board with them, and i returned to the customer to install, while being pretty sure it wouldn't resolve the issue- and I was right.
I proved the fact to them, by having several people send faxes, without issue. I also had the volme turned up, so we could here the fax signal. They were all the usual type, until this Government office was asked to try, and it was a very different,and strange signal that the machine just doesn't recognize I suppose. Why they don't have more complaints, I have no idea .
Thankfully , the customer is very reasonable and understands the situation now, and allowed me to leave their old smaller MFP connected for receiving faxes, and they'll just use the mp2553 for sending, which was the main thing they wanted it for - speed, duplex capability, ADF capacity, etc.

Thanks for all the suggestions, but I think this might be just one of those times that there may not be a solution


There are different/ special types of Phone cables? That's certainly something new for me too.
I mean, I know there are some really cheap quality (dollar store) ones, but I stay away from those

If you've got the option, it's always best to use a 2-wire phone cable. For some reason, I've had more faxing issues with 4-wire cables.