SIP Faxing on Ricoh

[NewbieTech]

We have a couple different model Ricohs, but I'm having an issue with SIP Faxing. On a couple machines it will send the fax, but can't receive the fax. And if I try calling the fax number associated with that machine the call instantly fails without any real attempt. We use our phone system through Cisco and in our Cisco system it can see the fax number and associated IP address and states active. And I've lined the setting up next to other machines that work to just match the settings and even then it still isn't working.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Can sip and fax coexist?



Yes, but you have to be creative about it. If you’re using an old school fax machine, the only way to get SIP and fax to cooperate with each other is to use a VoIP Gateway and Analog Adapter that supports T38 (a protocol that allows faxes to travel over VoIP networks).

Reliable fax transmission/reception is a common issue when customers switch their old telephone copper line system to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Their old fax machine isn't designed to work properly with VoIP.


Historically, fax machines were/are designed to send/receive data over analog telephone copper lines. Simplistically speaking, fax data travels over a copper telephone line in a nice orderly fashion. Before a fax machine sends data, it will do a compatibility check with the receiving fax machine – a “handshake.” The “handshake” is that screeching noise. During this “handshake” the fax machines agree upon a protocol (fax language, and there are different fax protocols) and speed to use.


Using a regular fax machine (or board) over IP, just like with any Internet technology, data is transmitted in several different packets in a matter of seconds. These different data packets can travel to their destination via different routes and “automagically” end up at their destination in the correct order – in seconds. When the packets arrive at the receiving fax machine, the fax machines attempt the “handshake.” If the fax machine using fax over IP protocol is different from the receiving telephone-line fax machine’s protocol, there will be a pause in the transmission to negotiate the protocol. This is where an issue can occur. The data packets don’t like to wait around for this negotiation to complete. Data packets can even be lost. Hence, there could be error reporting or worse, failed faxes. Not reliable.

[narmc]

We have a couple different model Ricohs, but I'm having an issue with SIP Faxing. On a couple machines it will send the fax, but can't receive the fax. And if I try calling the fax number associated with that machine the call instantly fails without any real attempt. We use our phone system through Cisco and in our Cisco system it can see the fax number and associated IP address and states active. And I've lined the setting up next to other machines that work to just match the settings and even then it still isn't working.

Did you ever get a resolution on this? We have a similar issue with Cisco and Ricohs. We are using IPFAX instead of ATAs.

[slimslob]

Sounds like an age old problem with dial in dictation systems that would cause the start of a diction to not be recorded. If it is a digital Cisco PBX that the Ricoh is on, when you tried to dial it did you dial # after the number to tell the PBX not to wait for additional numbers? If not, the PBX will mute your end while it waits what ever its wait time is set for and the Ricoh might be timing out before then. You can try setting the rings before answering to 5 or 6. That should be enough delay for the PBX to time out.