Hi Bill.

I am considering buying the same all in one 962 but am worried about the same problem with fax and answer machine. which answer machine are you using. Mine is a samsung. Would be obliged if you would keep me posted

Update on 962 AIO fax feature.

I was finally able to receive a fax by manually setting the 962 to answer after 5 rings, and setting the answering machine to 4 rings (actually toll saver - 4 rings if no messages, 2 rings if messages recorded).

The answering machine does answer; and actually recorded a message with the shrill fax tone, but then the fax machine printed the page. I'm not sure what would happen if the phone was answered before the answering machine picks up. I guess we'll find out if we're home when someone sends us a fax.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the 962 for what we paid for it. However, if I had known about some of it's idiosychrosies (fax answering, having to remove B&W cartridge and replace with Photo cartridge to print pictures, using only Dell print cartridges, and noise (sounds like it's breaking something inside when it starts to print) - I might have considered some other printers.

Thanks for the replies, I'll continue to post when I find more answers about the fax receive feature in real time situations.

Bill

I am having the same problem you described with my 962 and faxes.  So you are saying...if I set me phone to toll saver (4/2 rings) and the 962 to 5 rings...it will answer and someone can leave a voice message but if it is a fax...it will receive the fax?  I thought I tried this but will try again tomorrow.  Will let you know if it works on Tuesday...holiday weekend and I am off to ski/tube/snowmobile...if they can get some snow made!

Page 57 tells you what to do but not how to set the rings and that does make a difference.  Dell techs are clueless as to how to tell you what to do.

Hi,
Just got my 962 the other day
2 things,
1 yes mine is as noisy as you have stated and I am going to get answers
2 I solved the problem of answering
I called the phone company (SBC)and had a line added that comes in on my same phone line but with a differant number. The differance is that the fax is a distintive ring and it picks up on the first ring
The other fact is that cost only 3.95 a month, all I did was drop my inside wire maintenance.One option that I had to search for in the initial setup. But it's there and if I had to tell you now, well, let me see. Right click on the task bar 962 icon,
top middle of page click on maintain, then Printer setup utility, select printer, then press connections/dialing tab, select receive only on fax tones and then check distinctive ring 2
Check it out

I had a similar problem, got transferred from one tech to the other, no one could understand how to resolve, they had me changing all kinds of settings, even on my answering machine...have an "all in one" of another brand and it had worked fine, had it configured perfectly, now am stuck with this problem. I am in the process of returning it. No one seems to understand how this thing works. It shouldn't have to be this complicated.

Read your reply along with the other forum members replies after encountering the same problem. I switched to the answering machine answering first and it seems to work. I can't understand why Dell wound print the wrong set up in the instruction book.

Could you give details on what options you have the printer / fax set on.

How many rings before it picks up?

How many rings is your answering machine set to pick up on?

Is the auto answer button on the printer on?

Is the fax set to pickup on any ring type or 1, 2, etc.

The more detail you can give to how to get this to work will help others that have this issue.

Thanks,

-Marc

I have the 962 All in one printer as follows;  Machine is left on at all times. It's set on power save mode to go down after 10 minutes. When a phone call or fax comes though it immediatly comes back to life.

Mode button is set on Fax, this allows it to do all its functions.

Auto anwser is on at all times, other wise it won't respond to a fax

My anwsering machine, which is in another room is set to answer after four rings. this allows me time to answer if, from anywhere in the house if I don't want the call going to the answering machine.

The fax machine is set to anwser after five rings. It's able to pick up a fax call even after the anwsering machine has gone through it's recorded message .

I hope you find this helpful.

Matt