Fax issues

[captmikestarrett]

ShoreTel 8.1
Build 13.23.2606.0


6 Fax machine on 6 analog lines.. intermittent faxes work...

I have set the buad rate on one fax to 9600 and got some better results but it still fails to receive or send 50% of the time.

Somebody please help

Capt Mike

[Miersk]

Verify that error correction is off.

[Jason Learmouth]

I'm getting similar problems on this build with 2 fax machines. When you say "Error correction", is this a setting on the ShoreTel or the fax machines?

[Rob Bush]

Maybe an easy question, but did you set the "Fax Support" type to be "Fax Machine" so that it uses the highest quality codecs? Fax's can't have any blips in the audio stream or they fail.

[matt]

I'm getting similar problems on this build with 2 fax machines. When you say "Error correction", is this a setting on the ShoreTel or the fax machines?

i believe that would be error correction is on the fax machine side

[southeasternMI]

How do you have the faxes setup on the ST system? Are they just analog extension or are you using redirect?

[Jason Learmouth]

i believe that would be error correction is on the fax machine side

We set the GFI Faxmaker modems to use 9600 and error correction off. Fax success went up to 95% straight away. We'll keep working on the other 5% but could easily be problems at the other end.

Thanks for the info.

[ShoreTel_Dave]

I have also had problems with Fax Machines where the trunks are on E1. You need to check your clocking source for the trunk and make sure that it is getting it's timings from the Telco.
Faxes are suceptable to dropped packets on the LAN so it also seems to help if the ShoreGear switch that is delivering the analog ports is connected to the same network switch as the ShoreGear that is connected to the trunks.

[Jlorenz]

Ahh the On going saga of Fax not working :whistling:

For each ext connected to the Fax machine through ST make sure it is set as Fax machine in the General options of the user Edit.
Also in the same user fields make sure you have Call Wating turned off, as well as Call stack at 1 an obvious it is an ext only.

For multiple Faxs in each User ext you will set the Ring No Answer forward to the next ext, Example is

Fax Ext 1 (Call Stack 1, Call Waiting off) Ring Busy No Answer to Fax Ext2
Fax Ext 2 (Call Stack 1, Call Waiting off) Ring Busy No Answer to Fax Ext3
Fax Ext 3 (Call Stack 1, Call Waiting off) Ring Busy No Answer to Fax Ext4

And so on

Making sure the Fax machines are set at 9600, Echo Cancellation off, Error Correction Off is the best you can do.

ShoreTel has a hard time with simple fax and modem :w00t:

[ShoreTel_Dave]

Can you put multiple fax machines into a rotational huntgroup as well?

[Jlorenz]

Can you put multiple fax machines into a rotational huntgroup as well?

Absolutely not, this is not the way to do it, The HG is not designed for that.

The best is to simply do

Fax1 to Fax2
Fax2 to Fax3
Fax3 to Fax1

if you want a round Robin

The reason a HG is not advised, the HG would reside on the SG, the HG if failed, Faxs would stop, since he HG ison the SG and fails the Backup AA would come to play and this would in turn answer the incoming fax, the SG would detect S&G tones (aka the Beep) then try to Redirect to the default Fax server if applicable

[cburgy]

Plus you burn up resources on the switch for each hunt group. We've pushed it well above the recommended maximum of 16 members in any number of hunt groups on a switch but you really have to watch what the load will be like on the switch.


The whole hunt group limitation was always interesting to me, especially since it was never readjusted with the kilauea switches (which I know have markedly better processing power).

[Jlorenz]

Plus you burn up resources on the switch for each hunt group. We've pushed it well above the recommended maximum of 16 members in any number of hunt groups on a switch but you really have to watch what the load will be like on the switch.


The whole hunt group limitation was always interesting to me, especially since it was never readjusted with the kilauea switches (which I know have markedly better processing power).

Absolutely correct Chris and a very god point. Read carefully the HG limitations, per SG, this also is a factor in Fax Performance. I often suggested using a low traffic SG or dedicated SG that is used for analog or Conference

[Contractor]

my least favorite thing is trying to explain to the CEO of the company you just talked into buying a fax server to support the ShoreTel fax redirect function why he has a fax in his voicemail.

Indeed, sometimes, the fax redirect just doesnt work. Why is that?

[matt]

We set the GFI Faxmaker modems to use 9600 and error correction off. Fax success went up to 95% straight away. We'll keep working on the other 5% but could easily be problems at the other end.

Thanks for the info.

i'm glad that worked. seems to me 5% is pretty good in the fax world. good on ya!