sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information FIOS and Faxing

I have verizon Fios internet and phone service. My service is working fine. I went to set up my HP Fax machine, and when I plug it into any phone jack, I lose dialtone throughout the house. Neither the phone nor fax works at any jack. When I remove the fax cord from the phone jack, dialtone reappears. Why? Thanks.

It could be a defective cord between the jack & the fax or the fax itself is defective. Try changing the cord first; if still no go, try the machine at your neighbors.

Dave

You were right. It was not a defective cord, but I was using a 4 wire cord. When I switched to a 2 wire it works. Its working now, but any idea what the difference is? Thanks.

Don't know about faxes, but some older computers (not sure about the newer ones) put a ground on the 1st pin.

Some of the older equipment was set up for "A-Lead Control" (designed to work with 1a2 equpment) - it would put a short on the yellow/black (white/orange) pair. Depending what FIOS is doing with that pair- that might be your problem.

Didn't think of A leads on a fax, good point.

Nah, wouldn't be "A-Lead Control" Haven't seen that in at least 15 years and I doubt your fax is that old. "A-Lead Control" would only put continuity on pins 2&5 when the machine picked up anyway, not all the time.

What it does look like is your one line is wired to pins 3&4 and 2&5 at the jack. Were the jacks and wiring existing when Verizon installed your Fios?

I think then it is the normal transposition that takes place with a line cord, (and/or the jack is wired incorrectly) together with however pins 2&5 are connected inside the fax that is the cause of the short.

The simple cure is to always use a 1 pair line cord.

-Hal

And I'll bet the line cords on all the phones are 2 conductor, as well. Seems like all the single line phones come with 2 conductor cords any more. When I used to supply a ground start phone for power fail at motels, I started receiving them with 2 wire cords. I guess the factorys that make them have no idea how they work and what the extra button does! John C.

Green: Just out of curiousity, how well does faxing work over FiOS? Notice much of a change in fax speeds/connectivity?

Dont have FiOS in my neighborhood yet and the only people I know with it got it just for Internet/TV.

Interested in hearing some real world feedback.

Dont have FiOS in my neighborhood yet and the only people I know with it got it just for Internet/TV.

Unless they have no land lines and just use their cells their copper was switched over to FiOS as part of the installation. They probably don't even know it.

My own observation of several instances here is that Verizon left the fax lines on the old copper. That would indicate that there was a problem. Other people have said in these forums that their fax works fine. :shrug:

-Hal