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My fax no longer completes connection - FIXED!!!!

Started by Agent88, November 07, 2015, 01:12:19 PM

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LTN1

Quote from: Agent88 on November 08, 2015, 03:54:53 PM
You know... you guys don't get it.  A lot of us do not frequent the OBiTalk interface often.  This is a good testimony to the reliable operation of OBihai devices.  However, when we do have a problem, the instructions are not clear.

I think the majority of us gets it. I would agree that Obihai could make things easier in many ways. However, the reality is that when they sell a $70 piece of hardware to a very small tech niche, they probably don't have the amount of quality of support as they should due to costs. People like you are really getting a lot more support through this forum than if you had e-mailed Obihai support. Most of the time, they respond with an unclear one or two lines...without even signing their names. If they were to provide the support and ease of guidance that I would like...and undoubtedly for the minority of the people who have difficulties scrolling a web page, the $70 piece of hardware would likely be quite a bit higher.

It's up to Obihai to determine their business model and how much they want to invest in being "user friendly." I'm just glad that the costs of these devices are still quite reasonable and with some tech abilities, coupled with helpful and skilled forum volunteers, it really is a bargain. Just hope that the free ride on Google's side doesn't end too soon.

Agent88

#21
Quote from: drgeoff on November 08, 2015, 03:15:33 PM
Quote from: Agent88 on November 08, 2015, 02:48:02 PM
3)If the device web interface will not allow configuration changes, then OBihai needs to make that clear.  I cannot see the reason to have a web page interface if it can't be used.
The web interface does allow configuration changes but they will be overwritten by whatever is current on the portal unless you disable Obitalk provisioning or do exactly what SteveInWA has told you.  Please read the sticky post http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=61.0
Now there's the information.... from back in 2011.  How does this kind of thinking persist?  Who is going to wade through 5 years of forum posts to look for answers?  The statement is very clear:  Either use the web page interface OR the OBiTalk Expert Configurator, but not both.  BUT!  no mention that whatever you do in the web page configuration settings will be immediately overwritten by the Expert Configurator, whether you use it or not.  There should be a button to deselect the Expert Configurator's over-ride so that the web page interface changes will be effective and make it prominent on the user page.  Disabling auto-provisioning is not intuitive.

Agent88

Quote from: LTN1 on November 08, 2015, 04:10:40 PM
Quote from: Agent88 on November 08, 2015, 03:54:53 PM
You know... you guys don't get it.  A lot of us do not frequent the OBiTalk interface often.  This is a good testimony to the reliable operation of OBihai devices.  However, when we do have a problem, the instructions are not clear.

I think the majority of us gets it. I would agree that Obihai could make things easier in many ways. However, the reality is that when they sell a $70 piece of hardware to a very small tech niche, they probably don't have the amount of quality of support as they should due to costs. People like you are really getting a lot more support through this forum than if you had e-mailed Obihai support. Most of the time, they respond with an unclear one or two lines...without even signing their names. If they were to provide the support and ease of guidance that I would like...and undoubtedly for the minority of the people who have difficulties scrolling a web page, the $70 piece of hardware would likely be quite a bit higher.

It's up to Obihai to determine their business model and how much they want to invest in being "user friendly." I'm just glad that the costs of these devices are still quite reasonable and with some tech abilities, coupled with helpful and skilled forum volunteers, it really is a bargain. Just hope that the free ride on Google's side doesn't end too soon.
You make a good point.  And thank you for your help today.

Agent88

Quote from: SteveInWA on November 08, 2015, 02:46:12 PM
With regard to faxing, I realize you keep pointing out that it used to work and now it doesn't.  Nobody here knows why that is the case.  Faxing over VoIP is never going to be as reliable as using a traditional POTS line.  Sometimes, VoIP providers change the "transit" carriers they use to route calls, and the quality of the connection no longer is sufficient to support faxing.  That's just one example.

Drgeoff pointed you to some tips.  He specifically emphasized that you need to turn off ECM (error correction mode).  This seems counter-intuitive, since error correction sounds like a "good thing".  The problem is, it's only a good thing for traditional circuit-switched (POTS) telephony.  It identifies failures by the receiving end to receive error-free transmissions.  If it detects an error, it tells the sending end to re-transmit.  This can create a mess with VoIP, which results in endlessly re-transmitting the same packets over and over until it gives up.  Also, as he pointed out, try reducing the data rate on the fax machine.  9600bps is the maximum that is likely to work over VoIP, and 4800bps is more reliable.  Both the data rate and ECM mode are settings on your fax machine, not on the OBi.

The one thing you can try to change on the OBi device, using its Expert configuration mode, is to change your CODEC profile to only use the G.711 CODECs, and no others.  G.711 is a lossless CODEC that works best with faxing, however, it does require a high-quality internet connection (from your own internet service provider).

What if this doesn't help?  Here are two other options:

Get a Google Voice phone number.  Google has significantly improved its VoIP network over the years, and it is often more reliable for fax than other providers.

or...

Join the 21st century.  Don't use your fax machine.  Instead, scan your documents and email them as PDFs, or use a fax service provider that can fax the PDFs for you.  Get a fax mailbox from the service provider of your choice, to receive inbound faxes, which are then converted to PDFs that can be downloaded or emailed.  I don't know if Anveo offers them, but Callcentric does. 
You don't know the industry that I am in.  Insurance is subject to HIPAA regs and with the growing hacking of emails, is an increasing demand for encryption.  The evolving technology did not plan ahead well.  I have a laptop with SSD.  Unfortunately, SSD does not play well with encryption... try to get a big insurance carrier to recognize that!  They have deep pockets and can order new laptops by the hundreds/thousands if need be, but a little agent like me has a tight budget.  I can't afford to chuck my $1500 laptop and buy a new one just to meet their demand for legal recourse in the event of a hack.  I just guard my laptop with my life.

As far as chucking my fax machines, same-o, same-o.  I don't have the budget to upgrade, and besides... as soon as I buy a new model with all the bells and whistles to comply with the newest security threats, it becomes obsolete before I can spit.  I dropped my copper landline to reduce my communications expense for a fax line that I don't use often.  I was assured (I asked) that my fax machines would work on Voip, and that I didn't need a copper line.  That old copper line at my house was installed in 1963.  I have had problems with it for decades, and thought going fiber-optic was a good thing.  That's why I take advice like yours with a grain of salt... you mean well, but you aren't aware of the unintended consequences the new technology brings.  I CAN send a fax via email, just CAN'T and still be compliant with regulations.

drgeoff

#24
Quote from: Agent88 on November 08, 2015, 04:17:08 PMNow there's the information.... from back in 2011.  How does this kind of thinking persist?  Who is going to wade through 5 years of forum posts to look for answers?
Doh!  I made the mistake of not underlining sticky post.

You can lead a horse to water ....

SteveInWA

#25
Quote from: Agent88 on November 08, 2015, 04:38:06 PM
Quote from: SteveInWA on November 08, 2015, 02:46:12 PM
With regard to faxing, I realize you keep pointing out that it used to work and now it doesn't.  Nobody here knows why that is the case.  Faxing over VoIP is never going to be as reliable as using a traditional POTS line.  Sometimes, VoIP providers change the "transit" carriers they use to route calls, and the quality of the connection no longer is sufficient to support faxing.  That's just one example.

Drgeoff pointed you to some tips.  He specifically emphasized that you need to turn off ECM (error correction mode).  This seems counter-intuitive, since error correction sounds like a "good thing".  The problem is, it's only a good thing for traditional circuit-switched (POTS) telephony.  It identifies failures by the receiving end to receive error-free transmissions.  If it detects an error, it tells the sending end to re-transmit.  This can create a mess with VoIP, which results in endlessly re-transmitting the same packets over and over until it gives up.  Also, as he pointed out, try reducing the data rate on the fax machine.  9600bps is the maximum that is likely to work over VoIP, and 4800bps is more reliable.  Both the data rate and ECM mode are settings on your fax machine, not on the OBi.

The one thing you can try to change on the OBi device, using its Expert configuration mode, is to change your CODEC profile to only use the G.711 CODECs, and no others.  G.711 is a lossless CODEC that works best with faxing, however, it does require a high-quality internet connection (from your own internet service provider).

What if this doesn't help?  Here are two other options:

Get a Google Voice phone number.  Google has significantly improved its VoIP network over the years, and it is often more reliable for fax than other providers.

or...

Join the 21st century.  Don't use your fax machine.  Instead, scan your documents and email them as PDFs, or use a fax service provider that can fax the PDFs for you.  Get a fax mailbox from the service provider of your choice, to receive inbound faxes, which are then converted to PDFs that can be downloaded or emailed.  I don't know if Anveo offers them, but Callcentric does.  
You don't know the industry that I am in.  Insurance is subject to HIPAA regs and with the growing hacking of emails, is an increasing demand for encryption.  The evolving technology did not plan ahead well.  I have a laptop with SSD.  Unfortunately, SSD does not play well with encryption... try to get a big insurance carrier to recognize that!  They have deep pockets and can order new laptops by the hundreds/thousands if need be, but a little agent like me has a tight budget.  I can't afford to chuck my $1500 laptop and buy a new one just to meet their demand for legal recourse in the event of a hack.  I just guard my laptop with my life.

As far as chucking my fax machines, same-o, same-o.  I don't have the budget to upgrade, and besides... as soon as I buy a new model with all the bells and whistles to comply with the newest security threats, it becomes obsolete before I can spit.  I dropped my copper landline to reduce my communications expense for a fax line that I don't use often.  I was assured (I asked) that my fax machines would work on Voip, and that I didn't need a copper line.  That old copper line at my house was installed in 1963.  I have had problems with it for decades, and thought going fiber-optic was a good thing.  That's why I take advice like yours with a grain of salt... you mean well, but you aren't aware of the unintended consequences the new technology brings.  I CAN send a fax via email, just CAN'T and still be compliant with regulations.

I do understand HIPAA, as I worked for the world's largest IT services company for 30 years, and I had to undergo HIPAA training (and re-training) to support my clients in the health care industry.

You're correct that email isn't an acceptable, HIPAA-compliant mode of communication.  That's why all the major insurance companies and health care providers now use encrypted, private messaging systems accessible on their own web portals, which comply with the various physical and logical security requirements.

I (incorrectly) assumed you to be dealing with auto and home insurance, which wouldn't be covered by HIPAA. 

If we put aside all your flogging of the "why isn't this more clear in the FAQs" comments, which have now been flogged to death, I gave you specific advice on how to try to make your fax machine work:  1) disable ECM and reduce the maximum speed on your fax machine (I never said you needed to buy a new fax machine to do this; almost every fax machine made in the past 20 years has these settings).  2) limit the OBi to only use G.711 CODECs.  3) The OBi's default settings are already otherwise optimized for faxing (T.38 is enabled, uses G.711 for passthrough, and has ECM disabled).

Try those things and then let us know if it helped.  The next step would be to get a Google Voice phone number, add it as SP2 on your OBi, and try it instead of Anveo for faxing.


SteveInWA

As my final suggestion, now that you have brought up the HIPAA issue, I originally suggested that you use a fax service, instead of banging your head on the wall trying to get your fax machine to work reliably over VoIP.  The industry has reacted to the HIPAA changes:

See:  this link

Agent88

Quote from: SteveInWA on November 08, 2015, 04:57:20 PM
Quote from: Agent88 on November 08, 2015, 04:38:06 PM
Quote from: SteveInWA on November 08, 2015, 02:46:12 PM
With regard to faxing, I realize you keep pointing out that it used to work and now it doesn't.  Nobody here knows why that is the case.  Faxing over VoIP is never going to be as reliable as using a traditional POTS line.  Sometimes, VoIP providers change the "transit" carriers they use to route calls, and the quality of the connection no longer is sufficient to support faxing.  That's just one example.

Drgeoff pointed you to some tips.  He specifically emphasized that you need to turn off ECM (error correction mode).  This seems counter-intuitive, since error correction sounds like a "good thing".  The problem is, it's only a good thing for traditional circuit-switched (POTS) telephony.  It identifies failures by the receiving end to receive error-free transmissions.  If it detects an error, it tells the sending end to re-transmit.  This can create a mess with VoIP, which results in endlessly re-transmitting the same packets over and over until it gives up.  Also, as he pointed out, try reducing the data rate on the fax machine.  9600bps is the maximum that is likely to work over VoIP, and 4800bps is more reliable.  Both the data rate and ECM mode are settings on your fax machine, not on the OBi.

The one thing you can try to change on the OBi device, using its Expert configuration mode, is to change your CODEC profile to only use the G.711 CODECs, and no others.  G.711 is a lossless CODEC that works best with faxing, however, it does require a high-quality internet connection (from your own internet service provider).

What if this doesn't help?  Here are two other options:

Get a Google Voice phone number.  Google has significantly improved its VoIP network over the years, and it is often more reliable for fax than other providers.

or...

Join the 21st century.  Don't use your fax machine.  Instead, scan your documents and email them as PDFs, or use a fax service provider that can fax the PDFs for you.  Get a fax mailbox from the service provider of your choice, to receive inbound faxes, which are then converted to PDFs that can be downloaded or emailed.  I don't know if Anveo offers them, but Callcentric does.  
You don't know the industry that I am in.  Insurance is subject to HIPAA regs and with the growing hacking of emails, is an increasing demand for encryption.  The evolving technology did not plan ahead well.  I have a laptop with SSD.  Unfortunately, SSD does not play well with encryption... try to get a big insurance carrier to recognize that!  They have deep pockets and can order new laptops by the hundreds/thousands if need be, but a little agent like me has a tight budget.  I can't afford to chuck my $1500 laptop and buy a new one just to meet their demand for legal recourse in the event of a hack.  I just guard my laptop with my life.

As far as chucking my fax machines, same-o, same-o.  I don't have the budget to upgrade, and besides... as soon as I buy a new model with all the bells and whistles to comply with the newest security threats, it becomes obsolete before I can spit.  I dropped my copper landline to reduce my communications expense for a fax line that I don't use often.  I was assured (I asked) that my fax machines would work on Voip, and that I didn't need a copper line.  That old copper line at my house was installed in 1963.  I have had problems with it for decades, and thought going fiber-optic was a good thing.  That's why I take advice like yours with a grain of salt... you mean well, but you aren't aware of the unintended consequences the new technology brings.  I CAN send a fax via email, just CAN'T and still be compliant with regulations.

I do understand HIPAA, as I worked for the world's largest IT services company for 30 years, and I had to undergo HIPAA training (and re-training) to support my clients in the health care industry.

You're correct that email isn't an acceptable, HIPAA-compliant mode of communication.  That's why all the major insurance companies and health care providers now use encrypted, private messaging systems accessible on their own web portals, which comply with the various physical and logical security requirements.

I (incorrectly) assumed you to be dealing with auto and home insurance, which wouldn't be covered by HIPAA. 

If we put aside all your flogging of the "why isn't this more clear in the FAQs" comments, which have now been flogged to death, I gave you specific advice on how to try to make your fax machine work:  1) disable ECM and reduce the maximum speed on your fax machine (I never said you needed to buy a new fax machine to do this; almost every fax machine made in the past 20 years has these settings).  2) limit the OBi to only use G.711 CODECs.  3) The OBi's default settings are already otherwise optimized for faxing (T.38 is enabled, uses G.711 for passthrough, and has ECM disabled).

Try those things and then let us know if it helped.  The next step would be to get a Google Voice phone number, add it as SP2 on your OBi, and try it instead of Anveo for faxing.


Good to know you are HIPAA aware.  I will listen more carefully to your advice.  Please understand that I have tried all the options you mentioned re configuration both to OBi202 and the MFC8660DN to no avail. (It is set to the lowest baud rate)

My issue seems to me to be something to do with timing.  I thought about fiddling with the timers but decided against that.  My fax will send handshake signals, and the receiving fax answers for a fraction of a second before hanging up.  There is no perceptible audio noise on the line, but I think I will stick a dsl filter in the connection to see if that will affect anything.  I appreciate that you have hung in there with this issue for as long as you have, and I apologize for any crass remarks.  I'm afraid some of it has spilled over to my wife, but she is used to it... she just ignores me. :)  I don't handle frustration well it seems.  Tomorrow will be another day.... thanks again for your help.

Agent88

Quote from: SteveInWA on November 08, 2015, 06:01:53 PM
As my final suggestion, now that you have brought up the HIPAA issue, I originally suggested that you use a fax service, instead of banging your head on the wall trying to get your fax machine to work reliably over VoIP.  The industry has reacted to the HIPAA changes:

See:  this link
Thanks for the link..... FAXAGE seems to be a reasonable pricing structure that would be in my budget range.  I'm just skeptical of relying on the cloud.  I'm old school.

Agent88

#29
Quote from: drgeoff on November 08, 2015, 04:38:55 PM
Quote from: Agent88 on November 08, 2015, 04:17:08 PMNow there's the information.... from back in 2011.  How does this kind of thinking persist?  Who is going to wade through 5 years of forum posts to look for answers?
Doh!  I made the mistake of not underlining sticky post.

You can lead a horse to water ....
Ya.  I seen it. (But did you read any where in that post that auto-provisioning will undo your work entered via the web page?... the caution is to use one or the other, not both, but the issue is that the web interface is useless unless you understand their meaning of auto-provisioning.  It should just say "Don't bother with the web page interface UNLESS you disable auto-provisioning.  It is not intuitive that auto-provisioning is immediate or that it's sole purpose is to nail down the settings.  Not all auto-provisioning is immediate within the telecom industry.  Some auto-provisioning occurs periodically, others are pushed on software updates, etc.)

It was only after I began playing with the Expert Configuration that I realized that the auto-provisioning feature ensures that the stored provisioning data is mandated by the term default.  What ever is stored as the default data file is forced on the user unless the default box is unchecked or auto-provisioning as a whole is disabled.

I tried to save my configuration file after disabling auto-provisioning, but it failed.  Also, if you choose to return to OBiTalk configuration.... BAM!  It restores the original file (whatever that was).  What ever happened to the pop-up warning genius with that?  "Are you sure?"... what does that mean?.... try it and find out.

Agent88

From the Microsoft Community Forum:
"The 8.1 update "broke" the fax program.  It dials out but fails during the handshake portion,  disconnects, redials, repeats.  I have read that replacing the fax dll solves the problem.  We need an official fix from microsoft, not a work-around."

Sound familiar?

SteveInWA

I said that my previous reply was my last, but now your stubborn and repetitive replies are pissing me off and wasting everyone's time.

Go read the reviews on Amazon.  There are, in fact, hundreds of people using their OBi with a fax machine, including me.  There is no "dll" update needed, and Obihai didn't do anything to break your service.  It is most likely an issue with either Anveo's service, or your home internet service.  And no, it is technically impossible to fix a router issue by adding another router downstream.  It would be like connecting a clean pipe at the end of a clogged one, and expecting the shit to flow.

I recommended using a fax service, and I even did your homework for you, showing that there are now multiple different services that offer secure faxing via encrypted web portals.  You rejected it because you are afraid of "the cloud".

I recommended that you try Google Voice, which is free, no-risk, and definitely does work with faxing, and you ignored my advice.

LTN mentioned that there's nothing like a POTS line for fax reliability, and wisely pointed out the issue of it being a cost of providing professional services.   You complained about the cost.

Ask your wife to give you a massive dope slap; you deserve it.  That is my final answer.

Agent88

Quote from: SteveInWA on November 08, 2015, 10:06:22 PM
I said that my previous reply was my last, but now your stubborn and repetitive replies are pissing me off and wasting everyone's time.

Go read the reviews on Amazon.  There are, in fact, hundreds of people using their OBi with a fax machine, including me.  There is no "dll" update needed, and Obihai didn't do anything to break your service.  It is most likely an issue with either Anveo's service, or your home internet service.  And no, it is technically impossible to fix a router issue by adding another router downstream.  It would be like connecting a clean pipe at the end of a clogged one, and expecting the shit to flow.

I recommended using a fax service, and I even did your homework for you, showing that there are now multiple different services that offer secure faxing via encrypted web portals.  You rejected it because you are afraid of "the cloud".

I recommended that you try Google Voice, which is free, no-risk, and definitely does work with faxing, and you ignored my advice.

LTN mentioned that there's nothing like a POTS line for fax reliability, and wisely pointed out the issue of it being a cost of providing professional services.   You complained about the cost.

Ask your wife to give you a massive dope slap; you deserve it.  That is my final answer.
WOW!  You really are pissed.  You really shouldn't take responsibility for resolving my issue personally.  Furthermore, you assume I am rejecting your advice.  Problem is I have not had the time to try all your suggestions.  In the meantime, get some rest.  You seem like you need it.

Agent88

Update on the latest tweaks:
I have made all the suggested changes to the OBiTalk configuration, including disabling ECM in Codecs.  I even tried adjusting some configurations suggested by other forums from a google search on the issue many other people have experienced going from DSL over copper to VDSL over fiber (U-verse).  I swapped cables, I inserted a DSL filter, I selected "Overseas mode" suggested by Brother (as well as making sure the lowest baud rate is selected).  This is a never-ending chase.

I have a GV number and I will try to go around Anveo to see if that will work, but I expect that to be a wild goose chase also and I am running out of time.  I am just too busy to try every suggestion offered.  I accept that I was deceived by the assurances that fax will work with Voip.  It may for some, but may not for others.  It appears I am in the "others" group.

If anyone is following this thread, just consider the frustration of my situation... trying to chase down the issue of a sudden failure of a long era of successful faxes is like trying to catch an object on the end of a string that someone keeps teasing you with by pulling it just out of reach.

Yes there are alternate solutions, but they do not conserve the investment expense of acquired equipment.  If I had a big bank account I could throw money into this and resolve my problem quickly.  Like a lot of tech-y equipment, obsolescence is what keeps manufacturers in business.

My bank account is drained.  I am drained.  I'm sure some of those who have tried to help me on this forum are drained.  At this point I don't expect a tweak can be found to fix this issue.

I can't return to my former DSL installation... ATT has shut that door and is actively pushing DSL customers to U-verse.  I can't afford a new fax machine, so I am stuck with implementing FAAS.  Cloud service is being foisted on everyone.  Wait until that exposes unintended consequences... too late to reverse course.  My current issue will be repeated with cloud services... this is a no brainer.  It happens over and over with developing technology.

Try running a small business these days.  One has to be a technogeek as well as a salesman.  I don't give up easily... that's just part of my character, but sooner or later it may be no other choice.

Agent88

About the upgrade suspect:

Apparently, the switch from DSL copper to VDSL over fiber is at bottom.  The new RG (Pace 5031NV) does not allow adjustment to either SIP ALG or QoS (it's implemented in the hardware), so no tweaks allowed.

BTW: I never said it was OBi202's fault.... it worked for several years, so it is a good product.  I did have a OBi100 that failed right after the warranty ran out, but my 110 still runs as well as my 202.  I did think that possibly a firmware upgrade may be at fault, but my device was set to manually upgrade, and it was out of date, so I updated it but that didn't change anything.  Exhaustive attempts to tweak the configuration settings were made to no avail.

Since my Brother multipurpose Copier/Printer/Fax (8660DN) does not allow lowering the baud rate below 9600bps, I am stuck with this as the slowest I can go.  According to Brother, this is the rate to use for Voip.  Two other settings to help were tried:  Overseas mode and Standard Resolution, but no help.  I have another, newer, MFC-9840CDW that I tried and got the same disconnect, so not only is it not the 8660 fax, but the newer 9840 fax is subject to the same issue.

No changes have been made to my ITSP (Anveo), so it is hard to imagine it being the source of the issue.  Since it, too, worked previously, I don't think the time to swap ITSPs to be worth it.

At this point, everything points to the PACE 5031NV, and VDSL.  The switch from copper to fiber seems to be consistent with other reports on the internet with this same issue of dropped connection on the fax receiving end.  I have no option to make further adjustments to compensate for this issue.

Agent88

I was wrong (I think)..... but I got it fixed.  Anveo, the ITSP, stepped in and made some adjustments and now I'm good to go.  Don't ask me what they did, they won't tell me.  All they said was they usually don't do this sort of thing.

LTN1

Quote from: Agent88 on November 09, 2015, 07:18:42 PM
I was wrong (I think)..... but I got it fixed.  Anveo, the ITSP, stepped in and made some adjustments and now I'm good to go.  Don't ask me what they did, they won't tell me.  All they said was they usually don't do this sort of thing.

That's the reason why Steve wanted you to test the faxing through the GV number (not the Anveo that you are currently using). He wanted to eliminate and narrow the potential problem. If you had a GV number, adding it to the OBi and testing it would have taken literally less than 5 minutes (since your OBi is already set up).

As for Anveo saying that they usually don't do this sort of thing...what(?)--they don't help their customers with configurations within their control that was preventing their customer from being able to fax? Sounds like they were trying make excuses for something that was off on their end.

But back to you...I don't know how your wife puts up with you? She must have lots of patience. I don't know your true economic situation but a POTS line can't be more than $40 a month...you may still want to consider that for business since Anveo or any other VoIP line, can never be as reliable as a POTS line for faxing. When you tested the fax, you may have tried a few pages but if you ever need to send much more and at different times during the day when the connection may be unstable, you'll face similar headaches. The only true way to go for a business that relies on regular faxing is a POTS line. I hope you are not a cheap SOB--so when the economic situation gets better, get a POTS line for a business that relies on faxing--especially a HIPAA sensitive business.

LTN1

#37
Quote from: Agent88 on November 09, 2015, 07:18:42 PM
I was wrong (I think)..... but I got it fixed.  Anveo, the ITSP, stepped in and made some adjustments and now I'm good to go.  Don't ask me what they did, they won't tell me.  All they said was they usually don't do this sort of thing.

Not to belabor the thread now that it's fixed but some thoughts that came to mind in what Anveo did to open the VoIP line for faxing. Last year I had a toll free number going through an online VoIP provider. We were targeted (not just me but other toll free accounts) by SPAM faxes that used up our toll free minutes. The provider decided to limit data transmission through their network and toll free numbers--so all future fax transmissions stopped immediately at the handshake. Voice went through fine--just not data from that point on. This got me to think that Anveo may have placed limits on data transmissions except when it goes to their fax inbox. They probably also placed limits so that people have to use their portal (as opposed to sending it from one's physical fax machine) to send faxes out. I'm not a tech expert like Steve who could probably clarify it better at some point in the future and in another thread since he is unlikely to comment further here.

Ostracus

Sounds like we need a Fax sticky. Another important point is making certain one's printer has the latest firmware.

Agent88

Quote from: LTN1 on November 09, 2015, 08:45:19 PM
Quote from: Agent88 on November 09, 2015, 07:18:42 PM
I was wrong (I think)..... but I got it fixed.  Anveo, the ITSP, stepped in and made some adjustments and now I'm good to go.  Don't ask me what they did, they won't tell me.  All they said was they usually don't do this sort of thing.


As for Anveo saying that they usually don't do this sort of thing...what(?)--they don't help their customers with configurations within their control that was preventing their customer from being able to fax? Sounds like they were trying make excuses for something that was off on their end.


On further discussion with Anveo, they said they found the issue was with one of their interconnect exchanges and they re-routed my line around the problem.  I can see why they don't do this on a regular basis.

I have no more to contribute to this issue, but before I go, I would like to say that your cheekiness is not appreciated.  You sound like you have a big bankroll... good for you.  I don't, so I have to squeeze out every penny of expenses.  I suppose I will remember you as Less Than Nice 1.