Obihai 202 and MFC with fax printers

[kevmeist]

Does the Obihai 202 support the use of the likes of Brother MFC with fax type printers?

Can I use the 2nd Obihai port to plug one of these types of printers in for fax use?

Thanks,

Kevin

[LTN1]

It should be as simple as plugging one of the Obi202 lines to the Brother MFC (assuming you have properly configured the lines--that is, it receives calls). Depending on the MFC, you can even configure the MFC to pickup only on a distinctive ring and then set the Obi202 line that goes into the MFC with the matching distinctive ring. Distinctive ring is a neat feature that the Obi has and it can allow your line to be used by more than one Service Provider as to be able to differentiate based on ring pattern, unless you are expecting lots of fax, then it's better to dedicate that line to fax. If not, you can set a Google Voice or other VoIP number as a fax number going to that line while also setting up other numbers to use that same line.

[kevmeist]

I have little use for a fax line. Faxes sent would be very small. So, you are saying that I need to have a service provider (like PhonePower) on the 2nd Obihai port to be able to use it as a fax machine?

Can I use a splitter on the one line I use on the Obihai 202 with distinctive ring to differentiate fax from telephone? Is distinctive ring some menu driven option or needs some sort of script?

Thanks,

K

[Ostracus]

Do you already have a provider? And, no a splitter "splits" nothing more, nothing less (doesn't distinguish ring tones).

[kevmeist]

Yes, I use PhonePower, but only on one of the two ports on the 202.

K

[azrobert]

What service providers do you have defined?
Do you receive inbound calls on both phone ports?

I use GV for my Brother MFC Printer/FAX.
If Phonepower is your only provider get a GV account and define it on SP2. Route SP2 to PH2 and connect your fax to PH2.

[kevmeist]

I only use SP1 with PhonePower. SP2 not used at all. So, sounds like your solution should work.

Many thanks!

K

[LTN1]

I only use SP1 with PhonePower. SP2 not used at all. So, sounds like your solution should work.

Many thanks!

K

These suggestions should work for you since you have an unused 2nd line for your Obi202. Once you set that up and are comfortable, you can play with the distinctive ring in the event you ever want to use that 2nd line for other things also. See what distinctive ring options your MFC has. Most will have Double Ring and Triple Ring patterns for distinctive ring. If your MFC has that, the corresponding Obi ring configuration is numbers 3 (double ring) and 6 (triple ring).

The distinctive rings can be changed in Obi expert configuration menu / Voice Service / SP2 (in your case) / X_DefaultRing. Uncheck the ObiTalk settings and choose the ring number under Value then click Submit.

[azrobert]

There is another way to do this with a single provider. My Brother FAX has an option (TAD) that will receive a FAX only when it detects a FAX tone. In this mode the Brother will NOT answer an incoming call. You have to answer the call manually or have an answering machine pick up. TAD stands for telephone answering device.

On the Brother:
Press Menu
Selection #1 is General Setup
Press arrow up to go to selection #0 Initial Setup
Select Receive Mode
Select TAD

Connect the Brother Line Port to the OBi202 PH1.
Connect your phone to the Brother phone port.

I don't know if the FAX will work with Phonepower.

[kevmeist]

So, you are essentially sticking the MFC in between the 202 and the TAD then (single ,provider approach).

I thought that GV was discontinuing the protocol that Obihai used therefore GV itself won't work without a provider such as PhonePower (for using SP2 if I use that for the Brother MFC).

K

[azrobert]

So, you are essentially sticking the MFC in between the 202 and the TAD then (single ,provider approach).

Correct.

I thought that GV was discontinuing the protocol that Obihai used therefore GV itself won't work without a provider such as PhonePower (for using SP2 if I use that for the Brother MFC).

The rumor of GV discontinuing the XMPP protocol by May 2014 wasn't true. It's still working. Nobody knows what Google will do in the future. OBihai implemented a more secure method of adding GV and requires you to configure GV via OBiTalk when you have the newer firmware installed.

[kevmeist]

Didn't know that Google hadn't discontinued the XMPP protocol. I switched to PhonePower when that was going on. Google also cancelled support for a calendar syncing product round that time, so I switched to a product called gSyncit around the same time to sync my calendar between Outlook and gmail calendars.

So, I suppose that Google will probably cancel the XMPP protocol at some time in the future.

So, you are telling me that PhonePower or another vendor is not really needed?

K

[azrobert]

So, you are telling me that PhonePower or another vendor is not really needed?

You only need GV. A lot of people ported their GV number to another provider and are now sorry they did it. OBihai has listed GV as a supported provider, so I don't think GV (XMPP) will go away in the near future. Don't ask me what "near future" means.

[LTN1]

Didn't know that Google hadn't discontinued the XMPP protocol. I switched to PhonePower when that was going on. Google also cancelled support for a calendar syncing product round that time, so I switched to a product called gSyncit around the same time to sync my calendar between Outlook and gmail calendars.

So, I suppose that Google will probably cancel the XMPP protocol at some time in the future.

So, you are telling me that PhonePower or another vendor is not really needed?

K

Like azrobert said...Google Voice announced at the beginning of September that they are officially supporting Obihai devices. If you have a GV account and number, you can use your Obi202 and configure it through the Obitalk site in less than 10 minutes.

As for your fax option with the Brother MFC, besides the TAD option, you may also have the Fax/Phone option where even if you answer the call and the MFC hears the fax tone, it will route it to the MFC for fax receiving.

I think the distinctive ring will be the cleanest for a fax to come into your GV line--no need to go through TAD or a call pickup to make the transfer--it just goes straight to the fax when it picks up the distinctive ring--and you can tell the distinctive ring also. On my Brother MFC, the distinctive double ring pattern is Ring Pattern 1, which corresponds with Obi's Ring Pattern 3.

[Ostracus]

Distinctive Ring is for some kind of sharing. With two phone ports, one can bind a provider to a port. The real issue is the face presented to the world. For example the traditional way with POTS has been a single number and manually initiating receiving a fax. Not elegant, but workable. For those with two lines it's easier, say 555-1212 for regular calls, and 555-1515 for faxes. Distinctive Ring gives the best of both in one line, two numbers, and no manual intervention. So basically, one provider, one number, and the manual method. Or two distinct numbers, which might be squeezed down to one provider, and some separation in the Obi202.

[kevmeist]

Thanks to everyone for their guidance, It's much appreciated. What did we do before forums?

LOL

K