Fax Issues

[BaccyNet]

Hi All!

I have had a user come to me this week complaining of not being able to fax to some fairly critical numbers. Heres a quick rundown of what the system is setup like:

Mitel 3300MX connected to ISDN line. This is then wired to a patch panel to provide two analog lines. Each of these lines are then cabled through the building to a single consumer fax machine (off the shelf, nothing special)

Both fax machines can send to each other as well as a couple of other businesses near us. They can also receive regardless of who is sending.
The user has tried sending the fax from either machine but both produce the same result (prints an error message of No Answer) but if the fax machine is connected to a standard consumer BT socket, the fax sends straight away.
This happens with a couple of numbers, there is no pattern to it.

Is there something in the Mitel's config I should be checking? As I didnt set it up in the first place I'm not sure where to look but I have been working with the IP phone side for a while now so can find my way around.
The switch is a 3300MX with software ver 7.0.8.5. The fax machines are both Samsung SF-350's although I have tried a different model just to test and this made no difference.

Any help greatly appreciated!

Steve

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

Do you have a Milliwatt Test Directory number?
If not, I suggest you create one, then have the far end (where you're having trouble) call your Milliwatt number and listen to the test tone. It should be pure and steady with no breaks in it. If it's broken up (at all) then look for T1 clocking or framing issues within the local telco. We had this exact problem and fought it for months before we got smart and swapped tones with each other end to end. Once pointed in the right direction the local telco was able to find the problem in a matter of a couple hours.

 

[NISD3300]

BaccyNet,
I had some of the same issues after upgrading to Rel.7.1.
There is a command you can enter by hooking up to the maintenance port on the 3300 that turns fax detection off, however if the system reboots it will not keep the settings and you have to repeat.
Command: T2eFaxDetOff()

This seems to have worked for my systems.

Hope this helps
NISD3300

 

[BaccyNet]

Thanks for the replies!

@NISD3300 - I have tried entering the command exactly as you wrote it but I get a syntax error every time I enter it. Am I doing something wrong? I'm entering Command: T2eFaxDetOff()

Sorry its taken me this long to reply, you wouldnt believe how hard it is to get a serial cable around here!

Steve

 

[NISD3300]

BaccyNet,
I miss typed the command
T2EFaxDetOff()
It is supposed to be an uppercase E.
Sorry

 

[BaccyNet]

Thanks for that NISD3300. I've given it a go but unfortunatly we still have the same problem.

I really hate fax machines!

 

[kennys3838]

I had the same with release 7. I had 8 3300's in a network that ran for over a year and then the problem started. I upgraded to the newest release two weeks ago and it corrected the problem.

 

[Mitelmatt]

Can you tell me what's in the Circuit Descriptor for the analogue extensions are on?

 

[meneerB]

We had the same problems on our 3300MX/PRI in Belgium:
faxing with IPT does not work correct (sometimes okay, most of the time not)/ uses to much bandwith.
Our Technical Department did a debug on a few Multifuntionals to find this problem.
33k6 is to fast for IPT, so setting the speed to 14k4 solved the problem. SuperG3 cannot be used, but less customers of ours use this, so not a big isue.

for Ricoh printers:
2) disable V8/V34
4,6) "Allowable frame interval" + "Reconstruction time for the first line" put on 13s and 12s.
---------------------------------------------------------
2)
V.8 protocol 0: Disabled 1: Enabied
0: V.8/V.34 communications will not be possible.
Note:
Do not set to 0 unless the line condition is always
bad enough to slow down the data rate to 14.4 kbps or lower

4)
Maximum allowable frame interval during image data reception. 0:5S 1:13S
This bit set the maximum interval between EOL (end-of-line) signals and the maximum interval between ECM frames from the other end. Try using a longer setting if error code 0-21 is frequent.

6)
Reconstruction time for the first line in receive mode 0:6s 1: 12S
When the sending terminal is controlled by a computer, there may be a delay in receiving page data after the local machine accepts set-up data and sends CFR. This is outside the T.30 recommendation. But, if this delay occurs, set this bit to 1 to give the sending machine more time to send data. Refer to error code 0-20. ITU-T T.30 recommendation: The first line should
come within 5 s of CFR.

 

[Mitelmatt]

On a standalone site this shouldn't be a problem because IP isn't involved. The Faxes plug into a good old analogue port, so it stays TDM all the way through.

BaccyNet, what country are you in?

 

[BaccyNet]

Sorry I havnt got back to you guys, had to be a the second site recently sorting out a few issues.

@MitelMatt - I'm in the UK, over in Norfolk if that helps.

I've gotten hold of the people who installed the system years ago and they have been testing on their 3300 to see if they can recreate the problem. So far its been fine for them so they are a bit reluctant to come on-site until they are sure how to recreate and fix the problem.

I'll get you the ciruit descriptors when I can Matt. Hopefully it will be tomorrow but you never know in this job!!

Thanks for your help guys, I greatly appreciate the time your giving to this

 

[meneerB]

@Mitelmatt:

Hmm, TDM part sounds correct and logical.
So, bandwith issue is not valid in my post:
but the 3300 does not work as a normal PABX. These options should not to be used, but we had too. Any comments?

 

[Mitelmatt]

The 3300 analogue portion is the same as a normal PBX. The only settings you should need to change is normal TDM settings.

 

[BaccyNet]

Mitelmatt

I've looked for the circuit descriptor you asked for, but I'm a bit unsure as to which bit you want. The two analogue lines are set to Ciruit Descriptor Index 1. When I then go into ONS/OPS Circuit Assignment and bring up number 1 I get:

Transmission: Short
Flash Type: Normal
Low Flash Timer: 100
High Flash Timer: 700
RAD Loop: BLANK
Ground Button: No
Message Waiting Lamp: No
Part of a modem: No
Call Announce Line: No
OPS Balance Network Setting: BLANK
Loss Option: No
Positive Disconnect: No
Positive Disconnect Time: 500
Ring Frequency: National
Set Type: National
ETSI CLASS First Ring Duration: Normal
ESTI CLASS MWI On-hook Alert Method: Positive Disconnect


Hopefully this means more to you, if you need to know anything else please let me know.

Many thanks!

 

[Mitelmatt]

And what make of faxes are they?

 

[BaccyNet]

Samsung SF-350

 

[Mitelmatt]

one thing to try on the fax, is set it up as US English rather than UK English. Had this before

Also try changing the Ring Frequency to 50hrtz rather than national

 

[BaccyNet]

I can find any regional settings on the fax, just a language selection. I have changed the Ring Frequency to 50hz, still no change.

 

[Mitelmatt]

I know this sounds silly but just change the language selection to US english and try....

 

[BaccyNet]

This might be me being really stupid but I can only change the language on the fax, not any regional settings. The only options it gives me are:

English (set)
German
French
Italian
Spanish
Portuguese
Dutch

Unfortunatly I have thrown the manual away a while ago so if it does have an additional menu I'm not seeing, I'm not sure how to get to it.

Sorry I'm being such a pain!!