Fax tone on answer

[brewerdude]

We've got an issue on a Merlin (rls 7) that we have been unable to resolved, and are somewhat stumped.

The local service of our Merlin is based upon 14 CO trunks. When you call the lead number repeatedly, about every third or fourth time, it's answered by a fax tone. We've done the following and still don't have a resolution...

*I've called each CO trunk directly, only the lead number results in the fax tone.

*I've called each number twice at the same to test the hunting - they all hunt properly, and nothing hunts to a fax machine.

*I've taken the line for the main number and moved it to a different port on the 408 card. I still get the fax tone.

*I've replaced the 408 card that the main line goes into, I still get the fax tone.

*I called in a ticket to SBC. They've looked at the programming, and traced the line back to the CO. All the programming is correct, and nothing is double tapped. The tech also replaced the card for that line in the channel bank. We still get the fax tone.

*I took the line for the main number out of the PBX and hooked it to an analog phone and called it repeatedly. In that scenario, I never got the fax tone.

*We checked to make sure the voice mail maintenance port is not in the voice mail pool. When testing I get the fax tone on different mail ports.

I'm not sure what to try next. Any suggestions are welcome at this point. One other item of interest - when dialed in with WinSPM, the PBX just begins "freaking out". It's the craziest thing, it just starts rolling through screens, without me doing anything. Sometimes it trys to do a restore, one time it changed the language to Spanish. Eventually, it hangs up and logs you out. You have to restart WinSPM before you can get in again. With that in mind, we're wondering if there's a problem with the processor.

At this point, I don't have much hair left to pull out...

 

[tdaugirdas]

Have you tried resetting (frigid) start on the processor? (after saving all of your programming - first, of course). And, reloading your programming to see if that resolves the problem.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[merlinman]

Actually, it sounds as if your SPM Issues are just due to bad or dirty co lines.

I would go on site and connect up and do a print all to see how things are programmed.

You probably have a fax machine set to ring on one of your incoming lines.

 

[brewerdude]

There are no fax machines attached to the PBX. The only fax in the office is on a POTS line.

Can't easily go on site and connect to it - it's in Ohio and I'm in AZ...

 

[merlinman]

Perhaps there is a modem?

Perhaps someone else could dial in and look?

 

[brewerdude]

Yes there is a modem on it, I have dialed into it, many, many times. Do you know of any good Avaya support organizations in the Columbus area?

 

[TouchToneTommy]

What happens if you disconnect the lead number from the Legend entirely, and then call it repeatedly? Do you still get a FAX answering? And do you know the difference between a FAX tone and a Modem tone? (To be sure that it is a FAX and not a modem that is answering)

If you still get answered by the tone when disconnected from the Legend, the problem is of course outside of the system, and you should start looking for something line alarm equipment that may be sharing the line through an RJ-31X. If not, there is still a bridge tap somewhere in SBC land.

Now if the problem disappears when disco'd from the Legend, re-connect it, and connect to the SMDR port with Hyperterminal. See if you can capture what is answering through that.

Also, if you have an 007MLM, there is a modem built into the 7th logical ID of the card. I've had it answer accidently when a hardware change caused a board renumber and put the 70 pool with delayed ring on that port.

 

[brewerdude]

From above:
*I took the line for the main number out of the PBX and hooked it to an analog phone and called it repeatedly. In that scenario, I never got the fax tone.


I did a trace using monitor. When I get the tone, I can see the call being answered on port 801.

We checked the modem port on mail, it's not in pool 70. While testing, I got the tone on different mail ports.

 

[tdaugirdas]

Does the VM have an overflow group set up? Since you only get the fax tone on every 3rd or 4th call, it sounds like the calls may be overflowing to some group - which just may have the VM modem port in it. There are only two modems in your system - the one built-in to the processor and the one built-in to the VM. Is it possible that you have an adjunct hooked to a modem somewhere on this system? What does port 801 correlate to? Have you done a "print all" to look for clues as to what is going on?

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[brewerdude]

well... I was just dialed in trying to get some reports and it started "freaking out" on me again. The users just reported to me that the phones no longer can transfer...

I'm guessing that something's corrupted somewhere...

 

[tdaugirdas]

Well - hopefully the system did an autobackup recently. In your shoes I would just wipe it all out with a "frigid" start and reload the back-up. I would also have someone physically check each phone and see if there is a phone on the system with an adjunct attached that might be connected to someone's PC modem. Good luck! You may just need a new processor.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com