Standard Answering Machine Not Answering

[YooperEE]

I have had a standard answering machine working on an extension for the last two years. This week, one of the 206E cards died, so I had to move some extensions around. I copied the settings from the old fax and answering machine extensions to the new ones. The fax works fine on its new extension, but the answering machine refuses to.

The answering machine (or another standard phone plugged into it) will not ring/answer. If I plug a system phone in that extension, it works just fine. The only extension that the answering machine will work on is extension 10. I know that the problem most likely is some setting(s), but which one(s)? I have spent several hours trying to figure it out.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[tryingmybest]

Don't I remember reading that in some of the (maybe older) Partner systems, only certain extension ports allowed standard devices to be connected?

I was going to say it sounded like you had ringing set to delayed or no ring on the extension you moved the answering machine to, but if connecting a system phone works then I don't know. Makes it sound like what I first said. Maybe someone else will chime in here and help you out more than I...

 

[exsmogger]

All ports on a 206E should be able to supply ringing to analog devices. If you're sure that immediate ringing is assigned to the desired port, then the 206E may have problems. Also check the line cord to the answering machine and make sure it is only a 2-conductor cord.

Brian Cox

http://www.jandjcommunications.com

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Call the extension directly on the intercom. See if the answering machine will answer. ALL ports on 206 cards will receive ringing voltage, unless the ring generator in the card has died. Try a port on another card if possible.

 

[YooperEE]

Thanks everyone.

I may have the answering machine extension set for delayed ringing rather than immediate. Is that critical? If so, why? (I'm not in the building with the answering machine right now, so I can't verify the settings.)

 

[skip555]

delayed ring wouldn't be a problem it just means the systme wont send ring voltage untill the 4th co ring so someone calling in from the outside would probably have to let it ring 7-8 times before the answering machine picked up

 

[tryingmybest]

Since it's on delayed ring, the answering machine doesn't "hear" the ring until after the delay, so like he said it will probably take 7 or 8 rings if the machine is set to pickup after, say, 4...it doesn't hear its first ring until after 3 or 4 rings that the caller hears and other phones are ringing (if set to immediate ring).

 

[skip555]

how are you hooking the answering machine up ?

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi YooperEE,
Since a standard phone doesn't ring either. The port is defective (can happen), or it isn't programmed properly.
As TTT suggested, ring that extension. If it doesn't answer, it may be defective. You could try to turn off distinctive ringing on that port. If it still doesn't ring, the port is dead.
-Chris

 

[YooperEE]

Thanks again everyone.

It appears that their is something wrong with all of our 206E cards (power surge? The carrier was unprotected.) The answering machine works on the 206E replacement card that we received today.

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi YooperEE,
Your phone system is more expensive to replace than a computer. Put it on a UPS. Now you can still use the phones when the power fails as a side benefit.
-Chris

 

[skip555]

and out some protection on the co lines

like I tell my csutomers its not just the $$$ you save in equipment replacement
its the ablity to continue doing business un-interupted