DSE 56K external modem does not hear fax ring tones
 

I have a Dick Smith's Elite DSE 56K external V2 modem (catalogue no. XH1142). It is reviewed in LinuxQuestions.org > Hardware Compatibility List > Modems > Intel where no problems are reported.

I am having trouble receiving faxes. I run efax as a fax daemon from an edited `fax' script (respawn entry in /etc/inittab). It seems to initialize the modem successfully on boot-up and after every PPP session. The efax logs shows the modem initializing and the daemon then waiting for activity, which never occurs. In other words, it does not respond when the telephone rings.

I can send faxes. At least my telco's fax reply service seems to receive them and then tries to fax me back a minute later as it should. Internet dial-up works too.

I run Fedora Core 3 (kernel 2.6.9) with updated udev-039-10.FC3.6.i386 and initscripts-7.93.5-1.i386 and the "development" release of efax (efax-0.9a-001114).

I use my telco's "Phone and Fax" service which has a distinctive fax ring tone. Perhaps my modem does not hear the fax ring? It sounds pretty much like a normal ring to my ears, just a different cadence (ring-pause-ring instead of ring-ring). I got no useful help from the telco.

I have checked in /var/lock/... for existence of lock files from KPPP and pppd (and on occasion disabled locking by those altogether).

I am running out of ideas for playing init-string bingo (default, reset-only, NZ regulations, reset-on-DSR, etc). I do notice that the CD (carrier detect?) LED on the modem is on after initialization. I can make it stay off with some init string fiddling but that makes no difference to fax answering.

Anyone with ideas?

Thanks,
Johann

Is it set for auto answer? Have you tried setting it to answer sending ATA string to the modem?

Gee It's been awhile since I used a modem. I think you can use terminal:

echo ata > /dev/ttyS0
autoanswer

echo ath > /dev/ttyS0
hang up

This is assuming your modem is on serial com1. yours may be /dev/modem or on another com port. but give it a try anyway.

If it answers then probably a problem in the fax software set-up somewhere.

KC

Thanks for that. I have a few more things to try now.

There's a more long-winded record of my efforts in the archive of my local LUG:

http://www.linux.net.nz/lists/NZLUG/2005/04/0098.html

and

http://www.linux.net.nz/lists/NZLUG/2005/04/0315.html

I would really like to hear from anyone who has this modem receiving faxes.

Johann