HP 4630 fax set up with a phone - cannot receive faxes

[Hummingbird11]

I am unable to receive faxes.  Can anyone suggest what is the problem?

A. What is the correct set up with phone lines etc?

B. The phone line and fax are on the same line - we rarely use the phone line so if we know a fax is coming through we would not answer it.

Any ideas?

[The_Fossette]

@Hummingbird11,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

I reviewed your post and I understand that you are unable to receive faxes.

Don’t worry, I assure you I will try my best to get this sorted.

Check the fax settings and connection setup when faxes are not received.

NOTE: For testing purposes, you can send a fax to the HP Fax Test Service at 1-888-HPFaxme (1-888-473-2963). This free service sends a return fax within 5 to 7 minutes when the fax is working properly. Your fax number must match the number you entered in the fax header for the return fax to send.

Step 1: Print a fax test report

To begin troubleshooting, print a fax test report to identify any issues with the printer, phone line connection, or fax settings. On the printer control panel, locate Run Fax Test or Fax Test Report in the Fax or Setup menus.

Review the report for any tests that failed and follow any instructions provided. If the issue is not resolved, continue to the next step.

Step 2: Check fax receiving settings

Confirm the following fax settings to help identify issues when faxes are not received. Fax setup and preferences settings are in the Fax or Setup menus on the printer control panel.

• Turn Auto Answer on: If this feature is not enabled, you must manually answer incoming fax calls.

• Set the number of rings to answer incoming faxes: If you have an answering machine, allow it to answer all calls first so the printer can detect the fax tones after the machine answers the call. Change the Rings to Answer setting to a higher number of rings than the answering machine is set for.

• Adjust the answering machine message length and clarity: To ensure the printer can detect fax tones, shorten the answering machine greeting message to 10 seconds or less, make sure there is no background noise, and leave 5 seconds of silence at the end.

• Set the ring type: Use the All Rings setting for a dedicated fax line, or select Distinctive Ring if you set up a special ring pattern for the fax line.

• Enable error reporting: Turn on the Fax Error Reports feature to print a report if an error occurs when sending or receiving a fax. If the report includes a numeric error code, go to Fax Error Codes and Solutions.

Step 3: Check the connection

Check for phone line connection issues that might prevent faxes from being received.

• Confirm the fax setup: Go to HP Printers - How to Fax for steps to set up your printer.

• Check the phone line: Connect a phone to the wall jack and try to make a call. If the call fails, or there is no dial tone, check if another phone or device is keeping the line open. Additionally, if you hear static, there might be interference from nearby electrical appliances (motors, fans, kitchen appliances, or televisions) and/or coax cables, or there is an issue with the line quality that requires attention from your phone service provider.

• Use the fax cord that shipped with your printer: HP fax-capable printers ship with a two-wire phone cord. If you are using a different cord, confirm the connector does not have four wires. Shorter, higher quality cords work better than longer cords of lesser quality.

  

• Remove other devices from the phone line: Devices such as answering machines, modems, or other telephones might cause faxing issues.

Additional troubleshooting

If the previous steps do not resolve the issue, reset the printer, check for any hardware or phone service-related issues, and restore the default fax settings.

NOTE: 

Re-add any printer settings and preferences that were removed after a reset or settings restore.

• Reset the printer: With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cable from the rear of the printer and the wall outlet, wait 30 seconds, and then reconnect the power cable.

• Remove conflicting phone line services: Services such as voice mail and call waiting, or services designed to prevent undesired calls such as anonymous call rejection and privacy manager can interfere with incoming faxes. Contact your telephone company if they are interrupting fax communication.

• Restore fax settings to default: Restore factory default fax settings, and then run the fax setup wizard again.

Let me know how it goes and you have a great day!

If you wish to show appreciation for my efforts, mark my post as Accept as Solution. Your feedback counts!

Cheers!