" Unable to send or receive a fax"

[Taz1950]

Suddenly my oft reliable all=in=one doesn't address any faxes. I followed all the steps offered by HP but none worked. It refers me to HP Customer Service, however I haven't found any! Has anyone has this issues resolved and if so, what needs to be done? O was it resolved? Would hate to buy a new one when all the features still work on this one except the fax. HELP?!?!?!?!?!

[Hawks_Eye]

@Taz1950,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I understand how frustrating this is, especially when everything else on your HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 works fine. Since you've already followed HP’s troubleshooting steps without success, let’s go through some deeper checks to see if we can get the fax function working again.

Check the Phone Line Connection

• Ensure that the phone cable is plugged directly from the wall jack into the 1-LINE port on the printer (not the 2-EXT port).
• If you have a DSL service, use a DSL filter between the printer and the wall jack.
• Try using a different phone cable (some HP printers require a 2-wire phone cable, and some phone cords are 4-wire, which may cause issues).

Run a Fax Test

• From the printer's control panel, go to Setup > Tools > Run Fax Test.
• If the test fails, it should give you an error message pointing to the issue.

Check for Dial Tone

• Press Fax on the printer’s screen and try manually dialing a known working fax number.
• If there’s no dial tone, plug a regular telephone into the 1-LINE port of the printer and check if you can hear a dial tone.

Disable Fax Error Correction Mode (ECM)

• On the printer, go to Fax Setup > Preferences > Error Correction Mode and set it to Off.
• This helps if there are transmission issues caused by line noise.

Adjust Fax Speed

• Go to Fax Setup > Preferences > Fax Speed and set it to Slow (9600 bps).
• This helps if the issue is with the phone line quality.

Try Sending a Test Fax

HP offers a free fax test service.

1. Send a fax to 1-888-HPFaxMe (1-888-473-2963).
2. If the fax is received, HP will send a return fax to confirm.

[Hawks_Eye]

Check Your Phone Service Type

• If you’re using a VoIP (digital phone service like Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, or Spectrum), faxing can be unreliable.
• Try adjusting the Fax Mode to “Over VoIP” in the settings.
• If you have a landline, contact your provider to check for any recent service changes.

Reset the Printer

• Unplug the printer while it's on, wait 60 seconds, then plug it back in.
• Restart your router/modem if using an internet-based phone line.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Hawks_Eye

HP Support 

[fstop640]

Using the HP Smart Tank 7600 series printer and  During the month of February I was able to send up to 20 multiple faxes based on the information I had added in the "Scan" function of the printer address book multiple books with multiple fax number entries.  Beginning of March I 2025 and using an HP Smart Tank 7600 series printer I was unable to create multiple fax address with each book saving up to 99 entries.   I was unable to utilize those Fax address books to create and send multiple Fax only limited by sending a list of 20 fax numbers per secession.  Beginning in March something happened and I could no longer create a multiple listing of fax numbers stored in my Address book nor send multiple faxes base on the entries listed in the address book.  Has anyone else had or experienced this issue.  The Owners manual clearly states that the HP Smart Tank 7600 series is capable of sending up to 20 multiple faxes at a time.

[fstop640]

I have the same problem beginning about the same time.  My only suggestion is the Contact <removed> Executive scalations manager with HP Inc at <removed> and explain your are having the same issue .  I began having the very same problem about the same time and have reached out to Mr. Sanjeev with the following e-mail as I had been on the phone line with the HP tech people for about 10-12 hours over about three days.  I present you with the following email sent to The Vice President of operations in the United States,<removed>.

I fail to understand why it is that trying to resolve an issue with an Hewlett Packard product requires such a monumental effort on the part of the Consumer in trying to contact anyone who seems to be able to resolve what I consider a simple issue.  Simply put,  I am unable to send multiple faxes to multiple recipients when the Users manual says I should be able to period...

I have been trying since the 28 of February to get technical support or technical assistance that can address an issue in The Users Manual for an HP Smart Tank 7600r Series Chapter 6 Fax under Send a Fax,  To Send a Standard Fax from the Printer Control Panel. Step 4.  It clearly states that from the Touch Panel a person can "Send to Contacts" by selecting an Address book or phone book, and then select one or more contacts, in other words Multiple Contact and that should imply multiple faxes.   I appears no one has a handle on my issue and I am sure that I am not the only individual facing this same problem.

When I first set up my printer and spent many many hours inputing those Fax Contact and number it seemed to work like a Swiss watch, then on February 28 that came to a crashing conclusion as the previously created Address Book failed to respond to inputs and since that date I have been on the phone with 5 to 6 HP techs that have failed to provide a solution to my dilemma.  Many numerous tech people over numerous hours going over the same dull boring solutions that result in nothing accomplished.  The old saying "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different result", attributed to Rita Mae Brown seems to be the Catch 22 I have found myself in.  I really hate to resort to this kind of inducement to respond but I am left with little choice but to call attention to the lack of empathy or concern for the consumer of the Hewlett Packard products.  I have been a steady consumer of the HP products and over the year have owned at least 5-6 printers and currently own at least 5 Hewlett Packard Laptops.

At the very least I am hopeful that among the Journalist that are included in this Email that at least one will find this as a possible story line to inquire why it is that such a large company is so isolated from its customers with very little feedback about the products Hewlett Packard present to the consuming public.

Sincerely yours

<removed>

[fstop640]

I failed to mention the Case Number as a  reference <removed>.  As I understand it the issue has been elevated to a higher level after my calling attention to the issue.  My address books are not usable and with several entries input when you go to send a Fax the Address book only displays "One" entry.  The very first entry the additional entries are shown in the Address book accessed through the Scan function but are not shown or available at the printer.  My printer is a HP 7600r series printer.

[Hawks_Eye]

My sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to you.

We'd hate for you to be stuck in a situation like this. Because you matter to us.

I'm sending out a private message to assist you with the next course of action. 

In order to access your private messages, click the private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your profile Name.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance. 

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Taz1950]

Actually I tried all that you sent me. None of it worked. The printer was pretty reliable with the fax mode but it seemed to just stop suddenly one day. Not sure what the cause could be other than it is old and possible just quit working.

[Hawks_Eye]

@Taz1950 

It’s disheartening to hear that the issue persists, especially when the fax feature had always been so reliable before.

Given that you’ve diligently tried all the recommended steps, it’s possible the fax hardware itself has reached the end of its lifecycle.

Over time, internal components can degrade, particularly in older devices.

If you’d like to keep trying, you could explore the following:

Perform a Factory Reset:

• Sometimes, resetting the entire printer to its factory settings can resolve deeper, unforeseen issues. This would revert the device to its original state.

Verify the Phone Line Setup:

• Connect the phone line directly to a wall jack, bypassing any splitters or extenders. Test the connection to ensure a strong, uninterrupted signal.

Use an Alternative Phone Line:

• If feasible, test the printer with a different phone line to rule out any line-related issues.

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks,

Hawks_Eye