MFC-260C

FAQs & Troubleshooting

FAQs & Troubleshooting

How do I receive faxes when the Brother machine is in Manual Mode?

Manual mode turns off all automatic answering functions unless you are using the Distinctive Ring feature or you are using an external answering machine on the same line as the Brother machine.


*Distinctive Ring is a function of your Brother machine that allows a person with one line to receive fax and voice calls through two different phone numbers on that one line. Brother uses the term "Distinctive Ring," but telephone companies market the service under a variety of names, such as Custom Ringing, Personalized Ring, Smart Ring, Ring Master, Ident-a-Ring, Ident-a-Call, Data Ident-A-Call, Teen Ring, SimpleBiz Fax & Alternate Number Ringing and BT Call Sign.

  1. Setting the Receive Mode

    1. Press Menu.
    2. Press the up or down arrow key to select Initial Setup.
    3. Press OK.
    4. Press the up or down arrow key to select Receive Mode.
    5. Press OK.
    6. Press the up or down arrow key to select Manual.
    7. Press OK.
    8. Press Stop/Exit.

  2. Receiving Faxes in Manual Mode

    1. Lift the handset of a telephone that is on the same line as your Brother machine.
    2. When you hear the sending machine's fax tones (short beeps that occur at regular intervals), do one of the following:
      • If the telephone you answered is near your Brother machine or connected to its EXT jack(socket), press Black(Mono) Start or Color(Colour) Start.
      • If the telephone you answered is not connected to or near your Brother machine, press *51 (*91 for New Zealand) on its dial pad.
    3. Your Brother machine will produce receiving tones.
    4. Replace the telephone handset. Your Brother machine will begin to receive the fax.

    < Easy Receive (Fax Detect) >

    The Easy Receive (Fax Detect) feature allows you to receive faxes in Manual Mode by simply lifting the handset of a telephone that is on the same line as the Brother machine. Your Brother machine will automatically generate fax receiving tones, at which point you can replace the telephone handset and wait for your fax to be received and printed.

    Your Brother machine's Easy Receive (Fax Detect) feature is turned ON by default. To adjust your Brother machine's Easy Receive (Fax Detect) setting, please follow these steps:


    1. Press Menu.
    2. Press the up or down arrow key to select Fax.
    3. Press OK.
    4. Press the up or down arrow key to select Setup Receive.
    5. Press OK.
    6. Press the up or down arrow key to select Easy Receive or Fax Detect.
    7. Press OK.
    8. Press the up or down arrow key to select On, Semi or Off.

      *In some brother machines, Semi may not be in the options.

      If you choose Semi, your Brother machine will only answer an incoming fax if you answer using its handset or by pressing the Hook, Hook/Hold, Hold, Speaker Phone or Tel/R key on its control panel.

    9. Press OK.
    10. Press Stop/Exit.

    Here are a couple of points to keep in mind:

    • If Easy Receive (Fax Detect) is ON, but your Brother machine doesn't automatically answer the incoming fax when you lift the extension telephone's handset, press *51 (*91 for New Zealand).
    • If you send faxes from a computer that is on the same telephone line as the Brother machine and the Brother machine intercepts the calls, turn Easy Receive (Fax Detect) OFF.

If your question was not answered, have you checked other FAQs?

Have you checked the manuals?

If you need further assistance, please contact Brother customer service:

Related Models

MFC-235C, MFC-240C, MFC-260C, MFC-440CN, MFC-465CN, MFC-660CN, MFC-845CW

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