MFC-295CN

FAQs & Troubleshooting

FAQs & Troubleshooting

How do I know which Receive Mode to select?

The Receive Mode you select for your Brother machine is determined by the devices and features on the same telephone line as your machine. Please review the information listed below to determine which receive mode best suites your needs.

  1. WILL YOU BE USING A DISTINCTIVE RING NUMBER FOR RECEIVING FAXES?

    Distinctive Ring is a function of your Brother machine that allows a person with one line, receive fax and voice calls through two different phone numbers on that one line. Brother uses the term "Distinctive Ring" to describe this service, 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, FaxAbility and BT Call Sign. This service establishes a second telephone number on the same line as your existing telephone number, and each number has its own ring pattern. Typically, the original number rings with the standard ring pattern and is used for receiving voice calls, and the second number rings with a different ring pattern and is used for receiving faxes.

    Distinctive Ring function is not supported for some countries.


    For more information, please refer to solution - What is Distinctive Ring and how do I program it?

  2. WILL YOU BE USING A VOICEMAIL ON THE SAME TELEPHONE LINE AS YOUR BROTHERMACHINE?

    If you have voice mail on the same telephone line as the Brother machine, voice mail and the Brother machine will conflict with each other when receiving incoming calls. Depending on which of the two (Brother machine or voice mail) answers first, will determine where the incoming call will be received.

    For more information, please refer to solution - Can I use Voicemail on the same line as my Brother machine?

  3. WILL YOU BE USING A TELEPHONE ANSWERING DEVICE (TAD) ON THE SAME TELEPHONE LINE AS YOUR BROTHER MACHINE? (EXTERNAL TAD MODE)

    In External TAD Mode, the Brother machine shares a single line with an external TAD. Your TAD automatically answers every incoming call, but the Brother machine "listens" for fax sending tones while the TAD's outgoing message is playing. If the Brother machine detects fax-sending tones, it will take over the line and receive the incoming fax. If the Brother machine does not detect fax-sending tones, it remains silent, allowing the caller to leave a message on the TAD.

    For more information, please refer to solution - How do I set up an answering machine (TAD) to work on the same line as my Brother machine?

  4. WILL YOU BE USING YOUR BROTHER MACHINE ON A DEDICATED FAX LINE? (FAX ONLY MODE)

    You should select Fax Only Mode if you have a dedicated fax line and want the Brother machine to answer all incoming faxes automatically. When using this mode, the Brother machine will automatically answer every incoming call with fax receiving tones after a certain number of rings. In Fax Only Mode, you can make outgoing voice calls, but you cannot receive incoming voice calls unless you answer the call before the Brother machine does.

    You can adjust the Ring Delay setting to the number of times the Brothermachine rings before answering in Fax Only Mode. 

    To change the Brother machine's Ring Delay setting, follow the steps listed below:

    1. Press MENU.
    2. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Fax and press OK.
    3. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Setup Receive and press OK.
    4. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Ring Delay and press OK.
    5. Select how many times the line will ring before your Brother machine answers it.
      (If you choose 0, the line will not ring at all)
    6. Press OK.
    7. Press STOP/ EXIT.

    To put the Brother machine in Fax Only mode follow the steps listed below:

    1. Press MENU.
    2. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Initial Setup and press OK.
    3. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Receive Mode and press OK.
    4. Select Fax Only and press OK.
    5. Press STOP/EXIT.
    6. The LCD will display Fax.

  5. WILL YOU BE USING YOUR BROTHER MACHINE ON THE SAME LINE AS YOUR TELEPHONE? (FAX/TEL MODE)

    You cannot receive voice messages on either voice mail or an answering machine when choosing the Fax/Tel mode. If you are using Voice Mail on the same line as the Brother machine please refer to STEP 2. If you are using an answering machine on the same line as the Brother machine please refer to STEP 3.


    You should use Fax/Tel Mode when the Brother machine shares a single line with extension telephones. In Fax/Tel Mode, the Brother machine automatically answers every call upon completion of the Ring Delay (unless you answer first). Ring Delay is the number of times the Brother machine and all telephones on the same line will ring before the Brother machine answers the call. If the call is a fax, it prints the fax. If the call is voice, it signals the customer with a double ring (F/T Ring Time) that is different from the phone company ring. The special ring is the signal for the customer to pick up the call.

    If the customer answer the call on an extension phone or an external telephone connected to the EXT jack on the Brother machine, and hear a beep every 3 seconds (automatic fax) or silence (manual fax), they should press *51(*91 for New Zealand) on the telephone key pad, wait to hear the Brother machine turn on (chirping sounds) and then hang up. If the customer answer a voice call on an extension an external telephone connected to the EXT jack on the Brother machine during the F/T Ring Time, the customer will hear the F/T ring tones. To release the call from the Brother machine, press#51(#91 for New Zealand) on the telephone keypad and the customer can speak to the calling party.

    To set the Ring Delay follow the steps listed below:

    1. Press MENU.
    2. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Fax and press OK.
    3. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Setup Receive and press OK.
    4. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Ring Delay and press OK.
    5. Select how many times the line will ring before your Brother machine answers it.
      (If you choose 0, the line will not ring at all)
    6. Press OK.
    7. Press Stop/ Exit.

    To set the F/T Ring Time follow the steps listed below:

    1. Press MENU.
    2. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Fax and press OK.
    3. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Setup Receive and press OK.
    4. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select F/T Ring Time and press OK.
    5. Select the amount of time you want the Brother machine to double ring.
    6. Press OK.
    7. Press the Stop/ Exit.

    To put the machine in Fax/Tel Mode follow the steps listed below:

    1. Press MENU.
    2. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Initial Setup and press OK.
    3. Press the Up or Down Arrow key to select Receive Mode and press OK.
    4. Select Fax/Tel and press OK.
    5. Press Stop/ Exit.
    6. The LCD will display F/T.

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:

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