MFC-1901

FAQs & Troubleshooting

FAQs & Troubleshooting

Select Receive mode.

The Receive Mode you choose for your Brother machine should be determined by the devices and features that share a telephone line with it. Review the information listed below to determine which Receive Mode best suits your needs.


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

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


Click here to see how to set up an answering machine (TAD) to work on the same line as the Brother machine.



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

You should choose Fax Only Mode if you have a dedicated fax line and want your Brother machine to automatically answer all incoming faxes. When using this mode, your 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 your Brother machine does.

The Ring Delay setting determines the number of times your Brother machine rings before answering in Fax Only Mode.


To change your Brother machine's Ring Delay setting, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you are in FAX mode.

  2. Press Menu.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Fax. Press OK.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Setup Receive. Press OK.

  5. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Ring Delay. Press OK.

  6. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose how many times the line rings before the machine answers. Press OK.

  7. Press Stop/Exit.

To put your Brother machine in Fax Only Mode, follow these steps:


  1. Press Menu.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Initial Setup. Press OK.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Receive Mode. Press OK.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Fax Only. Press OK.

  5. Press Stop/Exit.

 


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

You cannot receive voice messages on voice mail service or an external answering machine when using Fax/Tel Mode.

 

Click here to see how to set up an answering machine (TAD) to work on the same line as the Brother machine.


You should choose Fax/Tel Mode when your Brother machine shares a telephone line with extension telephones. In Fax/Tel Mode, your Brother machine automatically answers every call upon completion of the Ring Delay unless you answer first. Ring Delay is the number of times your Brother machine and all telephones on the same line will ring before the Brother machine answers the call.



  • If the call is a fax, your Brother machine will receive and print it.

  • If the call is a voice call, your Brother machine will signal you with a double ring called F/T Ring Time that is different from standard telephone ring. This double-ring is your signal to pick up the voice call.

  • If you answer the call on a telephone connected to the Brother machine's EXT jack (socket) or a telephone jack (socket) on the same line as your Brother machine and hear a beep every 3 seconds indicating an automatic fax, or silence indicating a manual fax, press Start, then press 2 to receive the fax.


If your Brother machine's Easy Receive or Fax Detect function is enabled, then you do not have to press Start to receive a fax. Simply wait until you hear your Brother machine's receiving tones and hang up the handset and your machine should receive the incoming fax automatically.

 

If you answer a voice call on an external telephone connected to the Brother machine's EXT jack (socket) or a telephone jack (socket) on the same line as your Brother machine, you can answer the call by pressing Hook or Tel/R on the Brother machine.

 

To change your Brother machine's Ring Delay setting, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you are in FAX mode.

  2. Press Menu.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Fax. Press OK.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Setup Receive. Press OK.

  5. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Ring Delay. Press OK.

  6. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose how many times the line rings before the machine answers. Press OK.

  7. Press Stop/Exit.


To change your Brother machine's F/T Ring Time setting, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you are in FAX mode.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Fax. Press OK.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Setup Receive. Press OK.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose F/T Ring Time. Press OK.

  5. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose how long the machine will ring to alert you that you have a voice call. Press OK.

  6. Press Stop/Exit.


To put your Brother machine in Fax/Tel Mode, follow these steps:

  1. Press Menu.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Initial Setup. Press OK.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Receive Mode. Press OK.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Fax/Tel. Press OK.

  5. Press Stop/Exit.

 


DO YOU WANT TO MANUALLY ANSWER EVERY INCOMING FAX? (MANUAL MODE)

In Manual Mode, your Brother machine will not answer the line automatically. Manual Mode requires you to answer every incoming call by lifting the handset of a telephone that shares the line with your Brother machine.



  • If the incoming call is a voice call, then complete the call as you normally would.

  • If you answer the call on a telephone connected to the Brother machine's EXT jack (socket) or a telephone jack (socket) on the same line as your Brother machine and hear a beep every 3 seconds indicating an automatic fax, or silence indicating a manual fax, press Start, then press 2 to receive the fax.

If your Brother machine's Easy Receive or Fax Detect function is enabled, then you do not have to press Start to receive a fax. Simply wait until you hear your Brother machine's receiving tones and hang up the handset and your machine should receive the incoming fax automatically



To put your Brother machine in Manual Mode, follow these steps:

  1. Press Menu.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Initial Setup. Press OK.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Receive Mode. Press OK.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Manual. Press OK.

  5. Press Stop/Exit.

 


To turn Easy Receive or Fax Detect on, follow these steps:
  1. Make sure you are in FAX mode.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Fax. Press OK.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Setup Receive. Press OK.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Easy Receive or Fax Detect. Press OK.

  5. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose On. Press OK.

  6. Press Stop/Exit.

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-1811, MFC-1901, MFC-1910W

Content Feedback

To help us improve our support, please provide your feedback below.

Step 1: How does the information on this page help you?

Step 2: Are there any comments you would like to add?

Please note this form is used for feedback only.