MFC-490CW

FAQs & Troubleshooting

FAQs & Troubleshooting
  • Date: 17/05/2013
  • ID: faq00002732_006

Send a fax

VoIP is a type of phone system that uses an internet connection instead of a traditional phone line.
Step1: Verify you hear the dial tone
  1. To verify your Brother machine has a dial tone. (Click here to see the details of how to verify that my Brother machine has a dial tone.)

    • If there is dial tone, go to STEP 2.

    • If there is no dial tone, verify the telephone line cord is directly connected from the Brother machine's LINE jack (socket) to the wall telephone jack (socket).

      • If you are using an analog telephone line and there are splitters, commshare devices, power strips or surge protectors between the wall telephone jack (socket) and the Brother machine, please remove them. Removing these devices assists in determining if the issue is related to the device or the Brother machine.

      • If you are using a DSL or Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone system, there can be multiple types of telephone line connections (modems, interface boxes, phone adapters, splitters, etc). However, a telephone line must be connected to the Brother machine's LINE jack (socket).


  2. If there is still no dial tone, click here.


Step2: Send a fax following one of these fax-sending procedures Send a fax using your Brother machine's Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)

For the models with an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder):
  1. Press the FAX key to illuminate it.

  2. Place the document(s) you want to fax face down in the ADF.
  • You should position your document(s) underneath the output tray formed by the paper guides, directly on top of the flatbed cover. When your document(s) feed through the ADF, they will be ejected on top of the paper guides.

  • After you put your document(s) in the ADF, the Brother machine's LCD should display "ADF Ready" for a few seconds and then display the fax-sending options.
  1. Enter the fax number you want to send to.

    You can manually dial the number or use a Speed Dial number or call history.

  2. Press Black (Mono) Start or Color (Colour) Start.

    Your Brother machine will scan and fax the document.
  • You can press the STOP/EXIT key to cancel the fax.

  • If you send a black & white fax when the Brother machine's memory is full, it will be sent in real time.
Send a fax using your Brother machine's flat scanner glass

  • You cannot send multipage color faxes from the flat scanner glass.

  • You can send documents up to Letter or A4 size.

  • (For the models with an ADF)
    Since you can only scan one page at a time on the flat scanner glass, it is easier to send multipage faxes using the ADF.
*If your Brother machine has a touchscreen, please follow the steps under "For touchscreen models" below.

  1. Press the FAX key to illuminate it.

  2. Place the document you want to fax face down on the flat scanner glass.

  3. Enter the fax number you want to send to.

    You can manually dial the number or use a Speed Dial number or call history.

  4. Press Black (Mono) Start or Color (Colour) Start.

    • If you press Black (Mono) Start, the machine will scan the first page. Go to STEP 5.

    • If you press Color (Colour) Start, the machine will scan and fax the document.

  5. Do one of the following:

    • To send a single-page fax, press Black (Mono) Start again or press 2 to choose No.

      Your Brother machine will scan and fax the document.

    • To send more than one page, press 1 to choose Yes. Go to STEP 6.

  6. Place the next page you want to fax face down on the flat scanner glass.

  7. Press the OK key.

    Your Brother machine will scan the next page.

    Repeat STEPS 5 through 7 for each additional page you want to fax.

<For touchscreen models>

  1. Press the FAX key to illuminate it.

  2. Place the document you want to fax face down on the flat scanner glass.

  3. Enter the fax number you want to send to.

    You can manually dial the number or use a Speed Dial number or call history.

  4. Press Black (Mono) Start or Color (Colour) Start.

    • If you press Black (Mono) Start, the machine will scan the first page. Go to STEP 5.

    • If you press Color (Colour) Start, the machine will scan and fax the document.

  5. Do one of the following:

    • To send a single-page fax, press Black (Mono) Start again or press No on the screen.

      Your Brother machine will scan and fax the document.

    • To send more than one page, press Yes on the screen. Go to STEP 6.

  6. Place the next page you want to fax face down on the flat scanner glass.

  7. Press the Black (Mono) Start or Color (Colour) Start key.

    Your Brother machine will scan the next page.

    Repeat STEPS 5 through 7 for each additional page you want to fax.

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-290C, MFC-490CW

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