FAQs & Troubleshooting

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MFC-5840CN

FAQs & Troubleshooting

FAQs & Troubleshooting

MFC-5840CN

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Date: 10/17/2012 ID: faq00002454_005

Use my telephone provider's voice mail service on the same line as my Brother machine

If you have voice mail service on the same telephone line as your Brother machine, voice mail and the Brother machine will conflict with each other when receiving incoming calls.


For example, if your voice mail is set to answer after 4 rings and your Brother machine is set to answer after 2 rings, then your Brother machine will answer first. This will prevent callers from being able to leave a message in your voice mail.


Similarly, if your Brother machine is set to answer after 4 rings and your voice mail is set to answer after 2 rings, then your voice mail will answer first. This will prevent your Brother machine from being able to receive an incoming fax, since voice mail cannot transfer the incoming fax back to the Brother machine.


To avoid conflicts between your Brother machine and your voice mail service, do one of the following:

  • Get Distinctive Ring service from your telephone company and program your Brother machine to only answer one of the two numbers. People who call your original number can still leave messages on your voice mail service, and your Brother machine will answer calls to your Distinctive Ring number.

    Click here to see details of Distinctive Ring.

  • Set your Brother machine's Receive Mode to Manual. Manual Mode requires that you answer every incoming call if you want to be able to receive a fax. If the incoming call is a telephone call, then complete the call as you normally would. If you hear fax-sending tones you must transfer the call to the Brother machine by pressing * 5 1 on the dial pad of the telephone. Unanswered fax and voice calls will go to your voice mail.

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

    1. Press Fax.
    2. Press Menu/Set.
    3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Initial Setup. Press Menu/Set.
    4. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Receive Mode. Press Menu/Set.
    5. Press the Up or Down arrow key to choose Manual. Press Menu/Set.
    6. Press Stop/Exit.
      The LCD will display Mnl.

Related Models

MFC-5440CN, MFC-5840CN

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

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