If you are experiencing problems receiving faxes, follow these instructions:
 

• If you are using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), please refer to the Related FAQ's at the end of the page.
  
  VoIP is a type of phone system that uses an internet connection instead of a traditional phone line.
   
• If you are not using VoIP, go to STEP 1.

1. Verify the Brother machine has a dial tone:

    

   1. Connect a known-working telephone to the jack labeled EXT on the Brother machine.
       
   2. Lift the telephone's handset and listen for a dial tone.

       

      • If there is a dial tone, go to STEP 4.
         
      • If there is no dial tone, verify the telephone line cord is directly connected from the jack labeled LINE on the Brother machine to the wall telephone jack.
        
        If there are splitters, commshare devices, power strips, or surge protectors between the wall jack and the Brother machine, remove them. Removing these devices helps determine if the missing dial tone is related to the machine or another device on the line.

   If the machine is on a rollover telephone system, connect the unit to the last line of the rollover pattern. You do not want your incoming faxes "rolling over" to another line on the system.

    
   1. • If the line connection does not require any changes, go to STEP 2.
         
      • If the line connection required a correction, lift the extension telephone's handset after connecting the line cord correctly and listen for a dial tone.
        
        If there is a dial tone, go to STEP 4.
        
        If there is still no dial tone, go to STEP 2.

   To protect your machine against power surges and lightning, Brother strongly recommends you connect your machine to a surge protector. In particular, we suggest you use a surge protector that is compatible with both standard AC power cords and telephone line cords. Surge protectors equipped with telephone jacks will assist in insulating your Brother machine from any power surge that might travel through a telephone line.

    

2. If there is still no dial tone, verify the date and time are displayed on the LCD.

    

   1. If the date and time are displayed on the LCD, go to STEP 3.
       
   2. If the LCD displays an error message (for example, Paper Jam) or status message (for example, Toner Low), refer to the solution that addresses the message that is appearing on the LCD.
       
   3. If the LCD is blank:

       

      1. Verify the power cord is connected to the AC power outlet (electrical socket) and the Brother machine.
         
         If the power cord is connected to a surge protector or power switch, remove the cord from the device and connect it directly to the outlet (socket). Removing the device helps to determine if the blank display is related to the Brother machine or an external device.
          
      2. Connect the machine to a different, known-working electrical outlet (socket) at your location.
         
         If the LCD is still blank, please contact Brother Customer Service from "Contact Us".

    

3. If there is still no dial tone, follow these steps:

    

   1. Remove the telephone line cord from the wall jack (socket).
       
   2. Connect a known-working extension telephone with a known-working telephone line cord to the same wall jack (socket).
       
   3. Lift the telephone's handset and listen for a dial tone.

       

      • If the telephone does not have a dial tone, the problem is related to the phone line or wall jack (socket). Contact your local telephone company for assistance.
         
      • If the telephone has a dial tone, follow these steps:

         

        1. Disconnect the telephone line cord from the telephone and directly connect it to the jack (socket) labeled LINE on the Brother machine.
            
        2. Connect the telephone to the line labeled EXT on the Brother machine using another known-working telephone line cord.
            
        3. Lift the extension telephone's handset and listen for a dial tone.

            

           • If there is a dial tone, go to STEP 4.
              
           • If you do not hear a dial tone, please contact Brother Customer Service from "Contact Us".

    

4. Choosing the correct Receive Mode.
   
   The Receive Mode you choose should be determined by the devices and features that are on the same telephone line as your machine.

    

   • Will you be using a Distinctive Ring number for receiving faxes? Go to STEP 5.
      
   • Will you be using your Brother machine on a dedicated fax line? (Fax Only Mode) Go to STEP 6.
      
   • Will you be using an external answering machine on the same line as your Brother machine? (Ext. Tel/TAD Mode) Go to STEP 7.
      
   • Will you be using voice mail on the same line as your Brother machine? Go to STEP 8.

    

5. Using a Distinctive Ring number:
   
   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" to describe this service, but telephone companies market it under a variety of names, such as Smart Ring, Ring Master or Ident-a-Ring.
   
   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.
   
   • You must pay for your telephone company's Distinctive Ring service before you program the machine to work with it.
      
   • Contact your telephone company for availability and rates.

    

   To program your Brother machine to receive faxes using a Distinctive Ring number, follow these steps:

    

   1. Press the Receive Mode key until the Brother machine's LCD reads Manual.
       
   2. Press MENU and choose Fax => Miscellaneous => Distinctive.
       
   3. Press the LEFT OR RIGHT ARROW key to choose Set.
       
   4. Press the SET key.
       
   5. The Brother machine will begin to play a ring pattern.
      

      There are four ring patterns available, and you should press the LEFT OR RIGHT ARROW key to choose the one that matches the Distinctive Ring pattern assigned by the telephone company. You will hear each pattern as you choose it, which should help you make the correct choice.
       

      These ring patterns are as follows:

       

      • Long-Long (this ring pattern is often called Short-Short by phone companies)
         
      • Short-Long-Short
         
      • Short-Short-Long
         
      • Very Long (this is the standard telephone ring pattern)
         
   You can only choose one of these ring patterns at a time. If the ring pattern assigned by your telephone company is not listed, call your telephone company and request that they assign one of the selectable ring patterns.
   
   If you do not know the ring pattern assigned by your telephone provider, we recommend choosing ring pattern 1, Long-Long. This is the most commonly used ring pattern. If your Brother machine does not recognize this ring pattern you will need to contact your telephone provider to verify which ring pattern they have assigned.

    

   6. Press the SET key.
       
   7. Press the STOP/EXIT key.
      
      Distinctive Ring is now on.
       
   8. Go to STEP 9.
      
      After you have turned Distinctive Ring on, your Distinctive Ring number will receive faxes automatically. For Distinctive Ring to function correctly, you must keep the Brother machine in Manual Mode. This ensures the Brother machine will only answer the Distinctive Ring number and not interfere when someone calls your main telephone number.

    

6. Using a dedicated fax line. (Fax Only Mode)

    

   You should use Fax Only Mode if you have a dedicated fax line and want your Brother machine to answer all incoming faxes automatically. 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 before the Brother machine does.
    

   You can use the Ring Delay setting to adjust the number of times your Brother machine rings before answering in Fax Only Mode. Your Brother machine's Ring Delay is set to 4 rings by default.
    

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

    

   1. Press MENU and choose Fax => Setup Receive => Ring Delay.
       
   2. Press the LEFT OR RIGHT ARROW key to choose the number of times you want the line to ring before the Brother machine answers it.

       

      • You can choose 00, 01, 02, 03, 04 or 05 rings.
         
      • If you choose 00, the line will not ring at all.
         
   3. Press the SET key.
       
   4. Press the STOP/EXIT key.
   Putting your Brother machine in Fax Only Mode:
   

   To put your Brother machine in Fax Only Mode, press the Receive Mode key until the LCD reads FAX Only.
    

   Go to STEP 9.
    

7. Using an external answering machine. (Ext. Tel/TAD Mode)

    

   In Ext. Tel/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, then it will take over the line and receive the incoming fax. If your Brother machine does not detect fax-sending tones, then the caller can leave a message on your answering machine.
    

   For Ext. Tel/TAD Mode to work correctly with your answering machine, you must connect your external answering machine to a telephone jack (socket) on the same line as the Brother machine or to the Brother machine's EXT jack (socket).
    

   Brother recommends you program your answering machine to answer within 4 rings. If you are having problems receiving faxes in Ext. Tel/TAD Mode, try programming your answering machine to answer within 2 or 3 rings.
    

   - We recommend this because when faxes are being sent, fax tones are transmitted for approximately 35 seconds. If it takes your answering machine too long to answer, the sending fax machine may disconnect before your Brother machine can detect and receive the fax.
   

   Brother also recommends the answering machine's outgoing message be a maximum of 20 seconds with a 5-second pause before the message starts. End your outgoing message by giving your Fax Receive Code for people sending manual faxes. For example, "After the beep, please leave a message or send a fax by pressing *51 and Start."
    

   - We recommend beginning your outgoing message with 5 seconds of silence because your Brother machine cannot detect fax-sending tones over a resonant or loud voice. You can try omitting this 5-second pause, but if your Brother machine has trouble receiving, you should re-record your outgoing message with the pause included.
    

   Putting your Brother machine in Ext. Tel/TAD Mode:
   

   To put your Brother machine in Ext. Tel/TAD Mode, press the Receive Mode key until the LCD reads Ext. Tel/TAD.
    

   Go to STEP 9.
    

8. Using voice mail on the same line as the Brother machine.

    

   If you have voice mail on the same telephone line as your Brother machine, there is a strong possibility that 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, as voice mail cannot transfer the incoming fax back to the Brother machine.
    

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

   • Get Distinctive Ring service from your telephone company.
     
     

     Distinctive Ring is a service offered by telephone companies that allows you to have two different telephone numbers on a single telephone line. Your Brother machine has a Distinctive Ring feature that allows you to take full advantage of your telephone company's Distinctive Ring service. By setting up your Brother machine's Distinctive Ring feature, you can choose to use one of your two telephone numbers specifically for receiving faxes.
      

     Brother uses the term "Distinctive Ring" to describe this service, but telephone companies market it under a variety of names, such as Smart Ring, Ring Master, or Ident-a-Ring.
      

     For additional information regarding the Distinctive Ring feature, refer to STEP 5.
      
   • Put your Brother machine in Manual Mode.
     
     

     Manual Mode requires you to answer every incoming call in order 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 telephone's dial pad. Unanswered fax and voice calls will go to your voice mail.
      

   Putting your Brother machine in Manual Mode:
   

   
   To put your Brother machine in Manual Mode, press the Receive Mode key until the LCD reads Manual.
   
   Go to STEP 9.
    

9. Do one of the following:

    

   • If you did not change your Brother machine's Receive Mode, go to STEP 10.
      
   • If you changed your Brother machine's Receive Mode, do one of the following:

      

     • Have someone send a fax to your Brother machine.

        

       • If you receive the test fax, then your Brother machine is functioning properly.
          
       • If you do not receive the test fax, go to STEP 10.

        

     • *only available in USA:
       Have Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system send you a test fax by following these steps:

        

       1. Do one of the following:

           

          • If you have registered your Brother machine's warranty, fax a piece of paper with the word TEST printed on it to 1-877-268-9575. Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system will automatically fax you a confirmation sheet upon receiving your test fax.
     Make sure your Station ID information is programmed into your Brother machine before you send the test fax.
     • 1. • If you have not completed the Product Registration and Fax Test Sheet provided with your Brother machine's documentation and faxes it to Brother, go to STEP b.
       2. Fill out the warranty registration information and fax it to 1-877-268-9575. Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system will fax you a confirmation sheet upon receiving your test fax.
          
          Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system will automatically fax you a confirmation sheet upon receiving your warranty registration sheet.
       • If you receive the test fax, then your Brother machine is functioning properly.
          
       • If you do not receive the test fax, go to STEP 10.

    

10. Do one of the following:

     

    • If you are not using a DSL line, go to STEP 11.
       
    • If you are using a DSL line, follow these steps:
    If you are unable to perform the steps listed below, contact your DSL provider for assistance.
     
    • 1. Turn the DSL modem off or unplug its power supply.
          
      2. Disconnect the DSL modem from the telephone line filter.
          
      3. Remove the filter from the wall jack (socket).
          
      4. Connect your Brother machine to the wall jack (socket).
          
      5. Go to STEP 11.

     

11. Have a test fax sent to your machine.

     

    1. Adjust your Ring Delay setting if needed:

        

       • If your Brother machine is in Manual Mode, do not adjust its Ring Delay setting. Go to STEP b.
          
       • If your Brother machine is in Fax Only or Fax/Tel Mode, reduce the Ring Delay to 1 ring.
          
       • If you are using an external answering machine with your Brother machine, reduce the number of rings programmed on your answering machine to 2. This is to ensure the test fax is answered as fast as possible.
         
         To adjust the number of rings programmed on your answering machine, consult the answering machine's owner's manual.

       The Ring Delay setting determines the number of times your Brother machine rings before it answers.
       
       To adjust your Brother machine's Ring Delay setting, follow these steps:

        

       1. Press Menu and choose Fax => Setup Receive => Ring Delay.
           
       2. Press the LEFT OR RIGHT ARROW key to choose the number of times you want the line to ring before the Brother machine answers it.

           

          • You can choose 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, or 05 rings.
             
          • If you choose 00, the line will not ring at all.

           

       3. Press the SET key.
           
       4. Press the STOP/EXIT key.

        

    2. Do one of the following:

        

       • Have someone send a fax to your Brother machine.
          
       • *only available in USA:
         Have Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system send you a test fax by following these steps:

          

         1. Do one of the following:

             

            • If you have registered your Brother machine's warranty, fax a piece of paper with the word TEST printed on it to 1-877-268-9575. Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system will automatically fax you a confirmation sheet upon receiving your test fax.
              
              NOTE: Make sure your Station ID information is programmed into your Brother machine before you send the test fax.
               
            • If you have not completed the Product Registration and Fax Test Sheet provided with your Brother machine's documentation and faxes it to Brother, go to STEP ii.

         2. Fill out the warranty registration information and fax it to 1-877-268-9575. Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system will fax you a confirmation sheet upon receiving your test fax.
            
            - Brother's automated Fax Test Sheet and Product Registration system will automatically fax you a confirmation sheet upon receiving your warranty registration sheet.

        

    3. Do one of the following:

        

       • If you do not receive the fax, go to STEP 12.
          
       • If you receive the test fax successfully, your machine is operating properly. Remember to reset your Ring Delay or answering machine setting.
    If receiving problems recur after you reset your Ring Delay or answering machine setting, then something (i.e. a person or device answering the line) at your location is interfering with fax reception before your Brother machine has a chance to answer the fax.
     
12. Verify you have given the sender the correct fax number and that he or she is dialing that number correctly.

     

    • For example, if the sender must dial 9 for an outside line or dial your area code, make sure he or she is doing so.
       
    • If you have a second telephone number at your location or a cell phone, you can test the number yourself by following these steps:

       

      1. Connect a known-working telephone to the jack (socket) labeled EXT on the Brother machine.
          
      2. Dial your fax number from the second telephone number or cell phone as if you are sending a fax.
          
      3. Lift the telephone's handset.
          
      4. Determine if what you hear on the telephone you dialed from is consistent with what you hear on the telephone connected to your Brother machine.
         
         For example, if you hear ringing on the dialing phone but hear a dial tone on the telephone connected to your Brother machine, then there is a problem with the line or the number you are dialing. In this case, you will need to contact your local telephone company for assistance.

     

13. Test your Brother machine on another phone jack (socket) with a different telephone number to verify there is no problem with the current phone line.

     

    • If you are able to receive a fax when your Brother machine is connected to another line, you will need to contact your local telephone company so they can service the line.
       
    • If you are still not able to receive a fax, please contact Brother Customer Service from "Contact Us".