Is your fax failing to send or sent but failed to go through? This guide will help you troubleshoot some of the most common problems that people run into when trying to send or receive faxes. We’ll troubleshoot some of your most common fax issues and show you some potential fixes for your fax fail when using Fax.Live.
3 Common Reasons Faxes Fail
- Reason #1: Fax number is incorrect
- Reason #2: Phone connection was interrupted.
- Reason #3: The recipient’s fax machine is busy.
Fax Troubleshooting Checklist
Find out the problem!
What is the status of your fax? You can get more information on why your fax failed so you can troubleshoot your specific fax problem. If you’re using our digital fax service, check the status of the fax and find the error code, usually denoted in red.
Check the fax number
Double-check whether you got the fax number right when you sent the fax — this is the top reason faxes fail. There’s a chance that you have the wrong fax number or made an error when entering the number.
You also can’t fax to just any phone number — the recipient needs to have a number that can receive faxes.
This could also mean that the phone number that you entered is not set up to receive a fax. You’ll need to contact the recipient and ask for an alternative fax number or make sure they’re prepared to receive your fax.
Sender or receiver call dropping
Another common fax error is that the call dropped or had a “transmission error” this is most commonly due to the phone line either on your end or the receiver’s end being poor quality or disconnecting. The recipient could’ve hung up the machine, dropping the connection, or there could have been some sort of interruption in the line (like when a call suddenly drops for no apparent reason).
Try again. If the call fails again, you may need to contact the recipient and verify the number or report a problem with their lines.
No answer/response
If you get an error saying the fax machine didn’t answer your message or that the connection failed, it could mean a few things:
- The fax machine is busy with another fax.
- The fax number you entered was incorrect.
- The fax machine could be deactivated or out of paper.
- The connection was too poor to form, resulting in a “no response” message.
As a result of the many possibilities, you have a couple of options: Try again later, or try to contact the recipient to ensure the number they gave you is correct and ready for receiving faxes.
More Fax Troubleshooting FAQs
How do you know if a fax doesn’t go through?
If the fax didn’t go through, you’ll see the fax status as failed.
When sending a fax through Fax.Live, your fax will have a confirmation message at the end of the transmission, similar to a receipt when you check out at a store. This confirmation message will list where you faxed the document to, the pages, and include status information so you can see whether or not the fax was successful.
Fax.Live also displays your sent and received faxes on the dashboard. The status of your faxes can also be found here.
How can you test to see if a fax line is working?
The easiest way to test if a fax line is working is to call it from any phone. If the other end picks up, and you hear a fax tone (squeaks and beeps indecipherable to humans), that means that it’s likely expecting to receive faxes. If the line disconnects, or a person answers, it’s probably not a fax number, there’s something wrong with the fax, or the fax isn’t connected to the line. This is what a fax sounds like.
I’ve done everything you suggested, but my faxes still don’t go through. What now?
If you’re using Fax.Live and having issues getting a fax to go through, contact us at contactus@fax.live to tell us more about the issue. Our customer service team will walk through the fax process with you to make sure the fax attempt is being sent correctly.
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