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General discussion

Small business Networking

Aug 28, 2008 2:40AM PDT

My wife telecommutes. Her set up is:

1) A digital phone that requires a static IP address.
2) A PC (either static or dynamic).
3) A fax machine (connects through the Internet).

Our previous ISP offered a modem with four ethernet ports. I had everyhing working for months with no problems. We relocated and our current ISP only offers a modem with one ethernet port.

I bought a router. I hooked everything up. The CAT 5 line goes goes from the modem to the phone (the telecom company said I have to do that), then there's a CAT 5 jumper that goes into the router. The PC had connectivity. But the fax won't work (there's a dial tone though). But sometimes we'll lose connectivity (with the PC never with the phone). And I'll have to hook the modem directly to the router, reboot, and then hook the CAT 5 back to the phone.

I know there's something simple I'm missing. Do I have to do someting with the router? So I can plug the phone into it using the static IP address?

If you need more info I'll be happy to supply it. Thanks in advance.

Discussion is locked

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"A fax machine (connects through the Internet)."
Aug 28, 2008 2:50AM PDT

Can you share the model number of that device? So far I have yet to find such a machine. All use POTS (see google.com) that I find today since to fax something the other end is usually on POTS.
Bob

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Fax Machine
Aug 28, 2008 3:04AM PDT

We called AT&T and they sent us a device that accepts a POT line in, that has an ethernet connection for a CAT 5 out. It's worked great until we switched ISPs. The device is a C-Net device.

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That sounds like
Aug 28, 2008 3:11AM PDT

One of those VOIP devices. It's very specific to your service so I was wondering what Fax machine did what you noted. It appears that you need to work that over again with your new ISP.

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Sorry if I'm unclear here.
Aug 28, 2008 3:13AM PDT

There are no Fax machines made that work over the internet to all other fax machines. It's just how it is today. To jump over the internet to your common fax machine some sort of bridge software, hardware or service would be involved. Its far from automatic. For example, look up Efax.
Bob