How to change fax settings to accommodate distinctive ring

DR is for distinctive ring, do you actually have distinctive ring from your phone company? Have you set the matching pattern into the Canon? It will only answer when it is sent the proper ring, unless you turn off distinctive ring.

First try one step. The line which you have connected with the Fax, unplug any other phone from that line.
Call that number and see whether it rings or you get a fax tone.

The following set up assumes you have one conventional phone line, but two different phone numbers. One being your regular phone number and the other a distinctive ring for your fax machine

If that is what you have then this is how you set up the phone. Its important to know what type of distinctive ring your phone company will send to your phone. If it doesn't work you can talk to them about getting a different one than their default distinctive ring.

2 Set the HP all-in-one to answer incoming calls automatically.

Press the Auto Answer button until the light is on.

3 Change the Answer Ring Pattern setting to the pattern that has been assigned to your fax number by the telephone company, for example, double rings or triple rings.
For information on changing this setting, see Change the answer ring pattern
(distinctive ringing).
Note Your HP all-in-one is factory-set to answer all ring patterns. If you do not set the correct ring pattern assigned to your fax number by the telephone company, your HP all-in-one might answer both voice calls and fax calls or it might not answer at all.

4 (Optional) Change the Rings to Answer setting to one ring or two rings.

For information on changing this setting, see Set the number of rings before answering.
5 Run a fax test. For information, see Test your fax setup.
Your HP all-in-one will automatically answer incoming calls that have the ring pattern you selected (Answer Ring Pattern setting) after the number of rings you selected (Rings to Answer setting). Then it will begin emitting fax reception tones to the sending
fax machine and receive the fax.


If it is easier or you want to know other options which may be more applicable to your phone setup. You can find that information here.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00235090.pdf

The only thing I can think of that would cause the fax to kick in would be someone accidentally pressing the start button on the keyboard to start a manual receive. I think the best solution for your kind of problem is to purchase a device called a "COM SWITCH". You can do a search for one on e-bay. They only cost between 30 to 60 dollars or so. Hope this helps in some way.
Larry

I am having a similar problem. You do have to connect your phone to the jack in the machine in the "Phone" jack slot, as well as have another line out to the jack in the wall in the "L" slot. That is all I know. I am having problems with my voicemail. Either I can received voicemail, and no faxes, or faxes, and no voicemail (fax picks up at specified number of rings). It is EXTREMELY frustrating. The machine is *supposed* to be able to discern between phone calls and faxes..and that is not happening.

Have you come across a solution? Aghhhhh!

How to Set the Receive Mode (MF4140/MF4150)
1. Press [Additional Functions]. 2. Use [Left cursor] or [Right cursor] to select [FAX SETTINGS], then press [OK]. 3. Use [Left cursor] or [Right cursor] to select [RX SETTINGS], then press [OK]. 4. Use [Left cursor] or [Right cursor] to select [RX MODE], then press [OK]. 5. Use [Left cursor] or [Right cursor] to select the receive mode, then press [OK]. [FaxOnly]: Answers all calls as faxes and disconnects voice calls. [AnsMode]: Receives faxes automatically and records voice messages. [NET SWITCH]: Distinguishes between fax and voice calls. [FaxTel]: Switches between fax and voice calls automatically. [MANUAL]: Does not answer any calls. You have to manually receive faxes. NOTE: a. For [FaxTel] or [MANUAL], make sure the optional handset or an external telephone is connected to the machine. b. For [AnsMode], make sure an answering machine is connected to the machine. c. The [NET SWITCH] mode is available for certain countries only and requires subscription to a network switch service. 6. Press [Stop/Reset] to return to the standby mode.

here is the manual look for chapter 6 page 104

http://www.retrevo.com/search/v2/jsp/downloadPage.jsp?doc=ab7afe965f3f13c1eb17fc47e69d8294&q=Brother+FAX-2820

you can do it on auto or manual mode..that's in settings..do you have the print manager for this?

you might find it here

Here's how to change the ring count...and I'm also providing the link for support and troubleshooting your specific machine on Canon's website...

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&tabact=SupportDetailTabAct&fcategoryid=238&modelid=13371


To Change the ring count 1. Press the <Menu> button repeatedly until [FAX SETTINGS] is displayed.
2. Use the [ ] or [ ] to select [RX SETTINGS] then press <OK>.
3. Use the [ ] or [ ] to select [INCOMING RING] then press <OK>.
4. Use the [ ] or [ ] to select [ON] then press <OK>.
5. Use the [ ] or [ ] to select the desired number of rings. Press <OK> then press <Stop/Reset>.


Hope this worked for you!
MaggieB

Its called distintive Ring. This is the instructions from the manual -

VERY IMPORTANT
If you have Voice Mail or a TAD (Telephone Answering Device) and want to keep
one of your phone numbers dedicated only to fax calls, you must leave the fax machine
in MANUAL mode at all times while using the distinctive ring feature. Here’s why:
Manual mode will never pick up a call by itself, since it is «Neutral ». When the fax
machine is in this « neutral » mode, the Distinctive Ring Feature can be activated. The
distinctive ring feature is actually an answering mode. So, do not activate FAX ONLY
mode or FAX /TEL mode while using distinctive ring; otherwise, the fax machine will
answer calls for all the numbers.
Registering the Distinctive Ring Pattern
1 Set the fax machine to MANUAL mode.
2 Press Menu/Set, 0, 1.
3 Press to select DISTINCTIVE:SET?, and then press Menu/Set.
4 Press to select the prestored ring pattern you want to assign, and then press
Menu/Set. (You will hear each pattern as you scroll through the four patterns.)
Be sure to choose the pattern assigned by the Telephone Company.
5 Press Stop/Exit.

and a link to the manual if you need it -
http://static.tigerdirect.com/pdf/brother-IntelliFax-775-Manual.pdf