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fax protocol error

i have been trying to send a fax using the fax pdf function in the print menu. i have menu meters installed and i can see that the fax is sending, but it then stops without telling me it has finished successfully. it then remains in the cue with "hold until xxxx" a period of 5 minutes which is when it will automatically try again.

on asking it to resume, it comes up with the message fax protocol error (which i assume was what the problem was with the previous attempt) and then goes through the whole thing again.

i'm perplexed. i have had a few goes at it and with the same result. i don't know if it is a problem my end or whether it has gone through or what. unfortunately the receiver cannot be contacted by phone to confirm that it has gone through. all i can do is wait and hope they get in touch by email.

does anyone have any experience that could shed some light on this?

G4 1Ghz DP 1.76 RAM, Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Dec 9, 2005 1:45 AM

45 replies

Oct 2, 2006 12:51 AM in response to Hot Spur

Just to confirm the above, indicating that 10.4.8 did not change anything...

Nov 13, 2006 1:35 PM in response to Rohan Stevenson1

Same problem. Fax seems to send but then reverts to "Hold" status.

Please help

jsfitz22

Level 1

0 points

Nov 15, 2006 6:48 PM in response to Daniel Muller

It turns out all I needed was a DSL filter on the jack just off the computer modem jack. I thought I had this covered already through a filter installed at the DSL NIC, though when I added a filter at the computer, voila, it worked! Hope this helps others...

Dual 1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9) 2 GB DDR SDRAM

Filly

Level 1

93 points

Nov 15, 2006 10:01 PM in response to jsfitz22

When I was attempting to troubleshoot one of the first things I did was to attach a fresh modem wire. I attributed my fix to tweaking the prefs but it could very well have been the new wire.

Noise on your modem line whether you have dsl or not, can cause errors.

iMac G5, Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Nov 20, 2006 4:46 PM in response to Filly

Hmm same prolem here
internal modem firstly could not detect dial tone or would dial number and put on hold before sending.
I trashed modem centre prefs and it worked for the first time but only once
It now dials and hangs up and puts fax on hold

Nov 21, 2006 11:54 AM in response to Keith Davison

I now do not have a phone line the fax grabs incoming calls ( I am running telstra duet )
Work around............. don't send faxes

Jeyell

Level 2

260 points

Feb 7, 2007 2:07 PM in response to Keith Davison

I had same problem here. Needed to send the same fax to 4 different numbers, First 3 went no problem, but 4th kept giving a fax protocol error. In desperation i unplugged modem from my usb hub and then plugged directly into a usb port on the G5 and it worked first time.

I have no confidence this is a systemic fix, but it got me by for today. Left with the feeling the fax modem hardware/software has been poorly stitched together.

10.4.9 might bring a fix ?

Filly

Level 1

93 points

Feb 7, 2007 7:14 PM in response to Filly

Just an update...

My fix was not permanent.
Same faxing errors have since occurred but once I change something in the preferences...doesn't seem to matter which one, I then restart my Mac and I am able to send my fax.

The restart is important.
Also, in system prefs>network>modem, select the option to detect dial tone before dialing.

iMac G5, Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

wilt

Level 1

0 points

Feb 23, 2007 12:20 PM in response to Filly

Another update..
Problem remains!

RPBC

Level 1

60 points

Mar 18, 2007 7:53 PM in response to wilt

I'm having the same problem as everyone else. Does anyone know if 10.4.9 fixes this issue? I'm a little leary of updating as I am reading that some are having problems with the 10.4.9 update.

RPBC

Level 1

60 points

Mar 20, 2007 2:22 PM in response to RPBC

Just an update. I purchased, as was suggested earlier, a DSL phone line filter from Radio Shack. After I plugged the phone lines through it, I can now send a fax without the hold issue. I'm not saying that it is the ultimate fix, but it has worked for me so far.

Steve M.

Level 5

4,758 points

Mar 20, 2007 3:41 PM in response to RPBC

What does the message "waiting for modem to become available" mean? I know I've sent faxes successfully with Mac OS X in the past (maybe Panther) but I am not able to do so now with Tiger 10.4.9.

Thanks,
Steve M.

pcummins

Level 1

0 points

Mar 20, 2007 10:33 PM in response to RPBC

I recently had similar issues, usually I can send local faxes with just 1 ADSL filter on without a problem (usually I need to use 2 for my Panasonic phone), but a recent fax to USA required me to take off my filter before it would pass through.

I imagine the default is:

• Install ADSL modem filters on all phone devices (inc the Mac) and try faxing, preferably with just the Mac + filter attached (no phones etc)

if no go,

• Uninstall all ADSL modem filters and power off the ADSL modem and remove other phone devices, then try faxing via the Mac

It seems the signal quality is of issue, so if its good quality you can probably use the filter just fine, but if it's of bad quality you may need to power off the ADSL modem and remove the filter to get a clearer signal. Just wondering if other people having the same problem aren't using ADSL or have some other strange phone connection which may be causing issues.

Filly

Level 1

93 points

May 1, 2007 3:43 PM in response to Filly

Another update...

Apparently 10.4.9 did NOT correct the issue of faxes not sending/perpetually on hold.

Problem raised its ugly head once again today; connects but never sends, stays on hold resending unsuccessfully every 10 minutes.

Since my last post on this matter I must have sent at least 30 faxes without any issue.

This is a nuisance, extremely irritating and should have been corrected when first reported.

Why does this continue to happen?

Why is it being totally ignored by Apple and the super knowledgeable folks on this discussion group?

Been an Apple user from the start and never, ever had a unfixable problem!

iMac G5, Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Filly

Level 1

93 points

May 1, 2007 6:57 PM in response to Filly

Another update...

Apparently 10.4.9 did NOT correct the issue of faxes
not sending/perpetually on hold.

Problem raised its ugly head once again today;
connects but never sends, stays on hold resending
unsuccessfully every 10 minutes.

Since my last post on this matter I must have sent at
least 30 faxes without any issue.

This is a nuisance, extremely irritating and should
have been corrected when first reported.

Why does this continue to happen?

Why is it being totally ignored by Apple and the
super knowledgeable folks on this discussion group?

Been an Apple user from the start and never, ever had
a unfixable problem!

iMac G5, Powerbook G4 Mac OS X
(10.4.9)

Was able to send after restarting.

Doesn't seem like this minor task should cause system stress!

fax protocol error