How to Troubleshoot the Fax Machine on an All-in-One Printer

The fax machine on your all-in-one printer is really handy when it works properly. Getting your fax capability back requires a troubleshooting process that moves through the possible causes of a problem and arrives at a solution. Follow these steps to troubleshoot the fax machine on an all-in-one printer.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Owner's manual
• All-in-one printer

What to Do

1. Plug the power cords in, push the power buttons on and get everything up and running. Sounds simple, but lack of power is the culprit quite often.
2. Check for a phone connection in the correct input jack. Some printers with fax capability have more than one phone jack so you can hook up an answering machine or another phone “downstream” from the printer. Consult your instruction manual to determine the right connection for your printer.
3. Swap out the all-in-one printer for a working phone to find out if the problem is in the phone line coming from the wall. Once you hook up the phone, you should get a dial tone if the line is working. Remember to reconnect the all-in-one printer after you’re done.
4. Open up the machine and examine the feed path for the documents that you fax. Clear any obstructions you may find. Repeat this process with the paper tray and the path that copy paper takes through the all-in-one printer.
5. Verify the fax number of your intended recipient. Also get your correct fax number out to the people who need it.
6. Review your operating instructions and eliminate the chance for human error. Inadvertently skipping a step or misinterpreting an operation could be creating a problem that is simple to fix.
7. Run through any system-specific troubleshooting regimen that is recommended by the all-in-one printer’s manufacturer.

Tips & Warnings

• Sometimes changing the all-in-one printer’s answering mode for the fax can take care of receiving issues.
• Check the breaker switch on any power strips or outlets you are using. Sometimes a voltage spike will pop this safety feature and you will need to reset it by hand.
• Paperclips, staples and other metal fasteners should not be put through the document feeder. Tape is another thing to keep out of your all-in-one printer. Examine your documents before faxing and remove any of these troublemakers.
• Very few of the internal parts of an all-in-one printer are user-serviceable. Tinker at your own risk.

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