How to Troubleshoot an Analog Answering Machine

You depend on your answering machine to answer calls and take messages when you're not there. So, when your answering machine doesn't do its job, it can be very frustrating. Analog or tape answering machines are often hard to troubleshoot since the majority of answering machines now are digital, but don't give up.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Make certain your auto answer LED light is on to pick up messages. If your machine is in greeting mode, it only plays your greeting and then disconnects.

2. Find out if you or the person you're trying to talk to have other equipment like modems or fax machines on the line if your calls keep disconnecting. Try a two-wire line cord to connect your answering machine and other analog devices to the same line.

3. Remember that analog items like answering and fax machines are incompatible on digital lines. If you or your phone company recently upgraded to digital lines, your analog answering machine won't work.

4. Check what telephone services you have for your phone line. Occasionally, extra services like call waiting and call blocking disconnect calls. Your answering machine thinks the signal is an interrupt. If you don't use the services (sometimes they were part of an introductory bundle offer), consider canceling.

5. Install new tape if you notice fuzzy sounding messages or messages not playing. Analog answering machine tapes wear out after repeated use.

6. Stop before pushing that delete button to make certain you're deleting the correct message and not another. If you accidentally delete a message from an answering machine tape, you might be able to recover it with magnetic data recovery services as long as you don't allow any messages to record over the lost message.

7. Reboot your answering machine by unplugging it from the outlet. After a minute, plug it back in. See if this solves your problem. Power surges may play havoc with your answering machine. Try plugging your answering machine into a surge protector that plugs into the outlet.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider that the problem might not be your answering machine at all, but your telephone line. Try your machine at a different location. If it works, the problem is with your line. Call the telephone company.