VIEW TOPIC

What is the difference between thescout and the hub for the fax towork?

Thanks Smonyse, this information is exactly what I am looking for - using scout to operate faxing. What error you are facing when sending?

Murphy: I understand the faxing is preferred to be connecting to the Hub (according to the FAQ). Just because my all-in-one Fax machine cannot be physically located next to my Hub, that's why we are here to ask "is there a way to use Scout to send/receive fax.

I am wondering any one else here has explored this situation (using Scout for faxing)? What kind of error we are facing?

Using the Scout for fax can be done, but the chance of error is greater. The Scout first has to communicate with the ooma hub, through the house wiring via HPNA, then out through the hub to the phone.
Even with the best house wiring with no voltage on it from existing or previous landline hookup the quality is best connecting directly through the hub. As previous posters have noted, at this time, even the best connection through the hub has it's limitations.

Wayne

If I connect the ooma scout directly to the Hub. Then connect the scout to the fax machine, will this work?

My whole thing is I would like one line ringing my faxes, and the other my voice. however, my voice number is the primary number, which means it has to be on the hub. You cant make your primary number ring only on the scout.

I'm going to say it will work, but still not as well as connecting directly through the hub. They still have to communicate via hpna before the fax gets out to your phone line. As I understand, faxing is hard enough to do without adding another unit in between.

Wayne

I had the same problem of wanting to swap the #s on the base and scout. You can call customer support. They were amazingly receptive to my wanting to do this since I naturally chose the base to have my voice # and only later realized I needed the opposite.

You need to ask them to make the fax # your account's primary # and the scout to have the secondard # be the voice #. Also you need to register the scout so that it rings separately from the base station to prevent the base from ringing when someone calls the voice/scout #.

Also, in my brother fax device I was able to tell it to dial *99 to get to an outside line (as if in an office), I told it to be compatible with VoIP telehpnoe lines (I don't know what that does but I figure it cannot hurt), and I set it to send at no better than fine resolution. My understanding is higher quality is prone to problems.

Alternatively, box.net (haven't used it yet) appears to allow secure free file sharing if you want, but I am not sure whether you can do 1:1 file sharing. Or, I have also just signed myself up for docusign.com, that allows for emailing links to files where recipients can securely access your documents. I've decided to use that instead of faxing since it seems to much simpler. But, nonetheless, the fax remains and Ooma was very flexible about rearranging things for me.

Final note -- if you buy your hub from Costco, you get 6 free months of the VIP service. I don't know how long that promo lasts but hey, more free is better than less free.

Here is what I had to do with my Windows 7 Home Premium machine, using an inexpensive USB fax modem I purchased from NewEgg for about $20:

Press "Start"
In "Search Programs and Files" enter "Set up Dialing Rules"
Click on "Set up Dialing Rules"
Under Dialing Rules tab, I selected "Home" (which I had previously set up; you may have to set up "New...." if you have not done so previously) and then "Edit...."
On the "Edit Locations" screen that appears, under the "General" tab"
Enter *99 in "To access an outside line for local calls, dial:"
Enter *99 in "To access an outside line for long-distance calls, dial:"
Press "Apply" and then "OK"

Now I can send faxes, which I could not previously. Curiously, I do not hear the phone being dialed on my speakers; may have to change some setting.

My Canon MX310 works fine. It is directly connected to the HUB and I preface the number I dial with *99.

I have an older fax machine, a Panasonic KX-FHD331, and nothing I tried will make that fax machine work with VoIP--Ooma or my old VoIP provider: not slowing it down, dialing *99, or using a DSL filter.

HOWEVER, I recently purchased an all-in-one HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 and it works with faxing through Ooma straight out of the box!

Do you know which one you bought off new egg?

So this connects to any of your home PC's USB port and then you run a phone line from this device to the Telo and you are ready to go for sending faxes as files on your PC?

I have the Ooma Telo and need something that will work so I can send faxes though ooma.

thanks
Steve

Here is what I had to do with my Windows 7 Home Premium machine, using an inexpensive USB fax modem I purchased from NewEgg for about $20:

Press "Start"
In "Search Programs and Files" enter "Set up Dialing Rules"
Click on "Set up Dialing Rules"
Under Dialing Rules tab, I selected "Home" (which I had previously set up; you may have to set up "New...." if you have not done so previously) and then "Edit...."
On the "Edit Locations" screen that appears, under the "General" tab"
Enter *99 in "To access an outside line for local calls, dial:"
Enter *99 in "To access an outside line for long-distance calls, dial:"
Press "Apply" and then "OK"

Now I can send faxes, which I could not previously. Curiously, I do not hear the phone being dialed on my speakers; may have to change some setting.