SPA 3102

[WiVM]

The SPA 3102 from LinkSys supports 1 PSTN line and an analog device. Our calls will come in via a single PSTN line with one phone number. I would like to detect from the incoming call that it is a fax or voice call and handle it accordingly. Is this possible with 3CX?

The faxes will be recieved by the 3CX server as PDF, but for sending we want to be able to use both 3CX (digital) and our analog fax device. I do not want to receive faxes with the analog fax. Is this possible? Do I need a seperate SPA 3102 or SPA2102 for this fax? Or can I connect it to the analog port of the SPA3102 that also handles the conversion from PSTN to VOIP?

 

[sigma1]

No, it will not do that. If you can compromise, you can plug the incoming PSTN line into a fax machine that is background detect capable and then plug the FXO of the 3102 in the tel port of the fax machine. If the call is a fax the machine will take over the line and cut it off from the 3102.

 

[WiVM]

Hello,

The point is not to be able to receive faxes with the analog fax device, only to be able to sent out. The reason is to avoid all the trouble with scanning and converting when we want to sent none digital content out.

The incoming faxes will always be handled by the 3CX fax service. If content is digital, it will also be sent via the 3CX service.

Basically I want to connect my analog fax to the VOIP in addition to the fax services in 3CX. The 3102 has an analog line in addition to the PSTN line, but I am not sure how this device will be seen in 3CX if also the PSTN line comes in to that device. I do not want that the analog fax takes incoming calls at all. This connected PSTN will be the source of my incoming calls. Do I need a seperate 3102 or 2102 device for the fax?

Thank you

 

[leejor]

You can connect the analogue fax machine to the FXS (telephone) port of the 3102, to send outgoing faxes, and share the PSTN line with 3CX. You can set the 3102 to only send incoming calls to 3CX only, by setting up the dialplan in the 3102 for the FXS, you can direct calls made on the fax machine out on the FX0 port( PSTN line). Of course you are now sharing the line and whichever device, 3Cx or the fax machine, has it first, the other won't be able to make a call.

 

[WiVM]

One final thing. If we connect the fax to the phone port of the SPA3102, will it then be able to use it as an seperate extension from the PSTN line in the 3CX, even with the PSTN line connected on that same SPA3102? Or do I need a seperate ATA device (SPA3102 / SPA2102) for the fax if we want it to have an own extension? Point is that the SP3102 will convert the PSTN line to VOIP to be able to use it as incoming line in 3CX. The reason for asking is because I see a senario where I receive a fax call on a voice line and want to internally transfer it to the physical fax. Also this can avoid the need of a license if we don't use the fax service in 3CX.

Is the 3CX capable to detect fax from voice calls and automatically redirects it to the correct extension using this SPA3102? We want to share one PSTN line and one number for incoming voice call and fax calls, but in case we forward our calls to our voice phone, we don't want to redirect faxes to them.

 

[leejor]

If we connect the fax to the phone port of the SPA3102, will it then be able to use it as an seperate extension from the PSTN line in the 3CX, even with the PSTN line connected on that same SPA3102?

The FXS port on the 3102 can be registered with 3CX as an extension, then, based on the dialplan in the 3102 you can direct calls made by the fax (or a telephone) to either 3CX or directly out on the FXO port. Calls made to the 3CX extension number of the FXS port will ring whatever device (the fax machine) is plugged in there.

Is the 3CX capable to detect fax from voice calls and automatically redirects it to the correct extension using this SPA3102?

No,the 3102 is not capable of detecting and directing a call just because it is a fax. You have a choice of the incoming call going to 3CX or ringing the FXS port. It can also be set to ring both or ring the FXS after a delay. I don't think anything but sending incoming calls to 3CX will work in your case.

 

[WiVM]

No,the 3102 is not capable of detecting and directing a call just because it is a fax. You have a choice of the incoming call going to 3CX or ringing the FXS port. It can also be set to ring both or ring the FXS after a delay. I don't think anything but sending incoming calls to 3CX will work in your case.

If I redirect all incoming calls on the PSTN port to 3CX. Can the 3CX then determine which call is a fax and which not? And can I, in case it is a fax, sent the call back via the 3CX to SPA3102's analog (FXS) port so that the fax answers the call?

 

[leejor]

I have not used the internal fax workings of 3CX myself. I however, suspect not, as most people choose to use a dedicated fax line/number. Perhaps someone else has tried to set up that scenario. Many Fax machines have a second phone jack that is fed to an answering machine and telephones. The machine listens to all incoming calls and cuts off the jack to all other phones when it detects a fax tone. When there is no fax tone the call rings through normally.

 

[WiVM]

I found here http:/ /www.3cx.com/voip-gateways/linksys-3102/ - NO LONGER AVAILABLE that:

How to configure a LINKSYS SPA-3102 for ATA Functionality

Note: The Linksys SPA3102 can either be set as a gateway OR as an ATA device. 3CX does not support the device when configured in both modes simultaneously.

I understand from this that I can not connect my fax and PSTN line on the same device, because in my setup the fax will require to be ATA and the PSTN gateway. Is that how they mean it?

 

[leejor]

The 3102 is actually two devices in one box and they can be configured to be completely independent, or, have some crossover functionality, if you wish. 3CX may say they don't support it, but I take that to mean that if you run into problems, you're on your own, not that it won't work, it does. I use several 3102's (and an SPA3000) and, believe me, the FXS and FXO will work with complete independence, if programmed that way.

 

[WiVM]

Thank you