Connecting the mfc, Connecting an external telephone, Sequence – Brother MFC-3100C User Manual
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A S S E M B L Y A N D C O N N E C T I O N S
BHLMFC-US-MFC3100C-FM5.5
Connecting the MFC
Connecting an External Telephone
Although your MFC does not have a handset, you can connect a separate 
telephone (or telephone answering device) directly to your MFC.
Connect the modular plug on the telephone’s line cord to the jack labeled EXT. 
on the back side of the MFC. 
Whenever this phone (or TAD) is in use, the LCD shows
TELEPHONE
.
Connecting an External Telephone 
Answering Device (TAD)
Sequence
You may choose to connect an answering system. However, when you have an 
external TAD on the same telephone line as the MFC, the TAD answers all 
calls. The MFC “listens” for fax calling (CNG) tones. If it hears them, the MFC 
takes over the call and receives the fax. If it doesn’t hear CNG tones, the MFC 
lets the TAD continue playing your outgoing message so your caller can leave 
you a voice message.
The TAD must answer within five rings (the recommended setting is two rings). 
The MFC cannot hear CNG tones until the TAD has answered the call, and with 
five rings there are only 8–10 seconds of CNG tones left for the fax 
“handshake.” Make sure you carefully follow instructions in this manual for 
recording your outgoing message. We do not recommend using the toll saver 
feature on your external answering machine if it exceeds five rings.
If you do not receive all your faxes, you must reset the setting on your external 
TAD to four rings.
If You Subscribe to your Telephone Company’s Distinctive Ring Service:
You may connect an external TAD to a separate wall jack
only
if you subscribe
to your telephone company’s Distinctive Ring service, have registered the 
distinctive ring pattern on your MFC, use that number as a fax number and have 
set your machine’s Receive mode to 
MANUAL
. The recommended setting is
three or four rings on the external TAD when you have the telephone 
company’s Distinctive Ring Service.
If You Do Not Subscribe to Distinctive Ring Service:
You must plug your TAD into the EXT. jack of your MFC. If your TAD is 
plugged into a wall jack, both your machine and the TAD will try to control the 
phone line. (See illustration on page 2-12.)
