I run my MFC-3240C Brother off the same Phone Line for Phone and Fax. I can set my brother to pick up at 4 rings and phone at 4 rings. However I can set my phone to pick up at 6 rings. But the fax always picks up while a caller is leaving a messwage. How do I fix it where it determines its a fax or a call.

Setting the Ring Delay
The Ring Delay sets the number of times the
MFC rings before it answers in Fax Only or
Fax/Tel mode. If you have extension
phones on the same line as the MFC or
subscribe to the telephone company’s
Distinctive Ring service, keep the Ring Delay
setting of 4.
(See Operation from extension telephones on
page A-4 and Easy Receive on page 4-3.)
1 If it is not illuminated in green, press
(Fax).
2 Press Menu/Set, 2, 1, 1.
3 Press ▲ or ▼ to select how many times
the line rings before the MFC answers
(00 - 04).
Press Menu/Set.
(If you select 00, the line won’t ring at
all.)
4 Press Stop/Exit.
Initial Setup
1.Receive Mode
Current Receive Mode
Fax : Fax Only
F/T : Fax/Tel
TAD : External TAD
Mnl : Manual
Setup Receive
1.Ring Delay

Go to menu option and choose the option fax and set the parameter like auto receive or manual set the ring auto answer mode after certain ring. If it is in auto receiving mode it will receive the fax after the ring which you set. Make sure the phone wire which you insert in fax machine getting proper dial tone and getting out going calling facility.
Have a nice day and do not forget to rate please...!
Hope this helps. Please rate my response.
Thanks.

The Brother machine has setup for Distinctive ring, you pick the ring pattern that Embarq provides. The Brother instructions are in the operators manual. All Brother machines have this setup, not sure about others.

I have a HP Officejet J6480 All-In-One and needed the answering machine and fax to be on at the same time.  I called the help line at HP and they said I needed another phone line into the home but I tried this and it worked. 
First I got a different phone number for the fax machine - they do this for no charge at my phone company. This is not another physical line into the home - it is just another phone number with a different ring - it rings 2 fast rings for the fax machine instead of the phones regular one ring. I set the answering machine built into the phone to pick up after 4 rings and I set the fax machine to pick up on 2 rings. Be sure to set it so the fax pick up number of rings are less than the answering machine pick up number of rings.  It worked for me. Hope this works for you too.

Hi,

The manual has step by step instructions, I'll include a link for the online version. Section four runs through setting up recieving, if it's on a dedicated line follow the first set of instructions to set up automated answering. If it's a shared line(phone/fax) then continue down to the next section.

Note: for a shared line you may need to contact your line provider for a second number that has a "dedicated ring"


http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/BSC/public/files/dlf/doc000219/MFC-210C_UsaEngUsr_B.pdf

Hope this helps FixYa,

Chris

The statement was supposed to be a solution, not a clarification request.

Check the basic settings for your printer to see if they offer 'manual' pickup of the line instead of only the number of rings. I've had the same problem years ago and had to set the fax machine for 6 rings, answering machine for 4 to allow me time to pick up the phone in case I was present. You should be able to find complementary settings with your two devices.   

First this is a good machine, I use the same one and have my fax setup for the same thing. If you have a (TAD) Telephone Answering Device first you have to set up your phone to pick up before the fax, do this by setting the phone to pick up on three rings and the fax to pick up on four. Go to Menu/Fax/Setup Receive/Ring Delay. While there make sure Easy Receive is on. The machine itself will distinguish between regular calls and facsimiles and will display this info at the time of the call on its LCD screen, make sure you are using the line connection and not the phone connection. Hope this helped.

Turn off distinicive ring option (menu 0 something)

plug in direct to phone line on connector marked line, put telephone into docket on fax marked EXT.

This si str8 from the manual! The Ring Delay sets the number of times the MFC rings before it answers in Fax Only or Fax/Tel mode. If you have extension phones on the same line as the MFC or subscribe to the telephone company?s Distinctive Ring service, keep the Ring Delay setting of 4. 1 If it is not illuminated in green, press (Fax). 2 Press Menu/Set, 2, 1, 1. 3 Press ▲ or ▼ to select how many times the line rings before the MFC answers (00, 01, 02, 03 or 04). Press Menu/Set. (If you select 00, the line won?t ring at all.) 4 Press Stop/Exit. Full Manual URL http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/BSC/public/files/dlf/doc000219/MFC-210C_UsaEngUsr_B.pdf Hope this helps! Regards, Babb