John Reiser wrote:
>>> Are there some kind of boxes to plug on an RJ11 with two outgoing RJ11
>>> plugs, that can tell if an incoming call is voice or fax, and direct
>>> the call to the ad hoc plug, either a handset or a fax-modem?
> If you can get "distinctive ringing" for multiple numbers on a link
> there are boxes that will direct the call based on the ring pattern.
> This means the line doesn't get answered by the wrong machine which
> then has to "hand off" the call.
To answer John Reiser's question first, yes, there are such boxes.
And to respond to DLR's concern about the line getting 'answered by the wrong machine', the point is that the _box_ answers the call and routes it appropriately. 'Distinctive ringing' from the telephone company isn't required at all.
One manufacturer is:
formatting link
I have been using an earlier model of theirs since 1994 and it works a treat. The one I've got has three ports -- one is connected to the phone, one to my standalone fax machine and one to the internal fax-modem in the computer (used very rarely, for dialup to the ISP if/when the broadband goes down or occasionally to send a fax directly).
Cheers,
Henry