Comswitch 5500 3-Port Phone/Fax Modem Line Sharing Device

Thanks for the thoughtful reviews which got me to try this unit.Unfortunately, there are also reviewers here who can not even read the first page of their manual. Please ignore their whining.I faced a difficult challenge. After purchasing an expensive multifunction laser [$800], Technical support at HP informed me that their best multifunction would not work with VOIP telephone service. They warned that the answering machine would "steal" calls from the fax machine. and it did. BTW, my VOIP is provided by Time Warner Cable- which guarantees that a fax will work on their service.So I tried a Brother machine - much cheaper . Soon their technical support warned of answering machine and fax incompatibliity with VOIP service.So I dropped the multifunction angle. I purchased a separate Canon MF6530 Printer Copier, a Canon Fax Laser L80, and a Panasonic Digital answering machine.I bought the Comswitch 5500, and had all of these devices installed within less than an hour.Everything worked, answering machine, fax, copier printer right out of the box!However, I did find that the remote phones in other rooms rang only once. So - per the manual - I needed to set the ComSwitch 5500 to "semiautomatic".But I got a VOIP message when I entered the codes to do so.So I called ComSwitch technical support. Technical suport answered in one ring!He solved my code difficulty immediately.With this device, you can set up your office and your machines to work the way you do. And, get the quality you need in your office.Again, thanks for tipping me off to the value of this device.

The Comswitch 5500 has been around for a long time and is a consistant performer,if you can get it programmed. I use it to catch fax transmissions before they go to my Avaya telephone system. Programming the switch requires patience and time. The actual wiring/hookup is simple, as Command Communications states. Programming is another matter. Read the program manuel and write down or highlight the programming that you want. Once programmed, it should work as stated.The 2nd but important fact about the unit is that it seems to have low resistance to any type of surges. I have individual surge protection on both my AC power source and my Bell lines for the phone system and the 5500. I also have a whole-house surge protector installed. I have two dead 5500 units in my basement now. Their power supplies seem OK. The units just will not power up.Still, inspite of it's faults, the Comswitch 5500 is the best unit I've found to date.

We have "distinctive ring" service on our phone line: the line has a second number associated with it; when that number is dialed the phone rings but with a distinctive "short-short" burst rather than the normal ring. This device allows us to use this second number as a dedicated fax number. It senses the distinctive ring and routes the call to a fax machine (or, in our case, to a desktop computer that also receives faxes). When the phone rings normally, the call is not rerouted--we can pick it up or our answer machine will if we don't. We have found the device very reliable over a month's use; once set up, you can forget it, it just works. I'm not sure how. It is connected to one of three extension jacks for this number; the answer machine and another phone are on a second line, but this is no problem.It has one important limitation: the only distinctive ring it can sense is the "short-short"--our phone company also offered other options. If you chose another option, you have to revise that choice to the short-short ring for this device to work. The device also requires programming to align it with your setup. It comes configured for a setup in which there is no distinctive ring service. In that case, the device apparently senses whether the incoming call is from a fax machine or is a voice call, and responds appropriately. I have no experience with that function. To set it up for my situation, I had to call the support line, as I was not successful using the instructions that came with it. But the support line worked ok, there was very little wait, and i got someone who was able to help with little difficulty. A more convenient programming set up is all the device needs for a five star rating, in my estimation.