In general, Windows TAPI provides Distinctive Ring and Caller ID features for fax and voice messaging software such as FaxTalk Communicator, but Windows TAPI does not support Distinctive Ring with some modems and provides only basic support for others. FaxTalk Communicator provides an option to work directly with the modem to provide more complete support for these features based on the capabilities of the modem hardware.

Since Windows TAPI does not support sending Distinctive Ring messages to a specific application, such as FaxTalk Communicator, FaxTalk Communicator must use a special method in Windows TAPI to access Distinctive Ring and Caller ID messages provided by the modem. 

Note: Distinctive Ring and Caller ID features in FaxTalk Communicator require specific hardware support from the modem for these features as well as respective subscription to Distinctive Ring and Caller ID services from your local phone company. In addition, in order to use the FaxTalk Communicator based Distinctive Ring and Caller ID services, you will need to know specific information regarding your modem and it's support for Distinctive Ring and Caller ID including, and not limited to, initialization strings, Distinctive Ring ring messages, and message reporting formats. If you do not have this information, please refer to your modem documentation or contact your modem or computer manufacturer. Since this information is specific to your modem, Thought Communication cannot provide this information to you.

This document provides instructions for configuring FaxTalk Communicator to directly access the modem for modem operations. Configuring FaxTalk Communicator to work directly with the modem for Distinctive Ring / Caller ID will prevent all other applications from being able to access the modem the while FaxTalk Communicator is running and Auto Answer is enabled. You can temporarily disable FaxTalk Communicator from controlling the modem by disabling the Auto Answer setting. Doing so will allow other applications to use the modem but FaxTalk Communicator will not be able to automatically answer incoming calls until Auto Answer is enabled again.

Configuring Distinctive Ring in FaxTalk Communicator

To configure Distinctive Ring in FaxTalk Communicator to properly detect and route Distinctive Ring calls:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, FaxTalk Communicator, and then click FaxTalk Communicator. The FaxTalk Communicator application appears.
2. Click on the Configure menu, and select Program. The FaxTalk Configuration dialog appears.
3. Click on the Modem tab.
4. Click the Advanced button. The Advanced Modem Properties dialog appears.
5. Click on the Distinctive Ring / Caller ID Settings button. The Distinctive Ring/Caller ID dialog appears.
6. Click the box next to Use FaxTalk for Distinctive Ring / Caller ID services to enable FaxTalk Communicator to manage modem operations.
   
   Note: Since Windows TAPI does not support sending Distinctive Ring messages to a specific application, such as FaxTalk Communicator, FaxTalk Communicator must use a special method in Windows TAPI to access Distinctive Ring messages provided by the modem. Enabling the Use FaxTalk Communicator for Distinctive Ring / Caller ID Services option will prevent all other applications from being able to access the modem the while FaxTalk Communicator is running and Auto Answer is enabled. You can temporarily disable FaxTalk Communicator from controlling the modem by disabling Auto Answer in FaxTalk Communicator. Doing so will allow other applications to use the modem but FaxTalk Communicator will not be able to automatically answer incoming calls until Auto Answer is enabled again.
7. In the Distinctive Ring modem initialization string field, enter the modem command supported by your modem to enable Distinctive Ring. Please refer to your modem documentation or modem manufacturer for the commands required to enable Distinctive Ring. The table below specifies some of the common Distinctive Ring commands for popular modem chipsets. If your modem chipset is not listed, or you do not know what chipset is used in your modem, you must contact the modem manufacturer to obtain the correct modem commands to enable Distinctive Ring.
   
   Note: Only enter the specific modem command for Distinctive Ring. Do not include any additional modem commands such as AT.
   
   

   Modem Chipset	Distinctive Ring Command
   Ambient / Intel	+VDR=1,0
   Conexant	+VDR=1,0
   ESS Technologies	+VDR=1,0
   Lucent / Agere	+VDR=1,0
   Rockwell	-SDR=7
   Topic	+VDR=1,0
   US Robotics	S41=1

7. In the Route calls on line x (where x is line 1, 2, or 3) section, select the proper operation you want FaxTalk Communicator to perform for each Distinctive Ring line. The possible selections are:
   
   

   Operation	Description
   Ignore Calls	This option directs FaxTalk Communicator to ignore and not answer any calls on this line.
   Receive Fax	This option directs FaxTalk Communicator to automatically answer all calls and begin receiving a fax on this line.
   Voice Mail	This option directs FaxTalk Communicator to automatically answer all calls by playing the greeting of the default mailbox. Note: This option is only available if FaxTalk Communicator was installed with voice support. Voice support is determined by the modem hardware.

8. Click the Distinctive Ring Modem Responses Properties button. The Distinctive Ring Modem Responses Properties dialog appears.
9. In the Distinctive Ring line 1 field, enter the modem ring messages your modem reports when calls occur on this line.
10. In the Distinctive Ring line 2 field, enter the modem ring messages your modem reports when calls occur on this line.
    
    Note: if your modem reports multiple DRON/DROF messages for a single ring you will need to enter the entire DRON/DROF sequence for a single ring. Each DR message should be separated by a semi-colon (;) For example, DRON=4;DROF=5;DRON=4.
11. In the Distinctive Ring line 3 field, enter the modem ring messages your modem reports when calls occur on this line.
12. Click OK to close the Distinctive Ring Modem Responses Properties dialog. You are returned to the Distinctive Ring / Caller ID tab.

Configuring Caller ID in FaxTalk Communicator

Since enabling the Use FaxTalk Communicator for Distinctive Ring / Caller ID services option causes FaxTalk Communicator to control incoming ring information directly, you will need to separately enable Caller ID detection for incoming calls. If you do not want to enable Caller ID detection for incoming calls skip to step 3 in this section to finish configuring the FaxTalk Communicator based Distinctive Ring option.

To configure Caller ID in FaxTalk Communicator:

1. Click the box next to Enable Caller ID detection on incoming calls to enable Caller ID reporting.
2. In the Caller ID modem initialization string field, enter the modem command supported by your modem to enable Caller ID reporting. Please refer to your modem documentation or modem manufacturer for the commands required to enable Caller ID. The table below specifies some of the common Caller ID commands for popular modem chipsets. If your modem chipset is not listed, or you do not know what chipset is used in your modem, you must contact the modem manufacturer to obtain the correct modem commands to enable Caller ID.
   
   Note: Only enter the specific modem command for Caller ID. Do not include any additional modem commands such as AT.
   
   

   Modem Chipset	Caller ID Command
   Ambient / Intel	+VCID=1
   Conexant	+VCID=1
   ESS Technologies	+VCID=1
   Lucent / Agere	+VCID=1
   Motorola	#CID=1
   PCtel	#CID=1
   Rockwell	#CID=1
   STMicro Electronics	#CID=1
   Topic	+VCID=1
   US Robotics	#CID=1

3. Click OK to close the Advanced Modem Setup dialog. You are returned to the Modem Setup dialog.
4. Click OK to close the Modem Setup dialog and save your changes.

Testing Distinctive Ring and Caller ID in FaxTalk Communicator

Next, you should confirm that the changes and settings you made for the Distinctive Ring and Caller ID options work correctly with your modem and Distinctive Ring and Caller ID services provided by your phone company.

To test Distinctive Ring and Caller ID in FaxTalk Communicator:

1. Dial the telephone line that is connected to the modem using another phone line/cellular phone and check for the responses to the incoming rings that FaxTalk Communicator displays in the LCD window. FaxTalk Communicator should detect the incoming calls and display the specific line the call was detected on and the Caller ID information for the call if enabled. For example, a call on Distinctive Ring line 1 should appear in the FaxTalk Communicator LCD window as Incoming Call on Line 1 (without Caller ID) or Incoming Call on Line 1 from 555-1212 (with Caller ID, where the 555-1212 is the Caller ID information provided to FaxTalk Communicator by the modem).
2. If necessary, make changes to the Distinctive Ring and Caller ID settings in FaxTalk Communicator to achieve the desired results.