Mac OS X 10.2: Shared Fax Modem Appears in Print Center But Doesn‘t Work

Mac OS X 10.3 includes built-in faxing, and allows you to share your fax modem with other Mac OS X 10.3 users. While the shared fax modem will be visible to Mac OS X 10.2 users in the Print Center, only Mac OS X Panther users will be able to use the shared fax modem.

For more information about built-in faxing, please see Printing and Faxing Support.

Symptom

The Shared Fax Modem is viewable in the Print Center as an "Internal Modem". Its type is listed as "Fax Printer". You try to send a job to the shared fax modem, but it is never sent.

This happens when the fax modem is hosted by a computer using Mac OS X 10.3 or later, but your computer is using Mac OS X 10.2.


Products Affected

• Mac OS X 10.2 through Mac OS X 10.2.8 (client)
• Mac OS X 10.3 (host)
• Other operating systems that use the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS)
  
  Note: Mac OS X 10.3 users are not affected by this issue.
  

Solution

While users on older operating systems may be able to see Shared Fax Modems in their Print Center, only Mac OS X 10.3 users will be able to use the modem.