There are a few things to consider with this type of problem so take a good look at all of these troubleshooting steps before doing something drastic like buying a new fax machine or yelling at the poor customer service rep at the phone company!

Can you dial the number from a regular telephone?

• If not, you’re certainly not dealing with an issue with your fax machine. Read on down this post for some more ideas.
• If you can call the number fine from a telephone, check all the numbers on the keypad on your fax machine for one that might be broken. If it is, get some service for it or replace the fax machine. For example, if you’re trying to dial 123-555-1289 but your 8 isn’t working, the fax certainly isn’t going to go through.

Were you able to dial these exact numbers sometime before now, or is this the first time you’ve tried?

• If you’ve faxed to these numbers before but now you can’t, give your phone company a call. Something is probably wrong on their end, not yours.
• If this is the first time you’ve faxed to these numbers, make sure you’re dialing them correctly. Could you be misdialing the same part of the phone numbers wrong each time? Pay close attention to how you’re entering the numbers.

Are you “dialing out” properly?

• If you’re faxing out from a business location or somewhere that might have a telephone system (PBX) installed, check to see if you have to dial a special code (like a 9) to access an outside line. Some 10-digit numbers are not long distance from some locations so this special access code may only be needed for some numbers.
• Do you need a long distance code? Some telephone lines are setup to require codes to be entered after dialing the number. If you’re sure this isn’t the case, give your phone company a call. Maybe this feature was turned on without your knowledge or permission.

Are all of the numbers that do not work located in the same area code?

• If so, your long distance provider or phone system (if you have one) may not be configured properly for a newly added area code. Area codes are added all the time all over the world. Sometimes the companies and systems that you use don’t update to compensate for these changes quickly enough.

If you’re still not sure what to do, call your phone company. They’re your best starting point.

This question came via email from Essa C.

A dirty mouse is usually the cause of the “jumping” and “skipping” that your cursor does on the screen when you move your mouse around. When the little rollers inside your mouse that send information to your computer get dirty, they don’t work quite as well as they should.

The very simple solution to this problem is to clean your mouse.

I have some really easy steps to properly clean a mouse over on About.com. Follow those steps and see if that helps.

This question came via email from Nancy R.

When a printer “grabs” a sheet of paper, a device called a separator helps the printer pick up only the top sheet. The separator isn’t foolproof though.

One reason the separator might not work is if the sheets of paper stick to each other a little more than normal. This can happen for a number of reasons, but the solution is the same – try different paper. Start by trying another stack from the same paper supply. If that doesn’t work, try paper from another ream or even another brand.

Another reason the separator might not do its job is if it has worn out. If this is the problem, the separator will need to be replaced. In an inexpensive printer, your best bet might be to replace the printer. In more expensive printers, like laser printers, you can often buy what’s called a “maintenance kit” that will include a new separator along with some other printer parts that tend to wear out after a lot of use.

If your printer is picking up multiple pieces of paper most of the time, even after trying different paper, you’re probably going to need to replace the separator.

Remember to keep your paper stored at about the same temperature and humidity that you’d run your computer and printer at in your home or office. Extreme temperature, and especially extreme humidity, can damage printer paper and could cause this problem.

This question came via email from Nancy.

First, find your main telephone. It’ll likely be the one the operator at your business uses. If you’re not sure, it’s probably extension 200.

Here are the steps:

1. Leave the handset on the phone and press the intercom or station button.
2. Enter #652.
3. Enter the current time in 24-hour format (hh/mm/ss)
4. Press the redial button.
5. Press the spkr button.

That’s it! So many companies pay their phone system provider to come out or dial in remotely just to make this simple change. Now you can do it yourself!

This question came up earlier this week from one of my small business clients.

I have some great 404 Error troubleshooting information at my About.com site, along with some explanation about why you might see this sometimes.

This question came via email from Mike S. Thanks Mike!