Answer phone won't work with my new phone

I got a used chordless analog phone (Siemens Gigaset A340) and hooked it up (exactly like the other one) and I can't get my answerphone to pick up. Does anyone have any ideas? There is nothing in the manual and I searched the siemens site for the specific phone and couldn't find anything. The answerphone is an Audioline digitaler anrufbeantworter 818G.

Thanks

You claim to be from Minnesota and call it an answerphone? what a disgrace...

(sorry, I couldn't help it)

I guess after 5 yrs of being in Europe and working with British English all day, it kinda catches on. What is worse is that now I don't even speak English - it is all Denglish now

However, my answering machine (or answerphone which ever you prefer) still isnt working. Any suggestions?

I would like to add something constructive however, I find that despite having ours "answering machine" switched on all day - nobody will use it. (What's wrong with people?) Does anybody else notice this? You can see whose rung by the calls list but will they leave a message? No!

does the time, date and message have to be set before it will actually record? Mine is like that. Took a while to figure that out too.

Carm - yes and it is - it works fine if I plug my old (cheap 9 euro phone from kalstadt) in, but once I plug in the chordless, nothing??? I only changed phones, the answering machine is the same one I have had.

Thanks for the idea

weird, as I replaced my phone about 2 years ago, and had no problems, even after I switched from dial up modem Internet to DSL, I had no problems, and I noticed that I have the same answer machine as you today when I was over.
But then again, I am no techno geek, but I always seem to get things working.

Does your phone outlet look like one of these?

If so then be sure that the answerphone is in the LEFT-hand outlet and that the telephone is in the CENTRE/CENTER one..
Also, make sure the machine is on (little envelope lamp bottom centre right should be lit)

YL66, Thanks for suggestion but I have dsl so is hooked up thru modem. Again, I only unplugged the old phone and plugged in the new one - unplugged, replugged nothing else.

And yes, it is turned on - I am actually quite technically inclined. Is why is so frustrating not being able to sort it out. I can fix a 747 but not a tiny little answering machine

I am thinking maybe there is something with the chordless phone that needs set or something, but found nothing in the manual.

But if you have DSL then you have a splitter, and you have the same three outlets, so the plugging should be the same. The Siemens has nothing to differentiate it from other phones in respect of an answering machine, assuming it is correctly connected - and the order of those connections can be important...

YL6 - Thanks again for the suggestion, I really do appreciate the help. My modem is hooked up a bit diff. There is an adapter that goes to the modem and another cable that goes from splitter to modem (1&1 surf & phone box 5050).

Regardless, I KNOW everything is hooked up correctly. Again, I only unplugged the old phone, plugged in the new one and I also (think I have also stated this) tried to old phone again (again, only unplugged one and plugged the old one back in) and it works absolutely fine. Is why it is so frustrating and can't think of anyting else it could be other than with the new phone.

Are you using the connecting cable supplied with the Siemens phone?
What make/model/nationallity is your old phone?

So, I have FINALLY figured it out. I have been playing with every button or setting on phone and decided to take a look at the answering machine. There were 3 choices for the setting of the rings 2, 4 or TS. I never knew what TS means so always had it on 4. I decided to try the TS just for the hell of it and now it all works. Still dont know what TS means (manual is in German and my German is shit) but dont care - IT WORKS

Quite why it's call TS, I don't know, but the TS setting is to aid remote pick up of messages. In this setting if there are no messages on the machine it will answer the phone after 6 rings. If there are messages on the machine it will answer after 2. The reason for this is that if you want to call into your machine to pick up messages remotely, if it rings 3 or 4 times you can hang up (and therefore not have to pay for any call) in the knowlege that no messages are waiting.

This switch setting should not affect your phone connections. but if it has solved the problem for you, then congratulations...

YL6

Glad it all worked..

You seem to have forgotten the words "Thank you" somehow.

Grinner - please refer to post #6 where I thanked Carm and then there are post #9 and 11 where I have thanked YL6. They were the ones who gave me help and I did thank them - but if it makes you happy I will thank them again

Thanks again YL6 and Carm

YL6 - not sure myself why this worked, but all connections are connected correctly and work fine with old phone (set on 4 rings) (old phone is Okano from Kalstadt to answer your earlier question) but by only switching phones (no other cables) it wouldnt work with chordless. Is really really weird, but works perfectly when it is switched to the TS setting - so I am happy.

Oh and incase I have not already said it - THANKS AGAIN

Thank you...

Its nice to be nice!

Are you thanking me for my earlier thanks you's (which you missed ) or the new ones

But thanks for your thanks - much appreciated