Broadband Faxing

[Lordzen]

A simple question that has been on my mind me for ages: Is there any (preferably freeware obviously!) software that will enable me to fax directly from the pc using the broadband connection rather than a telephone modem line?

[Hom3r]

I have read that you can send an email to a fax, but I don't knoe if Outlook can do this (where I worked we could do this with our e-mail package Lotus Notes)

[TheBlueRaja]

I admit i dont know for sure but i would really doubt it - even modern PABX's have difficulty with this one, Cisco Call Manager requires a dongle for example to change the Fax Data into IP Data.

Its difficult because its like trying to connect to a modem from your desktop using Software only over IP.

Its possible to send documents to somebody else obviously but Fax - doubt it - somebody prove me wrong though and i wont complain.

[rdhw]

Originally Posted by Lordzen

Is there any (preferably freeware obviously!) software that will enable me to fax directly from the pc using the broadband connection rather than a telephone modem line?

Your broadband connection is a connection to the internet. Fax machines are not connected to the internet: they are on public telephone lines. Therefore you cannot send faxes directly from your PC to a fax machine.

However, there are various internet sites that offer a fax gateway service, for instance: http://www.tpc.int/.

There are other fax gateway sites, but you have to pay for the service: calls over public telephone lines cost the gateway service real money.

[simbr]

I used to use www.efax.com which was a good service, but in the end dropped it as I wasn't using it enough to warrant the cost.

This may help:

http://www.plexxa.com/s/pc_to_fax_software

[Lordzen]

Thanks for input people. I thought I might have been missing something, but now I know its a protocol thing, I understand. I know there's efax and the like, just that I would only need it about a dozen times a year, so probably not worth the cost. Just seems daft to have to print out pages (with diagrams on) and feed them into an 'old fashioned' fax machine! Thanks again.

LZ

[Paul]

Why not buy a cheap standard modem card and hook it up when you need to send the fax? Most modems come with software CDs that have a fax tool on them.

[setch]

You could try a COM/IP COM Port Redirector.

Not sure if it will work for faxing, but it 100% works for applications that communicate with other modems.

The COM/IP Redirector is software that lets your PC applications automatically use TCP/IP connections instead of modem connections. Your applications "see" what appears to be a modem on a COM port, but no modem hardware is present. Instead of dialing a telephone number, the PC application "dials" a TCP/IP network address.

Problem is that it will not be free, the hosting company will charge you for the outbound fax call that it will have to make on your behalf.

Another solution, is to use VOIP. Get a free number from sipgate and hook that up to an ATA and plug it into the PCs modem.

Setch

[simbr]

Originally Posted by setch

Another solution, is to use VOIP. Get a free number from sipgate and hook that up to an ATA and plug it into the PCs modem.

digital to analogue to digital then back to analogue again...

[patrickp]

Originally Posted by Lordzen

Thanks for input people. I thought I might have been missing something, but now I know its a protocol thing, I understand. I know there's efax and the like, just that I would only need it about a dozen times a year, so probably not worth the cost. Just seems daft to have to print out pages (with diagrams on) and feed them into an 'old fashioned' fax machine! Thanks again.

LZ

If you've already got them in electronic form, can't you attach them to an email?

[fireman328]

Try this http://www.burnham-on-sea.co.uk/fax.html

It is sometimes tempremental particularly at weekends