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FAX to and from PC. How?


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Our trusty old fax machine has finally decided to retire itself after many years of faithful service. Since the number of faxes which we send and receive is now quite small, we wonder if we should bother to replace it.

Consequently, I have experimented with sending faxes from the PC, and despite an almost total absence of instructions, did manage to get one away correctly. However, it would be nice to feel a little more in control, and I wonder if there is any simple idiot's guide to sending and receiving faxes via a PC (assuming that such instructions are not  lurking somewhere on the system already - and where?)?

Presumably, it is necessary to be up and running and connected to the network in order to receive a fax? Is there anywhere (any organisation), who will hold incoming faxes, rather in the manner of emails, until one logs on and downloads? I have found one or two, but they are only interested in high volumes and their basic charge is uneconomic for the very few which we now receive each year.

Thanks in advance for your enlightenment.

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Mjc,

 

As you rightly say, the problem with using a PC to receive a fax is that the PC has to be switched on, with the fax software loaded.

 

This may not be convenient and if you are using a dial up connection to connect to the internet it may cause problems with 2 communication programmes trying to connect to the modem at the same time.

 

Separate fax machines do have their advantages – like faxing handwritten documents.  Text faxed directly from a PC will be sharper than a document sent from a fax machine.

 

You should have instructions for your fax programme within the “Help” menu in the software.  Generally your PC will treat your fax software as if it was a printer.  So rather than printing (for example) to your default Lexmark printer, you’d select “Print…” from the “File” drop down menu – change the printer to your fax software, then press “print”.  You’ll then get a box to type in the recipient’s number, choose a Cover Page and so on.

 

You might be interested in the solution I use.  I have a “virtual fax” number with a company called eFax.com.

 

It works like this – I have a UK 0870 000000 fax number, which costs the sender the same rate as faxing to a normal national number.

 

If someone sends me a fax, I receive an email within a couple of minutes with the fax as an attachment.  Clicking on the attachment opens the faxed document using eFax viewer software which you download from their website.  It works a bit like Adobe Acrobat Reader – you can rotate the document to view on screen or print it out on your printer.

 

The best bit is - it costs you nothing!

 

Efax.com offer several services – the above is called “eFax free”.  Other (chargeable) services allow you to send faxes through the internet etc.  The only restriction is that you are limited to receiving 20 pages per month.  My original number worked fine for about 4 years, then a friend sent me several large faxes within a few days and they switched off my number!  All I had to do was set up another free number.

 

I’ve set my fax software on my PC to show my 0870 number as the sending number (rather than my landline number).  That way anyone faxing back to me will fax to my eFax number.

 

I get a very occasional advertising fax from them and an invitation to upgrade to their other services maybe once every 2 months – you don’t get bombarded with junk emails!

 

If you’re interested, have a look at https://www.efax.com/en/efax/twa/page/efaxPlus

(click on the eFax Free link).

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Thanks for the very detailed reply. The free faxes in sounds great, and since we have so few it just has to be a winner. I'll look at the site very, very soon.

Many thanks for all the other useful info. Very much appreciated.

 

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Thanks for the tip, ecossais. We lost our dedicated fax line when we went broadband. Now we can receive at any time via internet, and plug in the fax when we need to send - and all free too.

You can trust a Scot to have it all figured

Patrick - (a proud kilt wearer)
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Hi Patrick,

 

I’m glad you find eFax useful in your circumstances.

 

It does seem to be too good to be true, but I’ve had an eFax number for over 5 years now to receive the occasional fax and apart from the time I received about 60 pages in a month which, after an email reminding me of their t&c’s (which they wouldn’t budge on – I wanted to keep the number because it was a good one), lead to my number being discontinued, it’s worked perfectly every time.

 

And, at the price, ye canny whack it!

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Another thank you to Ecossais.

We have now registered for free faxes. It was easy, and we have received our first fax today. So, that's quite a few bawbees saved on an unnecessary replacement fax machine.

I'd have faxed you with my thanks if I had your number.

 

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  • 14 years later...
This thread is 15 years old.

Does anyone really need to fax now ? I can't remember the last time I needed one, although some banks and legal offices (eg notaire) sometimes used them.

Far better, in my opinion, to send a scanned document by email, and at least you don't have to be there to receive a reply.
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