Fax/ADSL

[Deauville]

I have a pre-installed version of WinXP but as I do not have the disc I can't install the fax facility, I tried installing an old modem based fax but (undersatandaly) it couldn't find a modem,. I'm on ADSL and after a bit of messing around I found refernce on another site that ADSL does not support fax anyway, is this true?

[Bugsy]

I don't have a great deal of knowledge on this subject which, thinking about it, is probably why I've never managed to get Microsoft Fax to work reliably. I could get it to send, but not receive, then I could get it to receive but not send. In the end I bought a seperate phone/fax machine. It's much easier.

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

Yup! ADSL does not directly support fax. Using a dial-up modem when you send a fax it is dialled directly to the receiving machine, not via your ISP.

That said, a number of ISPs offer an email-to-fax service and I think some even have a service that turns an incoming fax into an email attachment that you can view or print out.

This describes the service my ISP provides.

http://www.demon.net/toolkit/electronicfax/

There may also be some ISP-independent services, but I don't know of any.

Quite honestly, if you need to do this occasionally it's probably worth setting up a dial-up modem and keeping it unplugged (for security against rogue diallers) except when you need it.

[Simon]

For me scan to email is more effective than faxing, cheaper and better quality.

Regards

Simon

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

I'd agree, but sometimes you have to work with luddites. Translation work often comes in via fax and I have known client accept a faxed signed document where they won't take the same thing via email.

[mint]

thanks albert, i have learnt something today.  so THAT'S why i can send a fax but not receive one!  they certainly didn't teach me that one at computer school

[Deauville]

You always get an answer here! Dept of Works and Pensions prefer to talk by fax apparently, so that's the reason for the OP. How about if I re-instal my old modem and the associated software, could I then plug it into my French phone line, or am I being too optimistic?

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

Should work. It's worth a try. You'll presumably need an adapter or a new cable, but at a pinch you could probably nick the one off your ADSL box for a short while. Otherwise you'll probably be able to buy a modem for peanuts nowadays.