• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Sending faxes via internet

I

Idz21

Senior member
Hey all,

I'm wondering if it's possible to send internet faxes via a simple setup in a Windows Server environment. Is a dial-up modem required? (Can a feature such as Internet Voice - ex. Optimum Voice, be used? It runs on the RJ45 interface so I'm assuming it can).

Now for my second question. Can a web form be setup to automatically fax an invoice to a client after the 'Submit' button is depressed?

I'd appreciate help with these issues and any weblinks you can provide me with to read up on how to set a feature like that up.




Thank you 🙂
 
1. there is this "fax services" component if you go to add/remove hardware.
2. It lets you setup a printer as a fax.
3. for the web...just tell it to print to that printer
 
I need something that will fax the invoice to a remote party. Say in another state, for example. And this has to be automated and done instantly as soon as the order is placed.
 
You can send through the Internet Document Picture what ever can be attached or used by any Internet related program.

Fax however supposes to go to a Fax machine based on simple usage of telephone line. Fax Modem to Fax Modem no Internet involvement.

Regular Internet connection can not connect to a Regular telephone line to transmit to a Fax Modem.

Yeah you can see ads for Internet Fax services. These are services that receive your Document through the Internet and have Hardware to Dialup and transfer your document over regular Telephone Line to a regular fax machine.

Since this type of service is Not considered charity it cost money.

However a computer with DialUp Modem can DialUp a fax machine and send the document. It is nothing to do with the Internet it is a direct Dial from your Dialup Modem to the Modem in a regular Fax machine, or a Computer with DialUp Modem that listens to the Telephone line.

I have an old computer with a DialUp Modem and Fax software that is connected to the Network to receive a Document and then use the Fax software to dialup to a fax machine else where and send the document. The Dialup itself is not part of the Network but the software can be executed through the Network.

:sun:
 
Originally posted by: JackMDS
You can send through the Internet Document Picture what ever can be attached or used by any Internet related program.

Fax however supposes to go to a Fax machine based on simple usage of telephone line. Fax Modem to Fax Modem no Internet involvement.

Regular Internet connection can not connect to a Regular telephone line to transmit to a Fax Modem.

Yeah you can see ads for Internet Fax services. These are services that receive your Document through the Internet and have Hardware to Dialup and transfer your document over regular Telephone Line to a regular fax machine.

Since this type of service is Not considered charity it cost money.

However a computer with DialUp Modem can DialUp a fax machine and send the document. It is nothing to do with the Internet it is a direct Dial from your Dialup Modem to the Modem in a regular Fax machine, or a Computer with DialUp Modem that listens to the Telephone line.

I have an old computer with a DialUp Modem and Fax software that is connected to the Network to receive a Document and then use the Fax software to dialup to a fax machine else where and send the document. The Dialup itself is not part of the Network but the software can be executed through the Network.

:sun:
Click to expand...

Exactly.

As for their phone numbers, how the hell you would tell it to print to xxx-xxxx via the modem is beyond me. Perhaps some ort of script that writes the phone number to print to in a text file?
 
Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Originally posted by: JackMDS
You can send through the Internet Document Picture what ever can be attached or used by any Internet related program.

Fax however supposes to go to a Fax machine based on simple usage of telephone line. Fax Modem to Fax Modem no Internet involvement.

Regular Internet connection can not connect to a Regular telephone line to transmit to a Fax Modem.

Yeah you can see ads for Internet Fax services. These are services that receive your Document through the Internet and have Hardware to Dialup and transfer your document over regular Telephone Line to a regular fax machine.

Since this type of service is Not considered charity it cost money.

However a computer with DialUp Modem can DialUp a fax machine and send the document. It is nothing to do with the Internet it is a direct Dial from your Dialup Modem to the Modem in a regular Fax machine, or a Computer with DialUp Modem that listens to the Telephone line.

I have an old computer with a DialUp Modem and Fax software that is connected to the Network to receive a Document and then use the Fax software to dialup to a fax machine else where and send the document. The Dialup itself is not part of the Network but the software can be executed through the Network.

:sun:
Click to expand...

Exactly.

As for their phone numbers, how the hell you would tell it to print to xxx-xxxx via the modem is beyond me. Perhaps some ort of script that writes the phone number to print to in a text file?
Click to expand...
There is this wonderful thing called XML.
 
Originally posted by: JackMDS
Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Originally posted by: JackMDS
You can send through the Internet Document Picture what ever can be attached or used by any Internet related program.

Fax however supposes to go to a Fax machine based on simple usage of telephone line. Fax Modem to Fax Modem no Internet involvement.

Regular Internet connection can not connect to a Regular telephone line to transmit to a Fax Modem.

Yeah you can see ads for Internet Fax services. These are services that receive your Document through the Internet and have Hardware to Dialup and transfer your document over regular Telephone Line to a regular fax machine.

Since this type of service is Not considered charity it cost money.

However a computer with DialUp Modem can DialUp a fax machine and send the document. It is nothing to do with the Internet it is a direct Dial from your Dialup Modem to the Modem in a regular Fax machine, or a Computer with DialUp Modem that listens to the Telephone line.

I have an old computer with a DialUp Modem and Fax software that is connected to the Network to receive a Document and then use the Fax software to dialup to a fax machine else where and send the document. The Dialup itself is not part of the Network but the software can be executed through the Network.

:sun:
Click to expand...

Exactly.

As for their phone numbers, how the hell you would tell it to print to xxx-xxxx via the modem is beyond me. Perhaps some ort of script that writes the phone number to print to in a text file?
Click to expand...
There is this wonderful thing called XML.
Click to expand...

<---sucks at HTML,DHTML,XML,HTMl...all of 'em😀
<---sucks at HTML,DHTML,XML,HTMl...all of 'em😀
<---sucks at HTML,DHTML,XML,HTMl...all of 'em😀

EDIT: I suck at the spelling too🙁
 
Using XML will allow me to construct something that will fax an invoice w/out the use of third party software? Is it simple enough to do?
 
You might try hylafax, but I don't think it runs on windows. If you're willing to setup a linux box, hylafax will do what you want and its open source.
 
The main problem is not what you do at your computer.

If the other side (the receiver) has a simple regular None Computer Fax Machines, how the hack they are going to get it.

WinFax Pro (or any similar software) still needs this: Concord Fax Service.

:sun:
 
I thought any fax machine would be able to accept a fax. I'm assuming that the "protocol" used in sending faxes is the same whether it's through a fax machine, computer system or other would be the same. By this assumption the fax should be recieved no matter how it's being sent.



Comments?
 
Re-read your post, hope this helps:

1. Can you send faxes over the internet using a VoIP service such as Optimum Voice?
According to Optimum Voice's web site, yes you can. I assume you'll be charged as if it were a regular phone call. Your computer will need a dial-up modem that's plugged into your VoIP service's rj11 jack.

http://www.optimumvoice.com/index.jhtml?pageType=faq&amp;qaType=equipment

2. Can a web form send a fax?
Assuming you're using a web hosting company, not your window's server to serve web pages, you could set up your web form to send an email to your windows server. You would then be running some kind of email to fax gateway software on your windows server to fetch the email, figure out the phone number, dial the number indicated, and send the message as a fax. Look at:

http://www.altn.com/Products/Default.asp?product_id=RelayFax

or if you're willing to set up a unix box for this you could use the free software 🙂

http://www.hylafax.org
 
Thanks for the help Fish. I'm pretty sure Optimum Voice has a $35/month charge for its phone services. I don't think there is a seperate charge for faxing. Also I was hoping I didn't require the use of a dialup modem.


I'm not sure exactly how Optimum Voice works, but I was assuming (yes, again 🙂 ) that it used like a network phone technology. Meaning, the phone itself would have a MAC address and receive an IP address. I realize that this would be a seperate purchase, but I think it would expediate the processing of a fax queue. Using a dialup modem with the possibility that around 20 orders are placed within a two minute span would not be an optimal solution.
 
The RelayFax program sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Now just to figure out how to setup the phone lines.
 
I just spoke with someone at Optimum Online regarding Optimum Voice services and how it handles faxes. Seems that there is no advantage using Optimum Voice as someone has mentioned before. Here's a sniplet of our conversation together.


Idz21: I was planning on setting up a web purchase form which, when Submitting data, would automatically send a fax invoice to the vendor to fill the order. Is there any advantage using Optimum Voice over a simple Dial-up modem setup with regards to the speed in which I can get faxes out to vendors?

Idz21: I guess first I would need you to explain to me how Optimum Voice actually works. My understanding is that it uses the RJ45 interface.

Tamar.M: It is the same setup as your current cable modem, the difference is the Optimum Voice modem has a phone slot on the back of it where you can connect a phone or fax machine. The connection speed for the fax transmittion will typically be the same as a regualar dial-up service.

Idz21: So in essence Optimum Voice is not an Internet (or IP) phone, but simply a regular phone line except for the service with which it's used?

Tamar.M: The Optimum Voice is instead an internet phone or Voice Over IP. As for the physical connection, it looks like a regular dial-up connection where we use a RJ11 cable to connect to the back of the cable modem to a jack or phone/fax machine.

Tamar.M: I'm sorry instead should be indeed.

Tamar.M: Can I assist with anything else regarding Optimum Voice?

Idz21: So the limiting factor in sending out a fax would be the destination fax machine correct? Because that is the station with which Optimum Voice has to complete a connection with, so no matter how fast the information leaves my house, for example, it will still take the destined fax machine the same amount of time to accept the connection as it would take if a regular dial up modem/phone was used?

Tamar.M: That is correct.

Idz21: How would the Optimum Voice modem handle three separate phones with three separate phone numbers?

Tamar.M: This would require three Optimum Voice modems because each modem supports one line.

Idz21: What is the cost for each additional modem/line?

Tamar.M: The Optimum Voice service is $34.95 per month and also the voice service does come with the internet service which is an additional $29.95 per month initially.

Idz21: I am already an Optimum Online subscriber. Does each seperate phone number, in the same household, cost $34.95/month each?

Tamar.M: That is corect.

Idz21: There are no devices which can split each Optimum Voice modem's connection like a router can do for regular Optimum Online services?

Tamar.M: I am unware of such a device.



Hope this is of use to someone 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Idz21
Thanks for the help Fish. I'm pretty sure Optimum Voice has a $35/month charge for its phone services. I don't think there is a seperate charge for faxing. Also I was hoping I didn't require the use of a dialup modem.


I'm not sure exactly how Optimum Voice works, but I was assuming (yes, again 🙂 ) that it used like a network phone technology. Meaning, the phone itself would have a MAC address and receive an IP address. I realize that this would be a seperate purchase, but I think it would expediate the processing of a fax queue. Using a dialup modem with the possibility that around 20 orders are placed within a two minute span would not be an optimal solution.
Click to expand...

The hylafax sytem utilizes emails. you generate an email of the proper construction, and send it to the hylafax server. it converts the email address into the dialout and cover page part, and the body of the email becomes the main page. It is not capable of doing graphics, if I recall correctly.
If you gave that hylafax machine multiple modems and phone lines with failover (phone company stuff), I am sure it could pump out a lot of faxes. Then all the phone line charges and long distance would be in-house.
Since these are emails, they would just queue up till the modem<s> were free.
 
Originally posted by: skyking
Originally posted by: Idz21
Thanks for the help Fish. I'm pretty sure Optimum Voice has a $35/month charge for its phone services. I don't think there is a seperate charge for faxing. Also I was hoping I didn't require the use of a dialup modem.


I'm not sure exactly how Optimum Voice works, but I was assuming (yes, again 🙂 ) that it used like a network phone technology. Meaning, the phone itself would have a MAC address and receive an IP address. I realize that this would be a seperate purchase, but I think it would expediate the processing of a fax queue. Using a dialup modem with the possibility that around 20 orders are placed within a two minute span would not be an optimal solution.
Click to expand...

The hylafax sytem utilizes emails. you generate an email of the proper construction, and send it to the hylafax server. it converts the email address into the dialout and cover page part, and the body of the email becomes the main page. It is not capable of doing graphics, if I recall correctly.
If you gave that hylafax machine multiple modems and phone lines with failover (phone company stuff), I am sure it could pump out a lot of faxes. Then all the phone line charges and long distance would be in-house.
Since these are emails, they would just queue up till the modem<s> were free.
Click to expand...



Exactly.


From that phone conversation, it looks like he now intends to send many faxes simultaneously...maybe a huge volume?
 
Sounds like what he really wanted was something that generated Fax over IP packets on his end that would get routed through the Optimum Voice network to the client's plain telephone/fax line. I don't know of any such device, it might exist, doesn't sound outside the realm of possibility.

However, this whole faxing thing confuses me. A website takes an order and as a response to taking that order he wants to send a fax. But doesn't the client who placed the order over the website have a computer and internet connection? Wouldn't a printable invoice from the website + emailed invoice from the website work? Is there some compelling reason to send a fax too? I'm not trying to say that its not necessary, I'm just curious because I can't think of a reason.
 
You're correct Fish. I was trying to see if there was a way to send out faxes via internet which would expediate the process. However, it seems like that is not possible.

The reason I want these faxes to generate and be sent out is because once the order is placed by the client, the fax then is sent to the vendor, not back to the client. This fax is then processed by the vendor.
 
The only good thing about optimum voice is that u pay $35/month which includes local and long distance calls.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top