Is it possible to send or receive a fax via e-mail?

Semantics - A rose by any other name, in a manner of speaking, yes...

Do you mean sending an actual fax with a fax machine to a computer?

Not that I am aware of, although there may be some software that allows this, but it is hardly common (I have never even heard of any). What is common is scanning images (such as documents, drawings, faxes, etc) and emailing them. Now days many photocopiers come equipped with a network connection and scanner.

Yes, I would like to be able to receive a fax via e-mail on my computer and also send a document from my PC (e-mail) to a fax machine without using a phone line.

It would be easier to send attachments via e-mail but there are still some companies that would only receive or send documents via a fax machine.

Try a google search for email fax service. (You'll get 50+ million hits), or search for "email fax service" to cut it down to 18,000+.

Apparently there is software available. Having a look myself I can understand why there would be a need if a client only had or was only allowed to communicate via fax.

Try a google search of "email fax software" for more information.

My ISP, demon UK, does provide such a service.

All incoming facs are received as emails with the facs are attachments - need an image programme to read/view.

It cost a one off fee to set up, therafter there were no additional costs.

There is no sending facility, although you can always use Word direct.

Sleepy.

There are ways to do this. The bit hurdle seems to be that the fax data which is a page image can make the email too big to send. One workaround is to put the pages on a web server and send the URLs. The pieces are:

1) getting the pages into / out of a computer = scanned / printer

2) getting the email between computers = IP connection

3) getting the pages into / out of the email = applications

4) dealing with the size of a non-trivial fax

5) getting the pages into / out of a fax machine on the opposing side = some service with a fax modem.

However, consider that my last separately purchased fax modem was $10 and my long distance rate is I forget how few pennies per minute. My biggest hurdle was when Bill Gated decided that Vista Home did not need a fax modem program, even though Gateway integrated my fax modem Multi-Media PC with Vista Home Premium, so I paid someone $20 for a fax program.

This isn't progressive, the data will originate in a computer then rather than use computer to computer electronic transmission you want to transfer to another machine which uses a phone connection that will transfer electronically on the Internet then back to a fax machine, awkward redundancies good luck with that.

YES! Very simple. If you haven't found it by now let me know and I'll get the info for you. My son has this option. I think he said it costs him about $20.00 / year. He gets a fax # from this organization. I send him a fax to that # and he gets it immediately E-mailed to him to his computer and cell phone. He can also sends a letter or scanned Document (or pic) to anyone using this service as a fax from his computer.(or cell phone. He sends it as an E-mail and they automatically convert it to fax and send it.

I have used the eFax service for many years without a problem.

http://www.efax.com/en/intl/product/page/homePage?CMP=OTC-nz

However, I can't remeber the last time I used a real fax machine.

Yes.... go to www.efax.com

The faxes are emailed directly to your email or any designated email address.

You can have a fax number in just about any city in any country around the world.

I've also used callwave.com. They used to be free for low usage customers. I don't know if they're still around, but they gave me good service.

I forgot this. WinFAX can be downloaded for a free 30-day trial. It appears as one of the printers to send faxes. I never tried to accept them with it, but have sent many RFQ's and other multiple fax's with it.

The pc will already send and receive faxes, no problem!

Why would anyone wish to send a fax by email?
If you can send email, send it. and the same with fax.
Unless I have misunderstood the question?

Microsoft has provide the software to send and receive faxes.
There are also several other software apps. available. (and free)

They all include the facility to send and receive faxes. So if the
"other" end (which ever) can supply fax or email?
Why complicate it?

jt.

But, where do you go in Rome?

The other end can only or is only allowed to send or receive fax with a fax machine not e-mail.

Well "this" end can send and receive the fax;
and if the "other" end can only receive fax -
send it from the computer, even if you have
to scan it into the computer before sending it.

I don't see the problem. jt.

Your end is not the problem. It's the other end which requires a phone line. What you are asking for is a solution to convert an internet protocol (IP) message to a T.30 fax protocol message and transmit that message over the public telephone system to a fax machine.

This cannot be done without a phone line. However, it doesn't have to be your line. As many posters have stated, there are a variety of services available which will receive your email, convert it, then send it over a phone line to the receiving fax machine. See http://www.savetz.com/fax/ for more information and a list of services for sending email faxes to US, Canadian and international destinations.

If they haven't got a phone line, why have a fax machine?

(Some sort of jungle drums or voodoo perhaps?)

The pc end can do both: email and fax; this is established?

The other end has what? Just a fax machine with an ip address?

You say it has an ip - then they can still receive "faxes" by
connecting a printer to a network router with the fixed ip address.
(assume it's wireless - because you say they have no phone line.)

Now we have the pc at the one end "printing" a "fax" through the
wireless network, to a fixed IP addressed router, to a printer at
the other end. No problem.

I don't think this should be classed officially as a fax; but the edges
are so blurred. i.e. it could be called printing over a remote network.
You can get printers (acting as fax machines) with a network
connection - which will print i.e. receive faxes, so if it walks
like a duck and talks like a duck, I suppose it is a duck.

All you need is a printer, which can be network connected to a router,
which is set up with a fixed IP address, over the wireless network.

Hope this helps. (but I would get them to post it to you, its cheaper!)

jt.

Wow! could you make an answer any more complicated? nothing like confusing the poor guy.

jt,

From the original description, the other end does not have an IP address; it has a standard fax machine connected to an analog telephone line. slong is looking for some way to communicate from his PC (using IP on his end) with the fax machine (using T.30 fax protocol over an analog carrier on that end). Dissimilar protocols require a converter of some sort to work together. Further, the fax machine is on an exclusive network: the local phone company's analog dial-tone system.

The only way to do this is to have something in the middle which will take the IP message, convert it to T.30, and send it out on a dial-tone line, and also do the same thing in reverse. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_fax for more detail.

It's a hybrid system somewhat similar to systems which turn email into audible voice, converting from one technology to another. Here's one example of that hybrid.

Wrong! The other end cannot tell that his fax is being converted to an E-mail and sent to you. It appears to him that he is sending it to a fax machine. When he receives a fax, he assumes it is sent via fax.

Question: The statement about --Why would you send a fax when it would be easier to send an E-mail.

Some organizations do not legally recognize a E-mail document and all correspondence must be faxed. Why? -- I don't know. Who? Doctors --Some lawyers. Insurance companies.

Sounds nuts! but thats the way it is.

Mooseman,

I agree with your statement about what the other end will experience. However, if you try to connect a network ethernet card to a fax machine, it won't work. Besides the fact that the digital pulses don't mean the same thing between the systems, the voltages are incompatible. A telephone line uses 48V, while ethernet is 3.3 V max. You'd fry the ethernet card in a heartbeat (which is why they have different connectors). Plus, a high-end fax operates at 56,000 bits/second, while high-end ethernet runs 1,000,000,000 bits/second.

Although the action is transparent to the user, making it work still requires something in the middle. Your first post about your son's service said "He sends it as an E-mail and they automatically convert it to fax and send it". That service/equipment which does the conversion is the "something in the middle".

You Lie! Microsoft sometimes provides, for instance with XP but not on Vista Home.

I have used maxemail for almost 2 years, and have been very happy with it. At $24/year, it is much cheaper than a dedicated fax line, and you send and receive faxes through email.

Windows XP:

"Start" / "Programs" / "Accessories" / "Communications" / "Fax"...

My Windows Vista doesn't have /"Communications"/"Fax"

Is your printer capable to Fax? Open control panel and printer is a fax device shown?

No.

After reading various tips and discussions, it looks to me using an e-mail-fax service is the simplest way. My only concern is confidentiality, can the service company intercept the messages?

Well I defintely would not like to send confidential info.
over the internet; to be converted, and delivered as fax.

There are considerable privacy issues, and depending on
the info. sent, a very strong likelyhood of it being hijacked.

I still do not understand the necessity to confuse email
and fax. The pc end has no problems whatsoever. (do both)

1) The other end has what? A fax machine and a phone line?
Therefore it can easily receive the faxes direct from the pc.

2)The other end has a fax machine and an ip address, with
or without a telephone line(?) it can still receive faxes. (direct)

Why complicate the problem at all?

jt.

no more confidential faxes sitting on machines and in trays.

Ever send a document as an attachment ?

IE FAX

I wish fax machines doesn't exist anymore. Everybody including companies are forced to receive or send documents as an attachment via e-mail.

Well faxes are good for a busy office where the first person free can handel request or deal with customer problems. It allows more people to do more things instead of a few people tieing up all the problems. Emails can be deleted. Faxes get placed in a in box for everyone to see and there is a record.

It is easier to back up all emails than to create a tree or type from a fax into a computer. How many man hours do you want to invest in search? I miss writing on rocks, they were substantial and durable.

Being slow on the uptake I just wondered why you were asking please?

If you intended to set one up yourself, I may be could help with numbers?

jt.