Online Fax FAQ
What do I need to use online faxing?
All you need to use online faxing is a computer, high-speed Internet access (broadband), an email account and an account with an online fax provider. You do not need any additional line rental or fax machine equipment, and you will not have to install any additional fax software in most cases. You will however need a scanner if you want to scan hardcopy documents into your computer for faxing, but these are relatively inexpensive and most combined printers/photocopiers also have a scanning option these days.
How do I send an online fax?
Online faxing is very similar to emailing, and when you log in to your online account a standard message box will come up with the following fields:
• To – this is where you type the primary destination fax number.
• CC – you can add additional destination numbers in this field to send to multiple recipients at the same time.
• Subject – this is where you can add a brief description of the content of the fax for example ‘091104 – Signed Agreement.’
• Attach – this is the function you use to attach your document to the message, and once you click this button a ‘browse’ box will open up which will allow you to search through your computer database for the file you want to send.
• Main Message Field – as with an email, you can type a message to go with your fax in the main field, and this is a quick and easy way to provide your contact details, and also more instructions about the document you are sending.
• Send – once you have filled in all the details and attached your document, you just click on the ‘send’ button and the fax will be transmitted to the destination numbers for you.
Can I send to online faxes to conventional old style fax machines?
You can fax to any number in the world with an online faxing account, and your provider will automatically convert the electronic file you have sent from your online account to the format necessary to transmit over the Standard Telephone Network, so that it can be received by a conventional fax machine. This will also happen in reverse when a fax is sent to your online faxing account from a conventional fax machine, and your provider will convert this analogue data into a format which can be received by your online inbox.
How do I receive faxes?
Faxes will arrive in your online account inbox just like an email and the document will be attached as a file, which you will be able to open and read. You will also be able to save these files to your computer, print them out in hard copy or forward them on to other contacts using either your online fax or email accounts.
How can I block junk faxes?
Junk faxes can be received by either conventional or online fax accounts, and are basically unsolicited faxes that are used as marketing tools by other companies and organizations. With a conventional fax machine the document would be printed out automatically, wasting a lot of paper and toner but with online fax you do not have to print a document out unless you want to, which saves wasting supplies. Online fax providers also offer anti-spam filters which can help to block junk mail messages from being sent to you in the first place, and you should check with your provider to see what kind of blocking services they provide for your online fax account.
Can I send multiple documents in one fax?
One of the main benefits of online fax is that unlike conventional faxing you can send multiple files in one single fax transmission. With most online fax accounts you can send up to around eight different documents with one fax, and a large number of file formats are supported, so for example you would be able to send a Word, Excel and PDF document all on one transmission. You will also be able to receive single faxes with multiple file attachments in your online fax inbox.
Is online faxing secure?
Online fax providers protect the data you send and receive through the Internet with your online fax account by using the latest Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption protocols. All of your faxes will be sent directly to the destination number, so there is also no ‘human’ interaction with your documents when they are in transmitted, and this means you can be sure that any private data you send and receive via fax remains confidential.
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