Introduction to Internet Fax Services

Here you will learn internet fax server overview and general introduction to the online faxing methods, how to send a fax and online services. A fax server consists of these things a PC, which is connected to the LAN, Fax server software installed on the PC and a Fax modem or a Fax board. Fax messages can be stored as printable documents, spread sheet, database or graphics. When someone wants to fax the documents, they can print the document to the fax printer then put the recipient information such as name and fax number, select the cover letter, type your message and then send the fax through the faxing software installed on your PC.

Alternatively, you can send the fax to the email messages and can take the fax number from the outlook express contact’s list. Sending fax through PC typically takes less than 30 seconds.

Alternatively, fax server can also be setup to receive the faxes and after receiving the faxes, these can be sent to the printer machine or can be sent to the specific recipient’s email address to notify them that he/she has received a fax.

There are certain advantages of the PC fax server, which I have discussed as follows.

1. The main feature of the Fax server is that it saves your time and cost and you can send the fax in the same way as you send emails and attached the fax to send to the recipients.
2. Invoicing, purchase orders and requested information can be scheduled to be faxed to the intended recipients.
3. Fax server will also retry if the recipient number is busy or if there is any error in the number.
4. You can also save the fax numbers of the frequent users.
5. Fax books also make it easy to send the faxes to the groups of people and at the scheduled times.
6. The faxes that are sent directly through the PC are looks better in terms of the resolution.
7. You can also manage the fax server to redirect the receiving faxes to the appropriate recipient so ensuring the security and timely receiving of the faxes.
8. The administrators can automate many functions of the fax server. A fax server can be configured to automatically send the invoices, purchase orders and the promotional newsletters. Additionally, a fax server can work without papers and reduces the overhead of putting and checking the papers again and again. Fax messages can be stored in your PC.

What is a Internet Fax

Internet fax is a device that uses IP networks to transmit the faxes instead of the PSTN. Internet fax uses e-mails as the medium for sending the faxes. Internet fax services include email to fax, fax to email and PC to fax (sending faxes from your computer). Internet fax is type of service, which enables you to send and receive the faxes in a timely manner without a fax machine. Only an email accounts is required to setup your Internet fax account.

Subscribers have to monthly fees to the internet fax service providers. Internet fax service providers usually works in a way that when a fax is sent to the subscriber’s number, the fax service receives the fax and send it to the recipient’s email address as an attachment.

All you need is to have the registered email address with the internet fax service providers. You have to write the fax content in the body of the email and type the fax number in the “To” field with a @ sign and a internet fax service name e.g 14545668999@efax.com. In the subject field sender can write the name of the recipient.

There is a small tool bar in the system tray for sending and receiving the faxes and it comes after installing the fax software. Upon receiving the email to the Internet fax service providers the automated programs convert the email messages to the fax format and send the fax to the recipient fax number. On the other, hand the recipient receives the fax on their fax machine normally.

The Internet fax services provide very ease and you assigned a fax number, which has to be active 24 hours so that you account can accept the faxes. On the other hand, the working of the regular fax machine is typically depends on your telephone line, which should be free while sending and receiving the fax. Internet fax service also saves your papers and the need of the fax machine.

Internet fax service is very familiar to the sending and receiving the email messages and it also saves the cost and time so many people are likely to use this service.

Another big advantage is given by the Internet service providers is that it offers the toll free numbers to its subscribers in USA and Canada. So the people from USA and Canada can send faxes for free. Most internet fax services costs $10-20 per month. The communication charges are greatly reduced as opposed to the conventional fax machines, which costs a user per page.