16 replies to this topic

[dan99t]

I am buying a new All in One Printer with Fax.

I am wondering if it is possible to send a Fax using Skype & this printer with Fax.

If yes, how & what other hardware, software do I need ?

If not what are other alternatives.

Thank You

[+sc302]

Email it.

Basic answer is no. Fax uses a pots (plain old telephone service) line. They do not understand if they can't dial out. You can scan it and send it using a service that accepts jpg or pdf files.

There are other services like efax and there are fax through email services which I don't believe skype offers.

[dan99t]

sc302, on 13 May 2012 - 01:57, said:

Email it.

Basic answer is no. Fax uses a pots (plain old telephone service) line. They do not understand if they can't dial out. You can scan it and send it using a service that accepts jpg or pdf files.

There are other services like efax and there are fax through email services which I don't believe skype offers.

So what is the difference between a regular scanned attachment send via an e mail & a scanned attachment sent by services like "efax" ?

[+sc302]

Nothing.

Fax at some point needs to get to a pots line for a fax machine or fax card to receive. Even electronic fax has a dial in line to connect to, whether it be pri or pots. The difference really is that a machine/fax service picks it up vs a mail server. A scanned image is the same through either type of service.

[dan99t]

sc302, on 13 May 2012 - 03:48, said:

Nothing.

Fax at some point needs to get to a pots line for a fax machine or fax card to receive. Even electronic fax has a dial in line to connect to, whether it be pri or pots. The difference really is that a machine/fax service picks it up vs a mail server. A scanned image is the same through either type of service.

Hmmm....
I agree to disagree with you.

If it was that simple, I don't think most companies like HP, Epson, Cannon, Samsung........... etc would be offering fax facility in their all in one modern printers.

And who would want to pay $10.00 per month to companies like efax & myfax ? when you can simply buy a scanner for $50.00 or less & scan & send documents as e mail attachments in color ?

OK, where are the real techies not to insult you sir ?

[+sc302]

The whole point is to get a image to the receiver. Fax is an option to get it to the receiver. That is it in a nut shell.

A better answer is there isn't a space limitation with a fax where email is generally limited to 10MB. Some people/businesses choose fax for non critical or large documents. Some businesses incorporate a fax server that inserts the fax right to a email receipiant, where users and/or groups can receive a fax when a certain line is dialed.

Fax is old image transfer technology that is still in use.

Btw I set up fax servers, mail servers, multifunction machines as well as standalone machines . But I don't take insult. Here is some of my resume, I have setup 2point fax serve to incorporate into exchange server, I have setup fax core as standalone and as a exchange integration fax server, I have setup large Ricoh mfp's and sharp mfp's, as well as gestetner mfp's all as standalone or to integrate into exchange.

I can assure you fax is just another means to get a image over to the receipiant.

[+BudMan]

"when you can simply buy a scanner for $50.00 or less & scan & send documents as e mail attachments in color ?"

That is the 64k dollar question right there -- I just do not understand why fax is still around. I have not done it for a few years but like sc302 I use to manage fax services for the enterprise. Rightfax -- and the faxes could be sent from your email if the document was electronic, and when they came in they went to your email in pdf form.

Why are we doing this?? Why can they not just email that document to the user?

Its an OLD tech that really should of died many years ago - but it still here.. It freaking nuts!

[The Laughing Man]

dan99t, on 13 May 2012 - 07:11, said:

Hmmm....
I agree to disagree with you.

If it was that simple, I don't think most companies like HP, Epson, Cannon, Samsung........... etc would be offering fax facility in their all in one modern printers.

And who would want to pay $10.00 per month to companies like efax & myfax ? when you can simply buy a scanner for $50.00 or less & scan & send documents as e mail attachments in color ?

OK, where are the real techies not to insult you sir ?

Listen to +sc302, He knows what he is talking about, Companies are not going to pay a person to sit there and act as a fax machine and watch incoming emails. Some companies still use fax's such as legal services due to most of their documents requiring signatures.

[+sc302]

But even if they need a sig, someone can scan to email vs faxing with a properly setup mfp. And many companies have encorporated mail message archiving that will hold up better than a faxed doc in court. The message archiver that I have put in place requires a letter from the president/owner of the company to be sent in and authenticated by the archiver company to delete mail out of the archives or when the 5 year retention policy expires. Messages from the archiver hold up in court.

[+BudMan]

"due to most of their documents requiring signatures."

Where is this law that says a signature on a fax is binding? Any person with kindergartner level skills can fake a signature on a fax.. Simple cut and paste skills is all that is required. Maybe their mommy does not let them use scissors yet? Which is the one thing that would hinder someone faking a signature on a fax

I personally think its habit, and people not liking change -- I have not sent or gotten a fax in years. When someone asks for a document and asks me to fax, I say can't I just email it to you. And sure they say! Which would you rather have a electronic version you can just print out as many times as you need, or even save paper and not. Or some really bad copy (fax) -- the resolution on a fax machine is pretty freaking bad.

If you want a signature on it, then you can electronically sign the document.. Which is a binding signature.

[The Laughing Man]

BudMan, on 13 May 2012 - 12:28, said:

"due to most of their documents requiring signatures."

Where is this law that says a signature on a fax is binding? Any person with kindergartner level skills can fake a signature on a fax.. Simple cut and paste skills is all that is required. Maybe their mommy does not let them use scissors yet? Which is the one thing that would hinder someone faking a signature on a fax

I personally think its habit, and people not liking change -- I have not sent or gotten a fax in years. When someone asks for a document and asks me to fax, I say can't I just email it to you. And sure they say! Which would you rather have a electronic version you can just print out as many times as you need, or even save paper and not. Or some really bad copy (fax) -- the resolution on a fax machine is pretty freaking bad.

If you want a signature on it, then you can electronically sign the document.. Which is a binding signature.

Wait no I was just saying some law related companies still send documents back and fourth that require signatures. Nothing more just an example.

[firey]

Where I work we use Fax for quite a bit, especially when receiving orders. Instead of one person on the sales team getting it, it comes through on the fax and it ensures it's received. A lot of shipping companies also will Fax us our order information for invoicing and such.

I've also sent faxes for people who do not have access to a computer and need to get a scan of a document ASAP and are at a store that has a fax machine. So in some cases fax is very convenient. Of course I always laugh when I hear the Fax Machine dial-up. CSHHHHH BRNNNNNNN CAHHHHHHHHH

[+BudMan]

I agree with you - they do.. But why is my question.. Its not legal binding - is it? Any one could fake that signature, so how could it be?

So my question is why do they continue this archaic practice?

edit:
"it comes through on the fax and it ensures it's received."

How so? Quite often one persons fax could get mixed up in another, thrown out, etc. A pile of papers is easy to miss, etc.

But its quite simple to setup a similar method with email, you can have all email to an address or even multiple addresses printed out, with their attachments also printed, etc.

I you want orders to just be printed out so people on the floor can fill them - sure simple email sent to orders@yourcompany.tld could be printed automatically, etc.

[firey]

BudMan, on 13 May 2012 - 13:08, said:

I agree with you - they do.. But why is my question.. Its not legal binding - is it? Any one could fake that signature, so how could it be?

So my question is why do they continue this archaic practice?

edit:
"it comes through on the fax and it ensures it's received."

How so? Quite often one persons fax could get mixed up in another, thrown out, etc. A pile of papers is easy to miss, etc.

But its quite simple to setup a similar method with email, you can have all email to an address or even multiple addresses printed out, with their attachments also printed, etc.

I you want orders to just be printed out so people on the floor can fill them - sure simple email sent to orders@yourcompany.tld could be printed automatically, etc.

We only use the fax for speicific cases, there is no risk of a mix up the way we do it. Also, we have people who work around the fax machine and it's loud when it goes off. Some companies we deal with don't have a full computer system with e-mail and the sort. They use Fax in place of email.

Also some companies we deal with are heavily regulated by the US Government and there are strict guidelines on the computer systems which prevent the use of e-mail.

Our company DOES have an order/sales e-mail however just receiving a request for an order is only part of it. As we don't deal directly with the customer, we deal with vendors who deal with the end user. I work for a Point of Sales company. So a Cash Register Dealer gets in contact with a store, store says they want registers, dealer tells them about ours and they make a sales order with each other. Then the dealer comes to us with all the order requests, as well as a whole bunch of other stuff.

So while e-mail works, we would end up with potentially 5 e-mails with back and forth communication. Here we just do it via fax and it gets files right away instead of a sales person not printing it out, an attachment being too large, etc.

[firey]

dan99t, on 13 May 2012 - 07:11, said:

And who would want to pay $10.00 per month to companies like efax & myfax ? when you can simply buy a scanner for $50.00 or less & scan & send documents as e mail attachments in color ?

You still need to have a phone line setup for the fax. It just allows for fax functionality. So you still have to pay for the fax line. It doesn't just work.

These companies like efax and myfax give you storage space, save you from having to own a fax machine, and save you from having to pay for a fax line. They do all that you just pay for their service.