Don't understand the Fax

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pete
  • Start date Start date
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Pete

Hi everyone,

Please excuse my ignorance but I have been through all the help in the fax
console and it is a bit too confusing to me. I don't want to do anything
complicated (just want to be able to send and receive a fax). I tried to
have someone send me a fax today and I kept getting error messages (probable
because I hit receive fax now and my device is set to auto). I also
unblocked the firewall and that did not help (should you leave the firewall
on - it says disabling it could be risky for receiving messages over the
"Internet or network". Aren't all faxes sent over some kind of network -
again excuse my ignorance.

Besides the firewall question could someone please put in plain English what
the differences in the three types of received faxes are and which one do I
want (I have pasted them below). I only have one phone line and I assume
the fax console has to be activated for any faxing to take place (either
sending or receiving) including the automatic feature for receiving.

Here are the three types -

Receiving faxes
Incoming fax calls to a local fax device can be answered in a number of
ways:

a.. Automatic answering. You can specify that a ringing line for an
incoming fax call should be answered automatically by your computer. You can
also indicate how many times the fax line should ring before the computer
automatically answers an incoming fax call. The value can be between 1 and
99. This option is useful if you have a line dedicated to fax calls.
b.. Manual answering. You can specify that a ringing line for an incoming
fax call should be answered manually. You will be informed of an incoming
fax call in accordance with your notification settings, and you can choose
to answer the call. For more information, see About monitoring and
notifying. This option is useful if you have a fax device sharing a voice
line.
c.. Receive a fax now. You can use this option if you need to answer an
incoming fax call when the line is not ringing. For instructions, see
Receive a fax now.
Please explain the differences. For instance what does use the receive fax
now when "you need to answer an incoming call when the line is not ringing"
mean. And why is the manual option useful if you have a fax device sharing
a voice line (which I do). And why can't I just leave it on auto if I am
planning on receiving a fax and just let it go. I just don't understand it
all. I understand I will lose any real phone calls if the fax console is
activated and the device picks up on the second ring - but it appears that
my verizon voice mail would at least kick in and let the person leave a
message (I tested it by calling my land line from my cell phone when the fax
console was activated). Please do the best you can in shedding some light
on this.

Thanks...Pete
 
Do you have a FAX modem connected to the phone line? FAXing has nothing to
do with the Internet.
 
Hi everyone,

Please excuse my ignorance but I have been through all the help in the fax
console and it is a bit too confusing to me. I don't want to do anything
complicated (just want to be able to send and receive a fax). I tried to
have someone send me a fax today and I kept getting error messages (probable
because I hit receive fax now and my device is set to auto). I also
unblocked the firewall and that did not help (should you leave the firewall
on - it says disabling it could be risky for receiving messages over the
"Internet or network". Aren't all faxes sent over some kind of network -
again excuse my ignorance.

Besides the firewall question could someone please put in plain English what
the differences in the three types of received faxes are and which one do I
want (I have pasted them below). I only have one phone line and I assume
the fax console has to be activated for any faxing to take place (either
sending or receiving) including the automatic feature for receiving.

Here are the three types -

Receiving faxes
Incoming fax calls to a local fax device can be answered in a number of
ways:

a.. Automatic answering. You can specify that a ringing line for an
incoming fax call should be answered automatically by your computer. You can
also indicate how many times the fax line should ring before the computer
automatically answers an incoming fax call. The value can be between 1 and
99. This option is useful if you have a line dedicated to fax calls.
b.. Manual answering. You can specify that a ringing line for an incoming
fax call should be answered manually. You will be informed of an incoming
fax call in accordance with your notification settings, and you can choose
to answer the call. For more information, see About monitoring and
notifying. This option is useful if you have a fax device sharing a voice
line.
c.. Receive a fax now. You can use this option if you need to answer an
incoming fax call when the line is not ringing. For instructions, see
Receive a fax now.
Please explain the differences. For instance what does use the receive fax
now when "you need to answer an incoming call when the line is not ringing"
mean. And why is the manual option useful if you have a fax device sharing
a voice line (which I do). And why can't I just leave it on auto if I am
planning on receiving a fax and just let it go. I just don't understand it
all. I understand I will lose any real phone calls if the fax console is
activated and the device picks up on the second ring - but it appears that
my verizon voice mail would at least kick in and let the person leave a
message (I tested it by calling my land line from my cell phone when the fax
console was activated). Please do the best you can in shedding some light
on this.

Thanks...Pete
Click to expand...

Don`t forget , you can only send fax`s through dial-up not broadband .
 
Don said:
Do you have a FAX modem connected to the phone line? FAXing has
nothing to do with the Internet.
Click to expand...

Yes Don, I have an agere pci soft modem in my xp computer and it is
currently set to "yes" for send, and the receive is set to "auto", under the
device tab. Could you please address the three types of fax receiving that
I asked about (and also the firewall question). Thanks...Pete
 
Don`t forget , you can only send fax`s through dial-up not broadband .
Click to expand...

I know that, and I have a land line (dial up) connected to my pc in addition
to my cable modem. The fax kicks in automatically after the second ring (if
you have it set for the second ring), when the phone rings and you have the
fax console activated. Please see my comments back to Don also. I am still
looking for answers to my questions about the three types of fax receiving
that I asked about. Thanks...Pete
 
Pete said:
Yes Don, I have an agere pci soft modem in my xp computer and it is
currently set to "yes" for send, and the receive is set to "auto",
under the device tab. Could you please address the three types of
fax receiving that I asked about (and also the firewall question).
Thanks...Pete
Click to expand...

Don...Additional info on the firewall. When you first activate the fax
console it puts up a message that the windows firewall may interfere with
certain features of the fax, and if you disable it, it mentions their may be
risks associated with the "internet" and "network". I was referring to the
term "network", ie isn't the fax being sent over some kind of "network". If
not why does MS put up the warning about the firewall possibly interfering
with the fax software...Pete
 
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