Faxing - what device do I need?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Blithe
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Blithe

My faxing needs are mininal - maybe I need to send one less than monthly but
I'd like to have the capability.

I have a DSL modem and a Brother HL-1440 laser printer. The W2K online
'Help' says all I need is a 'device' like a fax-modem or printer.

I access the advanced options tab for the FAX icon in Control Panel & seem
to add a fax printer OK
but then the Fax Service Manager window pops open saying:
"Could not open a connection to Fax Service - ... the service might not be
started etc."

I suspect that I do not have a fax capable device for W2K. What's the
easiest workaround if any?

Please advise.
 
Blithe said:
My faxing needs are mininal - maybe I need to send one less than monthly but
I'd like to have the capability.

I have a DSL modem and a Brother HL-1440 laser printer. The W2K online
'Help' says all I need is a 'device' like a fax-modem or printer.
Click to expand...

To originate FAX calls you need an analogue modem capable of group 1,
group 2, or group 3 fax. Most analogue modems manufactured in the past
ten years can do that. An ADSL modem is not an analogue device, and
cannot send faxes.

Alternatively, you can use the TPC email to fax gateway.

Compose a PLAIN TEXT email message to an address comprised as follows:

remote-printer.
person/company@
InsertFaxNumberHere
..iddd.tpc.int

Replace spaces in 'Person' and 'Company' with underscore (_) characters.

The fax number is specified in international format, without the leading
'+', and without the leading '0' or '1' infront of the area code.

For instance, to fax Mr.Gates at Microsoft's head office on (USA) 425-
936-7329, you'd compose mail to

remote-printer.Bill_Gates/
Microsoft_Corporation@
14259367329.iddd.tpc.int

That is all on one line, and wrapped mainly to avoid it getting scraped
and abused by spammers (although I expect MS HQ fax machine melts under
the load on a regular basis ;-)

More details at http://www.tpc.int
 
Blithe said:
My faxing needs are mininal - maybe I need to send one less than monthly but
I'd like to have the capability.

I have a DSL modem and a Brother HL-1440 laser printer. The W2K online
'Help' says all I need is a 'device' like a fax-modem or printer.

I access the advanced options tab for the FAX icon in Control Panel & seem
to add a fax printer OK
but then the Fax Service Manager window pops open saying:
"Could not open a connection to Fax Service - ... the service might not be
started etc."

I suspect that I do not have a fax capable device for W2K. What's the
easiest workaround if any?

Please advise.
Click to expand...

If there isn't a FaxModem installed, either internal or an
external one connected to a serial port, then get one. That
is all that is needed.
 
In your other post you state you have a std modem, internal?, then did you
install the software supplied with this modem, if so it usually installs a
fax printer. Thereby you simply print to the fax printer

Re: win Fax service, have you checked in Administrative Tools>Services to
see if the fax service is started?
 
Thanks for your replies.

When I upgraded to DSL a few years ago I disconnected my external dialup
fax/modem.
I will just have to look for the dusty box where I stored all my old
hardware and figure out a temporary method of connection when the rare need
to FAX arises again.

My research indicates there is no way to FAX except thru paid subscriber
email services for a DSL configuration. I checked out free email FAX
services but one runs into limited file type restrictions for those that
offer sending a free FAX.
 
Blithe said:
Thanks for your replies.

When I upgraded to DSL a few years ago I disconnected my external dialup
fax/modem.
I will just have to look for the dusty box where I stored all my old
hardware and figure out a temporary method of connection when the rare need
to FAX arises again.
Click to expand...

There is no problem connecting an analogue modem to a line used for DSL,
providing it is ADSL. (SDSL does not provide for any analogue path. If you can
make phone calls on the line, it's ADSL). The modem must be on the filtered
side of the line (the same as the telphone).

Personally, I'd not leave it switched on at all times if I were leaving it in an
untrusted environment (I.e. anywhere near a user who does not know how to behave
securely on the internet), incase you get hit by a drive-by dialler downloader,
or similar, but if it's an external modem, and you send one fax a month, it's
not exactly a huge bother to turn it on/plug it in just for that occasion, nyet?
 
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