need fax advise

  • Thread starter Thread starter Marcy
  • Start date Start date
M

Marcy

Hi- I have (TWO) XP home-sp2 Dell desktops 3 yrs old.
Both pc's came with the folowing fax programs already installed:

1-Microsoft fax console version 5.1 (Build 2600)
2-classic phone tools by BVRP Software (version 4.16)
I have a stand alone fax/phone (Sharp UX-355) that uses plain paper and
those rolls of black film-I have used this method to send faxes from my fax
machine to other fax machines-But, I want to start using the pc's to send
and receive documents. That saves alot on film, which some places send
muliti paged faxes sometimes. But, I cant figure out how.
One pc is at my home. I use dial up- and use the distinctive ring with a
separate fax #, than my home phone.
The pc at my work uses DSL and the same # is for fax/work.

Questions= Will the distinctive ring prevent either of these fax programs
from working?
If you are familiar with MS fax consule, is it a fairly easy program to use.
Or do you happen to know of a free one that is? Advise will be appreciated
on this.
 
The real problem is with win XP and distinctive ring detection-it is not
supported.
Naturally, a third party fax program can get around this, but it's not easy,
thanks to the "I own the hardware" windows concept.
 
As Chuck points out, Windows XP doesn't support Distinctive Ring. There are
some hardware devices that will overcome this problem:

http://www.emersonswitchboard.net/
Emerson Switchboard
http://www.command-comm.com/phone_line_products.html
ComSwitch®

The PC at work adds a minor complication in that you can't use the DSL modem
to send Faxes (unless you hire an E-Faxing service), you still need a
dial-up modem and it will require a DSL line filter (the same filter
required for a telephone) to connect it to the DSL line.

The Fax Console is easy to use if you can get it to work with your modem and
phone line. Sadly, it is often VERY particular about both. It will
generally work OK if your modem is listed in the Windows Hardware
Compatibility list (http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx).

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Still Cadillacin' - www.badnewsbluesband.com
 
Back
Top