Fax Machine.

[Jayce]

Does a fax machine absolutely require a dial up phone connection? Or is there any way that I can use my existing broadband connection to use the fax machine?

Note - I'm using a Linksys router with Comcast Cable service, for what it's worth.

 

[KSoD]

Jayce,

Yes. It requires a phone line and a dial tone. You need a Fax Modem. NIC cards can not send faxes.

Cheers,
Mak

 

[Jayce]

Mak - Thanks for the response.

We have our phone service through Comcast. Would that interfere having the fax machine work through the broadband modem? On google, I read somewhere that fax machines cannot communicate with broadband devices of any sort - that's why I drew a blank and posted.

I'm sure we can acquire a cheap PCI 56k modem. In fact, I may have one laying around.

But, if we can just use our home line for the fax machine, and whenever we send faxes just kick the calls offline for a few seconds till the fax sends, that's completely do-able. I just have no clue how to set up a fax machine in a broadband network.

 

[DoubleHelix]

You may be able to fax using the phone connection of your modem. You would connect the fax machine to the same RJ11 jack that you connect your phone to. A dial-up modem doesn't do anything for you since there would still be no analog line to connect it to.

 

[KSoD]

Jayce,

You are right. You will need to have your modem hooked up and send then faces right thru the phone line. It will force you to cut calls for a few mintues.

But my question is this. Do you have a all in one printer than can fax? If so you should be able to just hook it up to the phone line without the PC. that would be a much better solution.

But if you have to use the PC make sure you use a Fax Modem. Not any normal modem will do. You will need a specific Fax Modem to do this with.

Cheers,
Mak