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Fax From Your Computer
by Matt Gerchow
It almost seems strange in these days of technology being on fast-forward to be talking about ways to fax from your computer. Facsimile machines have been around since the nineteen-seventies, and yet they have persisted into the present as an indispensable office or home utility. It seems that despite the proliferation of new high-tech, flexible and mobile communication systems and hardware being released on the global market every few months, the humble fax machine still has a role to play where internet services are uncertain and convenience is valued. With faxing, one can load a page, dial a phone number, push one button and the document is sent. Online faxing combines this ease and convenience with the power of the internet.
How It Works
Online faxing, which also goes by the terms internet faxing, e-fax or digital fax requires a third-party service such as RingCentral to provide the software gateway to change traditional fax transmissions into internet compatible files, and vice versa. By connecting to this service, you can use your computer to access the gateway and send documents straight to the recipients fax machine. If you need to fax a document through an e-fax portal, the software gateway will convert the fax generated by your machine to a TIFF or PDF file and attach it to an email which is received at the other end.
The Advantages Of Using An Internet Fax System
There are many benefits to being able to fax from your computer. The built-in flexibility of this system is obviously a main advantage, since documents can be sent even if there is no internet service at one end, only phone lines. For legal reasons, fax machines are still preferred in some cases where the facsimile of a hand-signed document needs to be transmitted. Modern fax machines are now manufactured with special internet compatibility to facilitate this process. Costs can be reduced by using your computer to fax, since a separate phone line could be eliminated fax paper, toner, electricity and other consumables can also be reduced. Using an online software service to fax from your computer truly gives you the best of both worlds and increased reach in the complex world of telecommunications.
Test drive RingCentral and fax free for 30 days
How It Works
Online faxing, which also goes by the terms internet faxing, e-fax or digital fax requires a third-party service such as RingCentral to provide the software gateway to change traditional fax transmissions into internet compatible files, and vice versa. By connecting to this service, you can use your computer to access the gateway and send documents straight to the recipients fax machine. If you need to fax a document through an e-fax portal, the software gateway will convert the fax generated by your machine to a TIFF or PDF file and attach it to an email which is received at the other end.
The Advantages Of Using An Internet Fax System
There are many benefits to being able to fax from your computer. The built-in flexibility of this system is obviously a main advantage, since documents can be sent even if there is no internet service at one end, only phone lines. For legal reasons, fax machines are still preferred in some cases where the facsimile of a hand-signed document needs to be transmitted. Modern fax machines are now manufactured with special internet compatibility to facilitate this process. Costs can be reduced by using your computer to fax, since a separate phone line could be eliminated fax paper, toner, electricity and other consumables can also be reduced. Using an online software service to fax from your computer truly gives you the best of both worlds and increased reach in the complex world of telecommunications.
Test drive RingCentral and fax free for 30 days