[Hidden-tech] faxes on Comcast phone lines

[Bruce Hooke]

For what it's worth, my faxes go out over a Verizon cable Internet/telephone
line and I rarely have any problems, BUT, and it is worth noting that I send
the faxes using software on my computer (Windows Fax and Scan). I am not
sure if this makes any difference but it is possible that the computer
software is more flexible when dealing with faxing out over a VOIP line.
Even if faxing from the computer is not a long-term option for you, it might
be worth testing to see if it makes any difference. Windows comes with
built-in fax software, but of course you do need a old-style modem on your
computer to use it. 

(As to why I send a fax off the computer when I could email: I don't do it
often but sometimes I am given a fax number but no email address, or if I am
sending something with sensative information like social security numbers or
credit card numbers, I prefer fax over email).

Bruce 

-----Original Message-----
From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
[mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of Chris
Hoogendyk
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 11:18 AM
To: Tess Gadwa
Cc: Hidden-Tech Tech
Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] faxes on Comcast phone lines

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FAX was specifically designed to work over analog phone lines.

I'm presuming you have converted your phone service at home and work to be
Voice over IP with Comcast cable internet. So your phone connection is going
out over the internet in packets and then getting reconstructed at the other
end to a voice connection. It's just going to be really flaky trying to run
FAX over that. If you really really need FAX, then see if you can set it up
with an analog line. There may be some more expensive gateways that will
facilitate running FAX on Voice over IP, but I would just be googling to
answer that. Someone else might have actual experience and cost comparisons.

Alternatively, just scan to pdf and email that instead of using FAX. Of
course, the other party has to go along with that solution, but that's
basically where everything is going. I even submit receipts to my health
care spending account that way.


On 6/18/13 9:45 AM, Tess Gadwa wrote:
> Has anybody else experienced issues with faxes not working through 
> Comcast (cable) provided phone lines? This is what we have at our office,
and what I have at home as well.
>
> After repeated attempts and trying to fax to several different 
> numbers, I still cannot get a fax to send!
>
> Thanks,

--
---------------

Chris Hoogendyk

-
    O__  ---- Systems Administrator
   c/ /'_ --- Biology & Geology Departments
  (*) \(*) -- 347 Morrill Science Center ~~~~~~~~~~ - University of
Massachusetts, Amherst

<hoogendyk at bio.umass.edu>

---------------

Erdös 4

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