[Hidden-tech] faxes on Comcast phone lines

[Robert Heller]

At Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:48:57 -0400 "Bruce Hooke" <bghooke at att.net> wrote:

> 
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
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> 
> 
> 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 phone line you get with *DSL* is over a copper POTS (analog) phone line --
it is not a VOIP phone. The only kind of high speed Internet Verizon offers in
Western Mass is DSL -- FIOS is only available in Eastern Mass (eg Boston
suburbia).

> 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

No, you are probably using an analog modem card (same as what you would use 
for dial-up internet).

> 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
> 
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> 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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-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933 / heller at deepsoft.com
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