How to Send an Internet Fax From a Fax Machine

Sorry, you can not really send an Internet fax from a fax machine. While you can tell the fax machine to dial the same access number that your computer uses to reach your dial-up Internet provider, the fax machine will not know what to do assuming the connection can even be completed. The closest you can currently come to sending an Internet fax from a fax machine is to fax to an online fax number provided by an Internet fax service.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fax machine

1. Find someone with an online fax number. Many Internet fax services will provide an online fax number as part of their service package.

2. Set up your fax machine to send a fax as normal.

3. Dial the online fax number. An online fax number receives incoming faxes and sends them to an e-mail account, where they can be handled just like normal e-mail.

4. Hit the ”Send” button. Your fax is being sent over the phone lines, re-transmitted over the Internet and received by the recipient’s e-mail account.

5. Wait for a confirmation from your recipient that they have received your fax. This is the closest that you can come to sending an Internet fax from a standard fax machine.

Tips & Warnings

• New fax machines may come on the market that allow you to send an Internet fax, although this is unlikely, as Internet faxing via e-mail is becoming more and more popular.
• Invest in a scanner. Use the scanner to transfer documents to your computer, attach those documents to your e-mail and send. This will eliminate the need for a separate phone line and fax machine.
• Do not disturb the phone handset in the cradle while you are faxing. Allow the machine time to work.