Ms Fax With Broadband

Essexboy

Can anyone recommend a free fax package that works with broadband?

I do not send faxes very often and I used to use Microsoft fax but that only works on dialup. When I switched to broadband that facility was lost (something they do not tell you!).

watty

Which sort of broadband do you use?

IF DSL, it will still work. But you need to connect PC analogue modem to filtered (phone handset) port, not DSL port on line.

Some providers where you have no phone line have a built in phone socket on the Broadband modem for a kind of VOIP service supplied by the ISP (Digiweb Metro & UPC cable), these may work on Fax if you set the PC serial port used by Fax to 19200 Baud. An external or internal Analogue Modem is required.

If you want to use the data connection directly, then you need to sign up to an email to Fax gateway service. These cost money as the gateway makes real phone calls. You usually get a unique incoming number for people to send you faxes. Outgoing faxes are sent as emails in special way depending on provider. No fax modem is required. The incoming fax arrives as email as TIFF or PDF attachment.

Essexboy

Thanks.
I use BT Ireland's DSL but have an analogue modem on my laptop so I guess it is back to that for sending faxes.
Winfax Lite is available free for download so I may try that out.

watty

Faxes only used analogue, not broadband

Most versions of windows have a free fax program built in. You must use the analogue modem with a phone cable to normal phone socket. DSL modem will ONLY do broadband.

It's nothing to do with having broadband, unless you have no real phone line.

Essexboy

Yes, I understand.
I have two computers - a laptop with an internal modem (which can be connected to the phone socket) and a desktop without a modem.
What I meant was that I will have to rely on the laptop to send faxes but that is no bother.

watty

If the computers are both on your own LAN network, cable or WiFi, then there are ways to use the Fax service (must be running) on the Laptop on the Desktop. It's a bit like a shared printer to Windows and you can indeed work it that way with some versions of MS FAX.
With built in MS Fax:
1) Make sure Server service running
2) Make sure the LAN connection properties has File & Printer sharing ticked
3) Share the "Fax Printer" on Laptop

Connect to "network printer" on PC. Select the shared Fax Printer. Only works if MS Client is enabled on LAN connection properties

Print to it and if all is done correctly a cover page/phone number dialog pops up as well as normal printer properties.