How To Send A Fax Online

By Jennifer Fletcher, 21 Jan 21:33

Fax ... Internet fax ... Feeding the paper in, listening for the high-pitched screech, and waiting for the confirmation page to print.

That's no way to live. With the speed of the Internet and no paper necessary, why send a fax the old-fashioned way? Use your computer.

Eliminate the need for expensive equipment, cut down on paper costs, and don't waste time standing over a machine to make sure all the pages went through. Just remember that you will need a fax modem and that calling charges will still apply.

Also, any documents you might want to send must exist as files on your computer. You cannot send a paper fax this way, although the recipient can choose to print a copy.

The following are a few methods of getting the job done right from your desk:

Internet Faxing Options & Steps
Check Your E-Mail Program. Many current e-mail programs, such as Microsoft Exchange, have built-in faxing software. Find the icon on your system that says "send fax" or "send new." As long as you have a fax modem and your system is set up properly, clicking on this icon should walk you through the process.

Check Microsoft Word. You can sometimes send faxes from Microsoft Word. Go to the document you want to fax, select "print," choose "print to fax" then select "print" again. You may need to have the appropriate driver software installed in order to do this.

Purchase Faxing Software. If you don't have a fax modem or fax capability in your e-mail, purchase a fax modem and a faxing software package such as Microsoft Fax.

Sign Up For an Online Faxing Service. There are several good faxing services available on the Internet right now, such as Jfax (also known as J2), that typically charge a monthly fee, plus phone charges. While this may be more expensive than using Word or e-mail, if you don't have your own software it is a convenient option that requires little maintenance. Once you've sent the fax, you will typically receive an e-mail confirming successful transmission. The only drawback is that the contents of your fax are not included in the e-mail confirmation. So if you need a copy of the message you sent, save it on your computer.

Send the Fax. Once you know how you're going to send the fax, make sure you have the recipient's fax number, not just their e-mail address. In the "To" or "Recipient" space in the program, enter the number as if you were sending a conventional fax (usually this means including the area code and long-distance prefix) without spaces. Some programs and services will vary, so check for specific instructions.

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