You’d be excused for assuming that fax communication was obsolete, yet many businesses and government organizations still choose it over email for security reasons. Nowadays, you wouldn’t even need a fax machine or a mobile connection to send a fax; with the aid of some basic software, you can fax from a computer.
What will you see here?
How do fax machines work?
Faxes are traditionally sent and collected using two fax machines at either end of an active home phone. When a document is sent, the fax machine dials the receiver’s fax number. This call is answered on the other end, and the document is transmitted to the second fax machine through the phone line.
Preparing a document for faxing can be time-consuming, as the sender must first scan the doc and then send it. Before using the document, the receiver must rescan it to convert it to a digital format.
How to send a fax online?
It is feasible to connect a fax machine to the web and send faxes over this medium. However, the setup costs money. You’ll need access to a variety of resources, such as a gateway that allows for secure document transfer over the internet.
Instead, several internet fax providers can assist in offsetting part of this expense. Services like CocoFax allow you to fax from your computer for free or for a modest fee based on how frequently you use it.
Send and receive fax on your PC with CocoFax
Send fax on your computer
CocoFax makes it simple to send and receive faxes on your PC. You don’t need a fax machine or scanner to use this program; all you need is a computer and an internet connection.
- Enroll in an online fax service.
- Sign in to your account and select Send Fax.
- In the To field, provide the recipient’s fax number in the format country code+fax number.
- Attach the document to be faxed, then click Send. Your fax will be delivered to the recipient’s fax machine.
You may also send a cover sheet, schedule conversations, and make use of other useful CocoFax features.
Receive fax on your computer
If you sign up for an online fax service, you may receive your faxes on your computer instead of a fax machine or a phone line.
- Access your online fax service account.
- Examine your inbox: All accepted faxes sent to your fax number will be listed here.
Send fax by email
You can directly send Fax messages directly from your email client.
- Register with an online fax service.
- Open your email client and create a message.
- Please include the document you intend to fax.
- In the To section, enter the recipient’s fax number and the name of the fax provider. Click Send.
Receive fax by email
You will need your own fax number to receive faxes using your email client. The online fax service provider will usually assign you this.
- Sign up for an online fax company, then select and pay for a price plan.
- Get your fax number
- Share this number with the person who will be faxing you a paper.
Why send and receive fax via a computer?
Sending and receiving faxes using internet service and your computer is considerably easier and more convenient than fumbling with fax machines and phone lines. There are more benefits as well:
- Saves time and money because you don’t have to waste paper or buy a fax machine.
- Organization of papers – most online fax providers include cloud storage for securely preserving your documents.
- Sending or receiving faxes from mobile devices – If you don’t have access to a computer, your phone or tablet will suffice.
- Online document signing – Most fax providers allow you to digitally sign papers, which streamlines your workflow.
- Protocols for advanced encryption.
Conclusion
Microsoft Windows even has a Fax and Scan program for sending faxes. The hitch is that you’d need to connect your computer to a phone line, which means you’d need a dial-up fax modem. You’d also need a landline phone connection, and you’d have to warn people to remain off the phone while you’re sending faxes, much as with dial-up Internet. Of course, if you faxed a lot, you might pay for a dedicated fax telephone line; in fact, if you received a lot of faxes, this may be essential.
This is definitely not ideal. Sure, if you need to transmit a lot of faxes, get a fax machine or modem and connect it to your landline. But you generally don’t need to send and receive faxes this frequently – you should only need to send faxes when you come across an organization that is trapped in the past.
