Sending and receiving faxes on the computer: Fritzbox and web services instead of fax machines

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No, this is neither a printer nor an oversized phone

Photo: Ghislain & Marie David de Lossy / Getty Images

If you need to fax something for the first and probably last time in this decade, you can do it from some copy shops or address the recipient's fax machine with a web service.

You don't need any special connections for this route, you only pay a few cents or nothing at all for each fax sent.

Unfortunately, the way via the copy shop has two shortcomings: First, you can only send electronic documents from a USB stick. You plug it into an unprotected computer in the store and maybe catch a computer virus in the process. For short messages, it is therefore advisable to put the content on paper beforehand and have it scanned for fax transmission. Second, you cannot receive faxes in the copy shop. If the recipient answers your fax the next day, the answer will end up at the copy shop, but it will hardly find its way to you from there.

You are better off sending faxes over the Internet: To do this, log in to a relevant web server (see below) with your e-mail address and upload your message to be sent. Or you can compose your message as an e-mail so that it can be delivered via a so-called e-mail-fax gateway. You can do both from your desk or on the go, but come up against narrow limits depending on the service provider, for example because the operators of the services advertise the faxes sent, as noted in the table below.

With a stationary Internet connection, you have the opportunity to send and receive faxes without an external service provider.

If you have a »Mufu« (multi-function device with scanner, printer, copier and fax), consult its operating instructions to find out whether and how it can handle faxes.

However, you can also use many Internet routers for faxing.

We will show you how to do this using the example of the Fritzbox, which is widely used in Germany.

Fritz, fax!

You can adjust all Fritzbox settings independently of your computer's operating system under the standard

in the web browser. In most cases - whenever your router is not connected to an in-house ISDN telephone system - the telephone numbers through which you can be reached from outside are Internet telephone numbers. To fax using such a number, activate the T.38 protocol on the Fritzbox page »Telephony / Own Numbers« at the bottom of the window in the »Connection Settings« tab. Then the fax messages are not transmitted as analog modulated tones, but digitally encapsulated in IP packets.

For all other fax-related information, open »Telephony / Telephony Devices«. The hardest decision you have to make is the first: Do you want to send and receive faxes, or just send? Option number 1 is a bit more demanding, because your box must always answer incoming calls with the appropriate beeps in order to signal to the remote station that it is ready to receive. The easiest way to do this is to store one of your phone numbers for such connections. With DSL tariffs from Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone, two connections with numbers are usually included, most other providers charge a surcharge for this.

Alternatively, activate one of the Fritzbox internal answering machines (AB) in such a way that it keeps the line open long enough for the devices involved to synchronize their connection parameters.

You can do this by telling the answering machine not only to read out an announcement to callers, but also to take calls.

If someone makes you happy with a fax, the Fritzbox saves it internally or on a connected USB storage device and forwards it to you by email if you wish.

After the duty to the freestyle

With the Fritzbox functions configured up to now, you can receive faxes, print them and forward them as e-mails.

You can also use it to send faxes, but you have to be very modest: Only unformatted texts can be used as content, which you enter on the Fritzbox page under »Telephony / Fax« in the »New Fax« tab.

The only addition you can use the Chrome or Firefox browsers to attach a JPG or PNG formatted image to each fax.

Instead of typing your fingers sore for a typewriter-style fax, you probably prefer to send your messages as Word, PDF or other formatted documents.

All you need is some software.

For example, Apple users can get the Faxbot for Mac package in the App Store for nine euros.

Windows comfort with a starting hurdle

The free Windows program Fritzfax offers a comparable range of functions. It comes from AVM, the manufacturer of the Fritzbox, but they no longer offer technical support for the very old bonus and has carefully hidden the source of supply. Although AVM suggests the opposite in the accompanying text, the last version of this software from 2014 also works with us under Windows 10 without complaint. AVM's support database has a number of helpful articles available for questions that may arise during operation.

However, the installation routine has one hurdle that you have to overcome manually: The program depends on you activating the »CAPI driver« in the Fritzbox.

You can do this with a push-button telephone connected directly to the box.

Enter the command # 96 * 2 * and then # 96 * 3 * using the keyboard, either by pressing the OK button or by waiting a few seconds.

The first code deactivates the driver in order to create a safe initial state, the second activates it.

The installation program gives the impression that it can also activate this driver automatically, but that is not true (anymore) - even if the program first appears to be functional after installation.

Fax management de luxe

Fritzfax sets up a virtual printer as a standard printer on your PC, which converts documents that you print from any application into the fax-compatible format SFF and places them in a queue.

You can display this list with Fritzfax and send selected entries with a click of the mouse.

A dialog appears in which you enter the fax number of the recipient or his entry from the address book of your choice.

The program also offers the option of previewing, printing or forwarding faxes that have been received or ordered.

In addition, it contains a search engine for the full text of the listed fax messages and can even take notes on individual documents.

But even with a Fritzbox and programs like Fritzfax and Faxbot, fax remains a medium of yesterday.

But with this configuration it is at least as easy to use as e-mail or file transfer via messenger.