Mac Fax

wicky

wicky

play thing
I need fax capability, and can't believe that buying a fax is the way forward!?

I connect to the web via ethernet, and don't currently have a landline in my home office (use hands free from elsewhere in the house). The best scenario would be to have a permanent solution setup for biz cards, etc.

Could somebody please tell me what my options are?
 
If you connect with a standard ethernet cable and just use the 10/100 MBit standard (opposed to gigabit ethernet), then 4 lines (wires) of this ethernet cable are unused. There are adapters which let you use these lines as "telephone cable". Disadvantage: you have to use an adaptor on the other side of the ethernet line before it is connected to a modem/network device.

If it is the case that the "other side" of the ethernet cable connects directly to a modem/router, chances are great that you can plug the second adaptor into thephone line near the router/modem thus extending your landline. See attachment. This is the solution one of the enterprises, I worked for, uses (ok its more complicated, but the basics remain the same)

edit. concerning the modem label in the graphic, I am talking about a DSL modem

example1es8.jpg
 
Thanks ifrit. I have a couple of questions:

• How can I tell if my computers are communicating at 100 or 1000 baseT?
• Got any idea what the adaptor is called and where I might get one (in the UK)?

Cheers
 
Yes, I normally send as email attachments, but many companies it still seems prefer fax.

I'm using a G5, but it doesn't have the modem hardware hence looking for a different solution.
 
Cheers Bob,

I like the solution, but not the overheads. A cheap fax would work out cheaper after a few months, and once the numbers on your business card it becomes more difficult to opt out.

I'd rather pay some money up front for whatever kit I need, rather than have yet another hole in my bank account.

Ifit's adaptor looks pretty good, but not sure where to start looking.
 
Wicky, I am with bobw on this. I personally use eFax for my company, and love it so far (about two weeks now).
 
Errrmmm.... NO

I hear what you're saying and I'm sure it works very well, but I'd like to find a more sustainable solution (ie. without an ongoing monthly subscription until the end of time). I won't be using the fax facility very much, and to me the rates for eFax seem exorbitant.

In the UK there is a £7.50 setup charge, and ongoing fees of £7.50pm. That's just shy of £100 in the first year (whereas a fax machine costs about 50 quid), and over 5 years it's £500... or 1 snowboarding holiday, depending how you measure these things.

I'm a true Mac user, and as such don't mind paying for the right kit, but this seems just plain stupid to me.

I don't want to be tied into something that ultimately is just a hole in my pocket. I prefer to spend my hard earned cash on things that make me smile, which a fax service is VERY unlikely to do.

I understand that eFax probably offers some very cool features, but all I want is to be able to send and receive fax's, ideally from my computer, but not if it costs twice the price of a dedicated machine in the first year alone.
 
Ifit's adaptor looks pretty good, but not sure where to start looking.
Click to expand...

The adapter itself doesn't cost much, it just extents the 4 wires nobody uses and adds a port to it, in order to connect a telephone/fax. Maybe you should take a look in some kind of "telecommunication store". The adaptor itself is nothing special, technically wise, really.

Concerning fax devices:

Most multi purpuse devices also have a fax function (but still require a telephone line). Some of them also offer a way to store fax messages digitally. OS9 could already do this (the Apple reseller I worked for used an old bondy blue imac, and a HP multi purpose device - scanner/fax/printer). Messages were received and stored digitally. Remember, OSX has a "Fax" setting in its printer pref pane.
 
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