Not receiving faxes
- Thread starter parieg
- Start date
Randy Singer
Registered
The fact that you can receive a portion of a fax transmission indicates that you probably don't have a configuration issue.
It isn't unusual for Mac users to have problems receiving faxes. Apple's modems have been notorious for being sub-par for a very long time.
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/modems/topic2734.html
Their latest external USB modem is particularly bad as it is a "soft-modem". That is, it uses the host Mac's processor rather than one of its own to do processing. This sort of modem is typically an under-performer. Add in problems with line noise, and compatibility with various brands of fax machine, and receiving faxes is a hit or miss proposition.
You may be able to improve things with a better fax/modem. Check out:
U.S. Robotics 56K* USB Faxmodem $50
http://www.usr.com/products/modem/modem-product.asp?sku=USR5637
However, for receiving faxes, IMHO it is far less than optimal to use a modem and fax software, because not only do they sometimes not work well, they tie up your phone line and burden your computer.
What I recommend instead is that you sign up for one of the Web/eMail fax services. They give you a fax phone number for people to send faxes to you to, and then the fax is sent to you as an e-mail attachment. So, you don't even have to have your computer on when the fax is sent to you. Some of these services even offer a free account (if you know to look for it.)
Here is a site listing links to
free fax services.
http://www.freemailguide.com/free_fax.html
I've heard good things about this service:
K7
http://www.k7.net/about.htm
Receive unlimited faxes and voice-mails that are forwarded to your
email. Free. No message size restrictions. Only advertising is on
their web page, none gets into your email inbox.
It isn't unusual for Mac users to have problems receiving faxes. Apple's modems have been notorious for being sub-par for a very long time.
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/modems/topic2734.html
Their latest external USB modem is particularly bad as it is a "soft-modem". That is, it uses the host Mac's processor rather than one of its own to do processing. This sort of modem is typically an under-performer. Add in problems with line noise, and compatibility with various brands of fax machine, and receiving faxes is a hit or miss proposition.
You may be able to improve things with a better fax/modem. Check out:
U.S. Robotics 56K* USB Faxmodem $50
http://www.usr.com/products/modem/modem-product.asp?sku=USR5637
However, for receiving faxes, IMHO it is far less than optimal to use a modem and fax software, because not only do they sometimes not work well, they tie up your phone line and burden your computer.
What I recommend instead is that you sign up for one of the Web/eMail fax services. They give you a fax phone number for people to send faxes to you to, and then the fax is sent to you as an e-mail attachment. So, you don't even have to have your computer on when the fax is sent to you. Some of these services even offer a free account (if you know to look for it.)
Here is a site listing links to
free fax services.
http://www.freemailguide.com/free_fax.html
I've heard good things about this service:
K7
http://www.k7.net/about.htm
Receive unlimited faxes and voice-mails that are forwarded to your
email. Free. No message size restrictions. Only advertising is on
their web page, none gets into your email inbox.