Internet fax uses the internet to receive and send Fax.
Traditional faxing involves sending a scanned copy of a document (a facsimile) from one fax machine to another, over the phone network. Internet faxing (or “online faxing”) is a general term which can refer to one of several methods of achieving this over the Internet – with a goal of both reduced costs and increased functionality over traditional faxing.
Depending on the specific method/implementation (see below), advantages of using the internet can include :
1. no extra Telephone line required for the fax
2. paperless communication, integrated with email
3.send and receive multiple faxes simultaneously
4. reduction in phone costs
Internet Fax
Internet Fax achieves a dramatic reduction in communication costs especially when long faxes are frequently exchanged with overseas or distant offices.
Since there is no telephone connection charge when sending a fax over the Internet, the cost of sending faxes is covered entirely by the fixed line Internet connection fee. The recipient machine must also be compatible with Internet Fax.
Hardcopy is converted to TIFF or PDF data and attached to an e-mail in MIME format. Then, taking advantage of a connection to the office LAN, data is sent via TCP/IP directly to any Internet Fax on the intranet or Internet. Because they make use of TCP/IP, Internet Faxes do not incur long-distance transmission costs and reception is verifiable.
IP Fax and IP Address Relay
IP Fax transmits data over an office intranet from a networked multifunctional device to the IP address of another. Taking advantage of an established LAN / WAN infrastructure, IP Fax eliminates costly connection and transmission fees.
Also, IP Fax does not require a dedicated server or make use of the office mail server. IP Address Relay forwards to a multifunctional device for relaying to a local G3 fax machine
Computer-based faxing
As modems came into wider use with personal computers, the computer was used to send faxes directly. Instead of first printing a hard copy to be then sent via fax machine, a document could now be printed directly to the software fax, then sent via the computer’s modem. Receiving faxes was accomplished similarly.
Computer → Phone line → Fax machine
Fax Machine → Phone line → Computer
A disadvantage of receiving faxes this way is that the computer has to be turned on and running the fax software to receive any faxes.Note: This method is distinct from Internet faxing as the information is sent directly over the telephone network, not over the Internet.
