# Mac question about faxing w/computer



## bchgnn (Jul 25, 2007)

This is a very basic question, but something i've never done. We have a small office (2 people) with an emac (regular modem and ethernet card) Mac OS 10.3.8 and a Powermac G4 (no modem - just an ethernet connection) Mac OS 10.3.8. Neither have airport cards, but it wouldn't be a problem to get them. We have DSL and connect both computers by cable. I can also upgrade the operating system if necessary, but I was trying to wait until October - isn't that when Mac's newest is supposed to be released? 
This is the situation:
Currently, we have business 2 phone lines which cost way too much. One is only used for faxing (mostly long distance faxing) and no more than 10 - 15 Max per day. Some days, we don't fax at all. I would like to eliminate the fax line and use the main line for faxing as well as calls, but I 'm not sure how to go about it. Most incoming faxes would be for the user with the G4 who doesn't have a modem, but I can get one installed if necessary.
These are my questions:
What is the easiest way to set this up since we don't really have a network - just 2 computers connected to DSL? 
What additional hardware/software is needed, if any?
We have call waiting - I'm assuming that if we are on the phone and a fax comes in, it will beep us. Will the computer hold it in memory, or can it forward the fax to email to view later?
Will we need to leave the computers on all the time so we don't miss faxes if we are out of the office?
Can we set the computer to beep or flash a message to check email when a fax comes in, or will it go directly to the printer? The printer connected to the G4 is a multipurpose - also our current fax machine.
I'm assuming we can still use our fax machine for outgoing faxes that are not generated on our computers? If so, what kind of switch do we need to turn it on and off when we want to use the phone/fax or vice versa?
I appreciate any help you can give us on getting started with this change.
Thanks!
mary


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## bchgnn (Jul 25, 2007)

This is me again. Can't anybody help me? Even with an idea? If nobody out there is a Mac person, that's cool. Just tell me that, and I'll post elsewhere.
Thanks!


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## Macsolver (Jul 25, 2007)

Hi,

I assume that your DSL connection is via a router with a ethernet switch combined. This means that your Macs are networked and enables "Printer Sharing" to share a fax printer.

First of all, I would use Pagesender in preference the the OSX fax software. Download a trial version from:

file://localhost/Library/Printers/PageSender/PageSenderPDE.plugin/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/Page%20Sender%20Help/pagesender.html

This will allow you to install a fax printer on one Mac and share it with the other Macs via the Print Sharing prefereance pane. The Mac with the actual modem connection can be set to answer incomming faxes and either print them out or forward them on to an email address, or just save them. There is a call discrimination feature, but it may or may not work depending on your hardware/phone line. If it does not work, buy a dedicated phone/fax splitter to divert voice/fax to the phone/Mac.

Obviously, the Mac with the Modem connection will have to be on and the Fax software set to answer incoming faxes in order to work.

The other option is to set up a fax service via the web, so that all incoming/outgoing faxes go via the DSL connection, not the phone line. This means that the phone will all ways be available for voice calls.

Or you could set up an IP phone service via the DSL connection so all voice traffic goes via DSL leaving the phone line free for just faxes.

Pagesender has many options. Just set it up how you want it to work.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Nick


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

i think he ment to link this site, not the app on his personal computer. the only problem is that your mac will act just like the fax you are trying to get rid of. and you also can't have call waiting on a fax line, as when ever someone else calls you when you are sending or receiving a fax, the line will beep, and that will confuse the fax, as what it is doing is sending the pages as a sound over the telephone line, and that beep will be another sound, but one the fax doesn't understand. and when it doesn't understand whats going on, faxes tend to hand up. and the mac you want to play fax has to have a modem, and has to be one if you want it to send the info to the printer when it gets a fax. the only real way to get rid of a second line, and use a mac as a fax is to get a web based service that does faxing via emails, but i think that you may find that that costs about the same as a second line.


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## bchgnn (Jul 25, 2007)

Thanks for your replies. I will check out these options, and let you know how it goes. 
Yes, we have a router with DSL (Beel South). Actually, BellSouth/ATT advised me to get call waiting so that I could fax and phone from the same line, but what you said about the beep sound confusing it makes sense. We always had the option to have call waiting, but just didn't have it because it annoys me when I am on a business call and it probably annoys our clients. I can always turn it off.
Thanks!
I had already tried using the Mac software to fax and I couldn't get it to work.


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## Macsolver (Jul 25, 2007)

Hi,

Sorry about the silly link error. The wife begrudges the time I spend helping fellow Mac users, so I had to hit "enter" before I was ready in order to save some serious ear bashing !

Regards,

Nick


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## compguy74 (Mar 17, 2009)

I had a very similar problem at my home office. I eventually tossed the idea of trying to fax through DSL - out of sheer frustration. I ended up instead going with an online fax service. I'd highly recommend doing so, as I haven't used my fax machine again since. :grin: Here's some more info about online fax services if you're interested.


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