Internet Fax: The Cheaper and Easier Fax Method
The existence of fax to send a message in real-time based could not changed yet by another machine although the email application and internet network has become more improved. Now there is an easy and cheaper way to send message via fax, without worrying about lack of paper problem, or about error problem on your fax machine, because you don’t even need a fax machine. How?
Fax machine is used to send messages, before email known widely. This machine could send a document from an office to another office. With this machine the message can be arrived very fast. Now, although the email technology has more improved and faster, in fact there is no office in the world that doesn’t use a fax machine. This could mean that there are nothing yet can replace the function of fax. Beside that, there is some fax machine that could be use as telephone.
To be able to use fax machine, we only need to have a fax machine and then connect it to the telephone line. Even everyone who has a PSTN phone number could use the same number to receive or send fax. There is no difficulty to use fax. Only usage cost is different with regular telephone cost. Fax machine is different with regular telephone, which is no need electricity power. In it usage, fax machine need an electricity power, and of course papers to print message. And fax cost is a little bit expensive.
If compared with email, a message from fax machine could be faster arrived because the sent data is in real-time based. Commonly a sent message via fax machine needs to be faster, and need authorization like signature and stamp from the receiver or sender. Both those things are still difficult to handle in email because it will need some additional time, to scan your signature, for example. In fax process, you only need to sign and stamp directly on your document and send it right away.
Now there is a cheaper way to send fax, and you can send fax wherever you are, as long as you connected to Internet.
Introduction: Internet Fax
Sending fax message that are more cheap and flexible and can received everywhere named as Internet Fax. Some people named it Fax over IP, or VoIP. Both fax divided into two kind of method, first is “store and forward” method, the second is “real-time” method, just like a conventional fax.
Internet Fax, that using store and forward method, cheaper is not only reasons that could make you to use it. It’s mainly because it’s flexibility. People could receive and send fax everywhere; so that your work could be done even if you’re in vacation with family without worried about faxes that need your signature. As long as you’re connected to the Internet, you still could receive a fax message, print it and then send it back. It’s because this store and forward method just like email, but receiver still could use a general fax machine.
Store and Forward FoIP
This method is easier to use. But the problem is about time. There is additional time needed for this method compared with the real-time method. For you that need time accuracy, this method is not recommended. But, for you that like to vacation, or road trip, this method is very effective. Because this fax is using email protocol, SMTP, to send every incoming message. Every incoming message will be decoded become email attachment file.
There are some providers that providing web fax service, so you can see in a web-based view. You can have a country local number, or even country tool free for this service, as a surplus for fax sender. To reply fax on this store and forward method is just like when you reply an email message. A fax file will be stored as an attachment. And then the send address commonly is a fax number target. The addressing characteristic is different from each provider. Therefore, the fax store and forward method doesn’t need a special place to be use. You can send and receive fax message wherever you are.
The following is some providers that are provides store and forward Internet fax services, some of it will give a free trial services:
Real-Time FoIP
As it name, fax message will arrive directly as it sent. Not too different with the conventional fax machine. But the process is quite different; there are some processes to pass before the message is arrived. This message could use conventional fax machine, computer, or IP fax machine. Whatever machine, it will pass the conversion process, just like VoIP. The sent fax data will be converted to digital data, IP packets. Fly over the internet, and reaching the closer server with receiver fax machine. Data will re-convert in that server.
But, note that the data on fax machine is digital. There is a conventional way; the digital data on fax machine will be converted using a protocol, known as T.30 Protocol, became analog data type. After that the data walks trough the analog telephone line, and then at the receiver machine, the data will be re-converted to digital with the same protocol. That’s why, the conversion in FoIP is not to convert the analog data to digital, but to convert the T.30 conversion to the IP packet that known as T.38 protocol.
It’s seems a little bit complex, because the telephone line only able to read from T.30 Protocol, therefore this conversion can not be changed. And all of these conversions depend to the technique that the FoIP machine have.
Method 1: FoIP From Conventional Fax Machine to Another Conventional Fax Machine
Generally we can do this by using a special card or special front-number, like VoIP card caller, as the FoIP services substitution. The sent data will be converted with T.30 protocol trough telephone line and then entering the server gateway internet services or FoIP.
In this server the data will be converted with T.30 protocol and the target number will be translated as an IP address. Therefore, the data will be sent to the nearest server from that IP address. Next, in the nearest server the digital data will be re-converted by T.38 protocol become analog data that could be read by T.30 protocol. After the data is arrived to the fax machine target, a conversion required to change the data become digital with T.30 conversion.
Method 2: FoIP From Computer to Conventional Fax Machine
The difference between the methods mentioned before is only in the starting point. In this method the fax data has become a IP packet that enters to the fax server. Then, the number that translated to IP address target, data will send to the nearest server from the IP address. After arrived on this server, the same processes will happen. If you want to change your computer becomes an IP fax machine, you can install IP fax software on your computer.
Method 3: FoIP From IP Fax Machine to Conventional Fax Machine
This method will be easier because the data has been converted from T.30 protocol to T.38 protocol just before exploring the internet to reach the target number.
Method 4: FoIP via IP Fax Machine to IP Fax Machine
This method will be simpler, because there is no conversion process on the gateway server. It just same as sending e-mail from a IP address to another IP address. The IP fax machine is available in markets; some of it is Okinawa 5980 and Canon 2000IP.
Even tough, real time FoIP method is not always 100% works without any trouble. Generally it because the traffic network line is full, makes the data will late to arrive. And sometimes we find the case where the packet can not arrive or error on the processes. Even now the FoIP services have certain compensation.
If FoIP sent use UDP/IP protocol, the error prevention can applied by recording the earlier data on every packet, so that if an IP packet is missing, it will only need to get to the latest data, but it will still difficult to be tolerated if the missing packet is two packet simultaneous.
Otherwise, if use TCP/IP protocol, error prevention apply with confirmation receipt. If in the end of packet, the confirmation receipt is not received yet, then the data will be re-sending.
The Easiest Method
If you’re not ready to buy an IP fax machine or a conventional fax machine seems too complicated (service, paper, ink), you can use your computer. You only need to complete your computer with fax/voice modem as your fax machine. Every incoming fax message can be saved in your harddisk and of course it available to print anytime you want. You just need to scan your signature and put it to the incoming fax, and send it again. Easy, isn’t it?
