When fax machines first came on to the market it was often a mystery to their users just how the fax machine took a document, sent it out over a phone line, and then the document managed to come out on the other end looking the same way it did when it was sent. Just as much of a mystery today is how you can send a fax from the Internet to a traditional fax machine. However, the process really isn't that complicated and is easy to understand with some simple explanation. And the best thing, is that it is easy for anyone to use, anywhere around the world!

There are a few different ways to fax from the Internet to a destination fax machine. These various options allow the sender to save both time and money by sending their fax from the Internet rather than from a traditional fax machine. In addition, they allow for paperless communication which is better for the environment and makes organizing documents much easier. In order to see where fax technology has come, it is important to first understand the basics of fax technologies of the past.

The Traditional Fax Machine

The traditional fax machine used a scanner to scan in your document. From there the scan was covered into sound and transmitted via modem, over the public phone system, to another fax machine. At the destination fax machine, the document was reconstructed from the sound, and then it was printed-out using a printer contained within the fax machine. Using a traditional fax machine required a dedicated phone line for the fax machine itself, long distance service for long distance phone calls associated with faxing, and toner and paper to print out any received faxes.

The Computer-Based Fax

As more and more people started using computers connected to modems, the ability was then developed to send faxes through a computer. This method of faxing would send out the document through a computer's modem to a traditional fax machine. In addition, any computer with fax software was also able to receive faxes as long as it was currently turned on and waiting for the fax to arrive. While computer-based faxing was seen as advancement in faxing technology, it still required the use of the traditional phone system and long distance charges still applied for faxes sent out of the local area. In addition, it required the receiving computer to be turned on and waiting for a fax to be sent which was not always practical.

Fax from the Internet Technology

The next advancement in faxing was the ability to fax from the Internet. Faxing utilizing the Internet requires the use of a fax server or fax gateway to move documents from the Internet to the phone system where they can be delivered to the recipient's traditional fax machine. In order to send a fax from your email client the document travels on a path from your computer, through a fax server or fax gateway, through a regular phone line, and ends at the destination fax machine. One of the biggest advantages in being able to fax from the Internet is the ability to send and receive multiple faxes at one time. In addition, faxing using the Internet does not require that the recipient's computer is turned on in order for them to receive your fax transmission.

How to Choose the Right Service For You

There are many services online that allow you to fax from the internet. Which service is the right one for you? Find out here

Fax From the Internet