eFax How-Tos

How To Use A Fax Machine?

Fax machines remain among the most reliable ways to share critical documents. In many countries, fax is essential to collecting signatures remotely. Learn how to use a fax machine.

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How To Use Fax Machines

It’s easy to send and receive documents through a fax machine, but it’s not a skill everyone has learned. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use a fax machine.

How To Set up a Fax Machine?

The first step in sending a fax is to set up your fax machine. You’ll need to prepare about as much desk space as a household printer would use. Then:

Plug the fax machine into the power socket
Plug the telephone cable into the back of the machine
Add ink or toner
Load thermal paper
Press the power button to start your machine

You should hear a dial tone when you pick up the fax machine’s handset. If you don’t hear one, first check the wall point by plugging in a different phone. If there is a dial tone on that phone, recheck your settings on the fax machine.

The easiest way to test that your fax is ready to receive documents is to dial the fax machine’s phone number. If you call it from your phone and after a ring or two you hear electronic noises, that means the fax machine has answered your call and should be able to receive documents.

How to Use a Fax Machine to Send a Fax?

Now that your machine is set up, you’re ready to learn how to send a fax from a fax machine. Here’s how:

If you don’t get a confirmation printout, there might have been an error. You should also check your confirmation page to make sure it says “completed” and doesn’t highlight any errors.

Five Tips to Maintain Your Fax Machine

Fax machine maintenance is critical to keeping your fax machine running smoothly. It’s a good idea to keep a regular maintenance schedule, posted near the fax machine. Here are five tips to help you maintain your fax machine:

Clean and dust the machine regularly, when you notice dirt, fingerprints, and smudges. Wipe down the outside of the fax machine to remove any dust. Clean the glass portion of the fax machine regularly. Spray a soft cloth with glass cleaner and wipe the glass clean. Let the glass dry fully before replacing the cover.
Replace the ink cartridge and toner drum on a regular schedule, at least once every six months. Search for the instructions for your specific fax machine model online and follow the model-specific guide. Different models can have different parts and instructions, so take care to select your exact model.
Perform a visual inspection. Look for loose wiring, examine the internal components of the fax machine, and send test faxes.
Install and update software, usually by USB or CD ROM. Software updates are released by the fax machine manufacturer and include important fixes and performance enhancements.
Replace worn-out or damaged parts. If your fax machine is highly trafficked, parts could wear out faster. Look for broken paper rollers, paper feed motors, and other moving components.

How To Fax Online With eFax

There are two easy ways to send digital fax documentation over the internet with eFax. eFax is a web-based portal that you can access from anywhere, and eFax Messenger is a desktop fax app that allows you to send faxes from your computer.

How To Send a Fax Using eFax Online

Sign in to eFax
Click Send Faxes
Type in the recipient’s name and company or select a recipient from your contacts
Go to Select Fax-To Country and choose your recipient’s location
Enter your recipient’s fax number if you didn’t choose someone from your contacts
Select Include Cover Page and enter a subject and body
Click Browse to select the documents you want to attach
Select OK
Go to Select Quality List and choose a resolution for your fax
Select Send Faxes

How To Send a Fax Using eFax Messenger

After downloading eFax Messenger, follow these steps to print a document to Messenger:

Open a document that you want to fax
In the File menu, select Print
Select eFax Messenger as the printer
Click OK or Print — the file should now appear in the eFax Messenger window

Then, follow these steps to send your fax:

Type the recipient’s fax number in the To field or choose a contact from your Address Book
Select Send Copy to Me if you want to receive a copy of the fax.
Enter the Subject and an Attention name for the fax
To add another page, click the Add New Page (+) button in the sidebar. There are three types of fax pages:
1. Blank Page – Adds a blank page
2. Cover Page – Adds a preformatted cover page
3. Import File – Adds an image or PDF file
To add other types of files, click Attach file and select the file to upload
Click Send Fax

How Do Fax Machines Work?

Traditional faxing machines effectively send photocopies across telephone wires. At a high level, a fax machine works in three stages:

Scan a document
Send the document to another fax machine
That machine prints out the document

Modern machines can use a modem instead of a telephone line to send a fax via the internet. This is similar to how Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows us to make traditional phone calls or through online apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Fax machines turn scanned images into sound signals that are then converted to a sound wave signature which can reproduce the image on another piece of paper at the other end of the line. Modern fax machines can convert the image into an electronic format that can then be stored electronically, sent to an email recipient or printed on paper.

The earliest fax machines used radio waves to transmit images. Most fax machines use thermal paper, just as they did back in the late 1800s.

A Brief History of the Fax Machine

Fax machines were the forerunners of digital communication. The first fax machine invented was Alexander Bain’s Electric Printing Telegraph, patented in 1843. Fax services predate the telephone, with companies sending electronic photocopies as early as the 1880s. The first fax sent across an ocean was a photo of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, which was sent from New York to London in 1924.

Fax machine usage in commerce became widespread during the 1960s after Xerox patented the first modern fax machine. In 1966, a fax machine that could be connected to any phone line made faxing documents commonplace in many businesses. Since then, faxes have come a long way, and these days, online faxing is common.

Why Online Faxing Is Better Than Faxing From Fax Machines

Much of modern business has moved online, and fax machines are no different. Online platforms like eFax make it easy to send, receive and sign documents from any device with an internet connection. This keeps fax machine usage relevant in our changing world.

Online faxing is superior to traditional fax machines in many ways, including:

1. Cost:

Senders don’t have to buy a fax machine or maintain a physical phone line just for the fax. Senders also don’t have to buy fax paper, ink or toner.

2. Ease of Use:

You can send and view faxes from any internet-connected device using your eFax account. This includes computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

3. Safety:

While fax machines communicate over unsecured phone lines, online faxes can be encrypted and protected. eFax systems can even help filter out spam.

4. Storage:

eFax allows you to store digital faxes and file them easily, so you can access your faxed documentation at any time.

5. Extra features:

eFax users also receive local, toll-free fax numbers and get access to a variety of other great features and benefits.

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How to Receive Faxes Using a Fax Machine?

Most fax machines accept faxes automatically. You must make sure your machine is turned on with enough paper and ink to print incoming documents. If you do hear your fax machine ring — don’t answer it. The machine will pick up the incoming call. Most faxes allow you to turn off the ringer if you choose.
Good business practice is to contact the sender and let them know you received their fax, though this is an optional courtesy.

Fax Administrative/Support

For guidance on using fax services efficiently, explore the following resources tailored to various needs. Whether you are learning how to operate a fax machine, cancel a fax, or reach out to your senator or representative, these guides will help you navigate each process with ease.