If you’re on this page, it likely means that you’re asking “how to send a fax from my computer?” And you want the simplest answer to your problem.
Fax machines used to be a big thing back in the late 20th century. They were perhaps the most important machines in offices and businesses. While most of the world has moved on from Fax Machines, there are still a lot of old businesses that have to keep using Fax services.
However, the cost of maintaining and using a Fax machine is too high, and the process is too difficult. Most businesses prefer to fax document from computers.
There are three simple methods by which to fax document from computer — sending Fax PDF from computer using online fax services; sending fax from computer mac via Fax Machines or Multifunction Printers; and sending fax from computer using a Fax software.
In this article, I’ll explain how all three methods work, along with their pros and cons.
How to Send Fax from Computer using Online Fax Services
Perhaps the most simple and efficient means by which to send fax from computer is to use online fax services.
An online fax service is a fax number that’s hosted by a service provider. If you use an online fax service, you can send fax directly from the internet without having to use any machines or phone lines.
There are a number of great online fax services. However, our preferred fax service is eFax online.
eFax is the leading fax service for both small and big businesses. It’s especially helpful for businesses that need to send out faxes across the globe because it allows you to send international faxes without incurring a surcharge.
Using eFax is extremely simple. There are three simple means of sending fax from computer using eFax. You can send fax from computer using the online account, using a mobile app, or even using the regular email service.
If you’re sending eFax using the email, you’ll have to enter the recipient’s fax number followed by “@inbound.efax.com”.
One of the reasons that we so highly recommend eFax is that it’s free to use, convenient, and extremely fast. You faxes get sent out the moment you click the button.
You can learn more about it in our article on eFax Reviews 2018.
While this is one of the best online fax services there are several others. If you’re interested, you can also read about online fax services such as MyFax and RingCentral.
How to Send Fax from Computer via Fax Machine or Multifunction Printer
Another means of sending a fax document from computer is to use a multifunction printer with a fax capacity. A lot of multifunction printers have an inbuilt fax option, you just have to find the right one.
The great benefit of using a multifunction printer as a fax machine is that you can send the fax directly from the computer instead of having to print it out and send it. This saves both time and paper.
However, this method doesn’t work over the internet. As such, you need to have a landline just like you would with a regular fax machine. You can use the WiFi to connect the fax machine to the computer so that it can receive the information about the document. However, the fax machine still needs to be connected to the landline.
Setting up the multifunction printer is easy.
1、You need to connect the printer to the landline.
2、Following that, you need to install the printer’s drivers to your computer.
3、Finally, you need to connect your computer to the printer, either through a cable or over WiFi.
Sending a Fax Document from Computer using Multifunction Printer
1、You need to install the fax drivers into your computer.
2、Next, go to the document you want to send as a fax and click on ‘Print.’
3、When the Print dialogue box opens up, select the fax driver you installed. For example, if it’s an HP Officejet, select that.
4、Next, enter the fax details of the recipient, including the fax number. And click on ‘Send Fax.’
How to Send Fax using a Fax Software
This method is only applicable to Windows computers. You can’t use it to send fax from computer mac. However, if you have a Windows computer, this is a really great method.
All Windows computers include the “Windows Fax and Scan” or “Fax Console” feature. These features allow you to send a fax document from computer without using a fax machine.
However, you will require a landline phone line and a fax modem board as well to use this feature.
Setup
1、Connect the fax modem to the computer. This can be done via a USB dongle, or internally within the CPU.
2、Now, connect the phone line to the fax modem. Make sure that the phone line has a dial tone.
3、Go to the “Windows Accessories” option in your computer. Select “Windows Fax and Scan.”
4、Next, the program will open up. You can go to Tools > Sender Information, if you want to modify that. This will include your own contact details. 5.You can also go around the software to modify anything else you want, such as the cover page or the fax settings.
Sending a Fax Document from Computer using Fax Software
1、On the main menu, click on ‘New Fax.’
2、Now you can add multiple fax numbers in the ‘To’ field and add the custom cover page in the main body.
3、Attach the necessary documents.
4、Click on ‘Send’.
And with that, you’ve successfully sent out a fax document from computer!
Comparison
So now you know about the different methods by which you can send fax from computer. As you can see, all of these, have their own advantages and disadvantages. Determining which one is ideal would be hard. As such, you can go through this comparison table to help make a decision.
| category | Online Fax Services | Multifunction Printer | Fax Software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | With all computers and smartphones. | With all computers and smartphones. | Only with Windows computers |
| Requirements | Just a computer or smartphone with internet. | Computer, multifunction printer with fax capacity, and landline phone line. | Windows computer, fax modem, and landline phone line. |
| Faxes per Month | Depends on the Online Fax Service. For example, eFax can send/receive 200 faxes | Unlimited. | Unlimited. |
| Necessity of phone line? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Necessity of Internet? | Yes | No | No |
| Convenience | Extremely convenient. | Complicated. | Moderately complicated |
| Cost | Free | Cost of printer and landline. | Cost of fax modem and landline. |
Conclusion
Well, so there you have it! That’s all you need to know to start sending fax documents from computer. As you can see, all of the different methods come with their own unique traits. However, we personally recommend using online fax services such as eFax because they’re the most convenient, the cheapest, and the most reliable!
Having said that, do let us know which method you prefer best and why. And if you have any questions, we’d love to answer them!