Faxes ... sending and recieving

[tha_mink]

I would like to send faxes via the internet for free. I will be working with my own server, unix, and would not like to use a "service" and get charged.

I have read up on some stuff like mgetty and halifax but want to hear from any of you that have succesfull, practical experience with sending and recieving faxes through your webpages. I have done it before with "services" but don't want to go that route this time.

Anyone?

[weekender]

interesting question. Faxes are sent over phone lines, so at the very least you will need a dialup modem on your server as well as the backbone connection - no hosts will offer this, so let's assume you've got your own server.

then you're going to pay for the phone calls made as faxes are sent

then you need to get php to interface with the fax modem to do the sending - with this, i'd use [man]exec[/man] with some kind of fax sending command line program.

receiving faxes - i guess you'd be best somehow getting your fax modem to dump incoming faxes into a folder as tiffs or pdf's, and then use php to manage/relay that folder - i know windows2k server can put faxes into folders like this.

hope that makes sense!

adam

[Dragnovich]

some years ago I start a proyect like that... (i dont finished, because I change to a better job 😃 ). Ok basically here's what you need to do.

1) Install a server at your home (if posible with an IP fixed.) As mentioned before, it will be practically imposible your ISP let you put a machine in his DC.

2) You must run some kind of faxing program that can be mannipuladed by you, using command lines (so you can use it, with PHP. This is the hard part, because if you dont get it you MUST MAKE IT, that implies, making a send/receiver fax program, that supports all v protocolos for faxing). This program has to be able to Receive faxes and save them as any kind of file so you can send it via email to your "receiving" server, (it will be usefull if that file is converted to JPG or GIF, so you can choice to use FAX-FAX or FAX-EMAIL or EMAIL-FAX )

3) Then your PHP sending software must be programmed to trace the CHEAPEST route from point A to point B, read the file provided by the fax program, and send it to the nearest server to the receiver phone.

4) the receiving server is the same deal just in the inverse way, it has to be able to conver the emails you send to him in to fax data, and send it to the specified number.

That's all so simple and complicated at the same time 😃

[tha_mink]

I know there's programs out there that can do fax over IP. I don't need or want to use a modem. That's the deal.

Andy

[Dragnovich]

The method I mentioned , That's the right way (that's how an IP based faxing system works) in some point a IP faxing sistem, has to be connected to a fax modem or fax machine. Or will be IMPOSSIBLE to send/recieve faxes to/from any normal fax machine...

If you dont want to deal with normal faxes... then you dont need a fax software over IP

Just use the email, and case solved !!! 😃