Fax machines have been around for a long time. The way they work is fairly simple. A fax machine is sort of like a copy machine that’s connected to a phone line. To send a fax, you put the item you want to send into the machine and specify the recipient’s phone number. When you send the fax, the copy machine part copies your document. But rather than spit out the copy at your end, it sends it through the phone lines to the recipient’s fax machine. The recipient’s fax machine prints the copy. There isn’t as much reason to use faxes in today’s world. If the item you want to send someone is a file, it’s much easier to send an e-mail message to the recipient with a copy of the file attached. It doesn’t matter what program you use for e-mail. They all allow you to attach files to messages. On the other hand, if the person to whom you’re sending a file doesn’t have an e-mail account, or doesn’t know how to use e-mail and attachments, then fax might be your best alternative.

Though faxing and scanning are nothing new, Windows Fax and Scan provides new and easier ways to use fax equipment and scanners.

What You Need for Fax

To use Fax, your computer must have a fax modem that’s connected to an analog phone line. Or your computer needs to have access to a fax server on the same local network. A fax server is a program on a computer that has a faxmodem installed and allows other computers in the network to send and receive faxes through that device. To use a fax server, you need to know the name of that server. If you didn’t set up the fax server, ask the person who did for that name.

If you have a multi-function printer that includes fax capabilities, you’ll likely use the printer, not Windows or your computer, to send and receive faxes. See the manual that came with your printer for instructions. The information presented in this article may not apply. Opening Windows Fax and Scan

Windows Fax and Scan is the program that comes with Windows Vista for faxing and scanning. To open that program, use whichever of the following methods is most convenient for you: - Click the Start button and choose All Programs  ->  Windows Fax and Scan. - Tap the Windows key, type fax, and click Windows Fax and Scan.

Creating a fax account

To send and receive faxes from your computer, you need a fax account. You need only set up the account once, not each time you want to use faxes. To create a fax account, open Windows Fax and Scan as described in the previous section. Make sure that you’re viewing faxes rather than scans (click Fax in the left column if you’re unsure). Then follow these steps:

1. In the menu bar, click Tools  ->  Fax Accounts.

2. Click Add to create a new account.

3. On the first page to open, click the type of account you want to set up, either for a faxmodem in your own computer or a fax server on your local network.

4. Follow the onscreen instructions depending on which type of account you’re creating.

If you’re trying to connect to a fax server but don’t know its name, ask your network administrator or the person who installed the fax server. Guessing won’t work.

When you’re finished, the Fax Accounts dialog box shows the name of the fax account you created. Before you send or receive faxes, you’ll want to configure the account to best suit your needs. See the next section if you’re using a faxmodem. Or see the section after next if you’re using a fax server. Configuring faxmodem options

If you’ll be using a faxmodem in your own computer to send and receive faxes, you need to make some decisions about how you want to use it. The options available to you are in the Fax Settings dialog box. In Windows Fax and Scan, first make sure that you’re in the Fax view (click Fax in the left column if you’re not sure). Then follow these steps:

1. Choose Tools  ->  Fax Settings from the menu.

2. If you want to send faxes from the faxmodem, select (check) the first option, Enable device to send faxes.

3. If you want the faxmodem to receive faxes, select Enable device to answer the phone and receive faxes. Then choose one of the following options:

- Manual answer: Choose this option if you want to manually answer incoming calls by clicking the Answer Now button in Fax Monitor as described under “Receiving Faxes” later in this article.

- Automatically answer after X rings: Choose this option if you want the faxmodem to answer automatically. Then specify a ring delay (the number of times the phone must ring before the faxmodem answers).

4. To configure fax alerts and how Fax Monitor operates, click Tracking.

5. Select or clear any options on the Tracking tab according to your personal preferences. If you don’t have any preferences yet, select them all as in the figure.

6. Optionally, click the Advanced tab to configure options.

7. Finally, to grant faxing permissions to standard users, click the Security tab. Click the Everyone group and then use checkboxes to Allow permissions as you see fit.

8. Click OK.

Defining Dialing Rules

If this will be the first time you’re using your modem, you may need to take a moment to configure your dialing rules. For example, most locations in the United States require dialing a 1 before you dial a number outside your own area code. When dialing within your own area code, you might only need to dial seven digits. Or, if your area uses ten-digit dialing, you have to dial your area code plus the seven-digit phone number. To configure dialing rules, click the Start button and choose Control Panel. Click Hardware and Sound, then click Setup dialing rules under the Phone and Modem Options heading. The Phone and Modem Options dialog box opens. If you’re using a modem with a desktop computer, you can set up one set of dialog rules for your location. If you use the modem in a portable computer and travel around, you can set up dialing rules for multiple locations. The default location (the main location from which you dial) is referred to as My Location by default. Chances are you’ll see that location in the Phone and Modem Locations as soon as the dialog box opens. If not, click the New button to create it. Use the New button to set up dialing rules for multiple locations, too. To create or change dialing rules for any location listed in the Phone and Modem Options dialog box, click the location name and then click the Edit button. The first set of options, are selfexplanatory. Keep in mind that all the options refer to where you’re dialing from, not to. So you want to choose the country and specify the area code you’re in when using the modem. If you need to dial a number carrier code for an outside line, choose the appropriate options and specify the number you dial. Call waiting can interfere with modems. So if there’s a way to turn that off, choose the Disable call waiting option and specify the number you dial to disable that. Leave the Tone option selected unless you’re in an area that still uses the old dial phones rather than buttons. To create a rule for dialing area codes, click the Area Code Rules tab. Then click New to get to the options. The instructions on the tab explain how to define a rule. Remember that these rules apply to phone numbers you dial. For example, if you need to include the area code (but not a 1 prefix) when dialing within the 215 area code, enter that area code up top and choose Include the area code near the bottom of the dialog box. Then click OK. If you need to define a rule for an area code and prefix combination (which is rare), you can specify the area code in the top box and then specify one or more prefixes under the Prefixes heading. If you want all your phone charges to be put on a calling card, click the Calling Card tab. Choose the calling card company you use and click New. Then fill in the blanks to ensure that the calls are billed to your account. Click OK in all open dialog boxes after defining rules and accounts.