Faxing and printing a document are 2 different
things. Gone are the days where you need a fax machine to send a fax. Right now
you can fax with just your printer. In recent times, manufacturers have added
fax capability to some printers.
To fax a document with a printer, you need 2 things
– a printer with fax capability and a landline phone line. Not
all printers can do this job. First, you need to identify whether the printer
can do it before you start the process.
Below are some ways you can identify whether your
printer has fax capability and how to send/receive a fax.
How to check the printer’s fax capability?
Generally, multifunction printers come with fax
capability. The easiest way to identify whether the printer can do it or not is
to see if there is ‘fax’ button located on the printer. Another way you can
identify is the presence of a telephone jack in the model. This can mean that
the printer can connect to a landline. One more simple way is to check the
information in the user manual.
How to send a fax using a printer?
Once you have checked the printer’s compatibility
for the job, you can fax in 2 methods.
Using document feederSelect the fax feature in the printer and insert
the document in the feeder. Next, dial the number to send the fax and press the
send button. The printer will try to connect to a receiver fax machine. Once
the connection gets secured, the fax will start to transmit.
When the transmission is over, you will get a
confirmation message with details about the time and date of transmitting it.
- Using a print driver
You can also send a fax by printing the document
you want to send. Select the print option, and you will see the print dialogue
box. In it click the print driver that is listed as ‘fax’. In the space
provided, enter the fax number and then press ‘send’.
How to receive a fax?
Most models of printers can automatically receive
the fax and print it. Even if the printer has no ink or paper, it can hold the
fax in its memory to print at a later time. There are some printers which can
forward the fax to your email address. They are usually preferred for big
businesses.
Wireless printers and faxing
People think that wireless printers don’t need a
landline to work and can work well with cellphones. That is not true because
this type of printer still needs a phone line to fax. The ‘wireless’ function
is for connecting with computers and smartphones. This misunderstanding is a
common mistake many people make.
The bottom line
With a good and capable printer, you can send a fax
to anyone. Make sure that your printer has a fax feature. In some printer
models, the fax option can be manually added. Just follow the instructions in
the manual to do it.
