Internet Fax - Fax Using Email

Fax Using Email

While the needs of computer-to-fax communications are well covered, the simplicity of quickly faxing a handwritten document combined with the advantages of email are not.

"iFax" (T.37) was designed for fax machines to directly communicate via email. Faxes are sent as e-mail attachments in a TIFF-F format.

• iFax machine → email message (over Internet) → computer email account
• iFax machine → email message (over Internet) → iFax machine (using email address)

A new fax machine (supporting iFax/T.37) is required, as well as a known email address for the sending and receiving machines. This has limited the standard's use, though a system for looking up a fax's email address based on its phone number is under development .

To work with existing fax machines, all iFax machines support standard faxing (requiring a regular phone line). Alternatively, an iFax can be used in conjunction with a fax gateway.

• iFax machine → email message (over Internet) → Fax gateway → Phone line → traditional Fax machine (or vice versa)