Internet fax servers/gateways

The Internet has enabled the development of several other methods of sending and receiving a fax. The more common method is an extension of computer-based faxing, and involves using a fax server/gateway to the Internet to convert documents between faxes and emails. The process is often referred to as "fax to mail" or "mail to fax". This technology offers the advantage of dispensing with the machine as well as the additional telephone line, and because of this, has started to replace the traditional fax machine.
Reception:

• Fax machine → Phone line → Fax gateway → email message (over Internet) → computer email account

A fax is sent via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to the fax server, which receives the fax and converts it into PDF or TIFF format, according to the instructions of the user. The processed file is then transmitted to the Web server, which sends it as an email containing the fax as an attached file, and sometimes sends a message reporting delivery to a mobile phone.
Sending:

• Computer → Internet → Fax gateway → Phone line → Fax machine

The user connects to the supplier Web site, specifies the receiving fax number, and uploads the document to send. The document is usually converted to PDF or TIFF format and sent by the Web server to the fax server, which then transmits it to the receiving fax machine via the telephone network. The sender usually receives confirmation that transmission was successful, either in the web interface or by email.
An Internet fax service allows faxes to be sent from a computer via an Internet connection, thanks to a Web interface usually available on the supplier's Web site. This technology has many advantages:

• No fax machine → no maintenance, no paper, toner expenditure, possible repairs, etc.
• Mobility → All actions are done on the Web interface; the service is thus available from any computer connected to Internet, everywhere in the world.
• Confidentiality → The faxes are sent to the recipient's email account, which may be more private than a fax machine used by several people.
• No installation of software or hardware required → the Web interface is used.
• No need for a telephone line for fax use.
• Several faxes can be sent or received simultaneously, and faxes can be received while the computer is switched off.

Early email to fax services such as The Phone Company and Digital Chicken were developed in the mid-1990s.

Source:wikipedia.org

Free Fax Online Services

What is Internet Fax?

Internet fax uses the Internet to receive and send faxes.
Internet faxing, "e-Fax" or "online faxing" is a general term which refers to sending a document facsimile using the Internet, rather than using only phone networks (traditional faxing) with a fax machine.
Depending on the specific method/implementation (see below), advantages of using the Internet can include

1. no hardware, no software
2. no extra telephone line required for the fax
3. paperless communication, integrated with email
4. send and receive multiple faxes simultaneously
5. reduction in phone costs
6. ability to receive and send faxes from any location that has Internet access

Note that depending on which method is used, suitable equipment and/or the use of a gateway is required

Purpose of Fax

Fax has no technical advantage over sending information over the Internet, using technologies such as email, scanner, and graphics file formats (however, it is extremely simple to use: put the documents to be faxed in a hopper, dial a phone number, and press a button). Fax continues to be used over the telephone network at locations without computer and Internet facilities; and sometimes a fax of a document with a person's handwritten signature is a requirement for legal reasons. Computer fax over the Internet allows fax communication without an actual fax machine at either or both ends.

Traditional Faxing

The traditional method for sending faxes over phone lines (PSTN)

• Fax machine → Phone line → Fax machine

A fax machine is an electronic instrument composed of a scanner, a modem, and a printer. It transmits data in the form of pulses via a telephone line to a recipient, usually another fax machine, which then transforms these pulses into images, and prints them on paper.
The traditional method requires a phone line, and only one fax can be sent or received at a time. The phone connection must not be a packet-based system in which delays can occur—a VoIP connection will not work well without special precautions (T.38-compliant equipment at both ends).

Internet Faxing


Internet Fax achieves a dramatic reduction in communication costs especially when long faxes are frequently exchanged with overseas or distant offices.
Since there is no telephone connection charge when sending a fax over the Internet, the cost of sending faxes is covered entirely by the fixed line Internet connection fee. The recipient machine must also be compatible with Internet Fax.

Hardcopy is converted to TIFF or PDF data and attached to an e-mail in MIME format. Then, taking advantage of a connection to the office LAN, data is sent via TCP/IP directly to any Internet Fax on the intranet or Internet. Because they make use of TCP/IP, Internet Faxes do not incur long-distance transmission costs and reception is verifiable.

IP Fax and IP Address Relay

IP Fax transmits data over an office intranet from a networked multifunctional device to the IP address of another. Taking advantage of an established LAN / WAN infrastructure, IP Fax eliminates costly connection and transmission fees.

Also, IP Fax does not require a dedicated server or make use of the office mail server. IP Address Relay forwards to a multifunctional device for relaying to a local G3 fax machine.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_fax

Free Fax Online Services

There are many free fax online services.  Many of them provide a free teaser page.  Then want them to signup for expensive premium ad free service.  Those services such as efax and others.  They provide the free service with daily limits such as 1-3 fax per day. 

However, i came across sendfreefax.net where you can send faxes to any fax number in USA and Canada.  They support faxing to via PDF, Word (DOC, DOCX), Power Point (PPT), Excel (XLS), Postscript (PS), Word Perfect (WPD) and many other file formats.  There is no daily limits and  no sign up required for ads free fax service.

Free Online Fax (from Sendfreefax.net)

They also have capability to receive free incoming faxes to email

Free Receive Faxes to Email ( from Sendfreefax.net)

Resource for Internet Faxing

If you need to convert dozens of file formats to PDF for easier faxing use following online file conversion to pdf tool.

If you want to call before making fax, use this to make free calls to USA and Canada directly from online or if you want to send a free text message before faxing.