I am thinking about up grading my printer/copier/scanner to a printer/copier/scanner/fax. I have no knowledge on how the fax works with keeping one phone line. Can someone explain how this happens and if there are any pro's or con's with using just one line. How does the fax machine determine its a regular phone call or a fax coming in? How do I know if its a regular call or a fax message when the phone rings? I think I read that you can have the phone co. have different rings for regular calls and fax calls, is this an added expense with the phone co.? Will having an answering machine in house plus an answering service with the phone co. have any impact with the operation of the fax machine?

Any and all input will be greatly appreciated.

Ron

What's the deal, no one knows anything about Fax's. I thought this board had all of the tech wizards on it !!

Option #1 is to use a fax/e-mail service via the internet -- I have an account for about $4-$5 per month that allows me to receive/send faxes as e-mails. No need for a fax, supplies and doesn't tie up the phone line?

Option #2 is to use your cell phone as a fax/modem -- not all models support this and you'll need a techie to set it up...if you're running Vista forget it

dwk

another option is to add another phone number to existing line, that phone number will have a distinctive ring from the other number on the line and most faxes can be programmed to answer on this second phone number. Verizon has this service where I am located (western MA)