How to Fax From Your Printer: A Comprehensive Guide

Fax machines might seem outdated, but they remain crucial in many sectors like healthcare and law. If you need to send a fax and want a convenient solution, your multifunction printer could be the answer. Many modern printers come equipped with fax capabilities, eliminating the need for a separate fax machine. This guide will walk you through the process of how to fax from a printer effectively, covering everything from setup to sending and receiving faxes.

What You Need to Fax From a Printer

Before you start faxing, ensure you have the necessary components. The core requirement, of course, is a printer with fax functionality. Look for the term “fax” in your printer’s specifications or on the device itself, often indicated by a dedicated “Fax” button or icon.

Beyond the printer, you’ll typically need a traditional landline phone connection. Faxing over a standard phone line is the most common method for printer faxing. Check the back of your printer for phone line ports, usually labeled “Line” and “Ext” or similar. The “Line” port is for connecting to the phone jack in your wall, while the “Ext” port can be used to connect an external phone, allowing you to share the phone line.

Image alt text: Close-up of the back of a printer showing clearly labeled phone line ports for faxing, enhancing user understanding of physical connections.

If you’re unsure about your printer’s fax capabilities, consult your printer’s manual or the manufacturer’s website. Many manufacturers offer online product specifications where you can quickly verify if your model includes fax functionality.

Setting Up Your Printer for Faxing

Once you’ve confirmed your printer has fax capabilities and you have a phone line, the next step is setting it up for faxing. This process generally involves connecting the printer to the phone line and configuring the fax settings.

1. Connect to a Phone Line: Use a standard phone cable to connect your printer to a wall phone jack. Plug one end of the phone cable into the “Line” port on your printer and the other end into the phone jack.

2. Power On Your Printer: Ensure your printer is powered on and ready.

3. Access Fax Settings: Navigate to the fax settings menu on your printer’s control panel. This is usually found within the “Setup,” “Settings,” or “Fax” menu options, depending on your printer model. Refer to your printer’s manual for specific instructions on accessing the fax settings.

4. Configure Fax Settings: Within the fax settings, you’ll typically need to configure options such as:

   • Fax Number: Enter the phone number that will be used as your fax number. This is often the same as your landline phone number.
   • Header Information: Enter your name or company name to be included in the fax header, allowing recipients to identify the sender.
   • Receive Mode: Choose how your printer will receive faxes (e.g., automatically answer calls and receive faxes).
   • Ringing Count: Set the number of rings before the printer answers a fax call.
   • Other Settings: Explore other settings like fax resolution, contrast, and error correction mode to optimize fax quality and reliability.

After configuring these settings, your printer should be ready to send and receive faxes.

How to Send a Fax Using the Printer Feeder

The most straightforward method to send a fax from your printer is by using the automatic document feeder (ADF). This is similar to using a traditional fax machine.

1. Load Your Document: Place the document you want to fax into the printer’s ADF. Ensure the pages are facing the correct way according to your printer’s instructions (usually face-up). For multi-page documents, the ADF will automatically feed each page.

Image alt text: Document placed in the automatic document feeder of a printer, illustrating the initial step for sending a fax via feeder.

2. Access Fax Function: On your printer’s control panel, select the “Fax” option.

3. Enter Recipient’s Fax Number: Use the keypad on your printer’s control panel to enter the recipient’s fax number, including any necessary area codes or international dialing prefixes.

4. Initiate Fax Transmission: Press the “Fax,” “Send,” or “Start” button (the label may vary depending on your printer model) to begin sending the fax.

Your printer will now dial the recipient’s fax number and transmit your document. Most printers will provide a confirmation report after the fax is sent, indicating whether the transmission was successful.

Sending Faxes via Print Driver

Another convenient way to fax from your printer is through the print driver on your computer. This method is particularly useful for faxing documents created digitally on your computer.

1. Prepare Your Document: Ensure the document you want to fax is open on your computer.

2. Initiate Print Command: Go to “File” and select “Print” (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+P or Cmd+P).

3. Select Fax Driver: In the print dialog box, instead of selecting your regular printer driver, choose the fax driver. This driver might be listed as “Fax,” “Printer Fax,” or the name of your printer model followed by “Fax.”

Image alt text: Screenshot of a print dialog box highlighting the “Fax” printer driver selection option, demonstrating how to choose the fax function from a computer.

4. Enter Recipient’s Fax Number: After selecting the fax driver, a fax dialog box will appear. Enter the recipient’s fax number in the designated field.

5. Send Fax: Click the “Send,” “Fax,” or “OK” button in the fax dialog box to send your document as a fax.

Your computer will now use the printer’s fax capabilities to transmit the document to the entered fax number. Again, you should receive a confirmation message or report indicating the success of the fax transmission.

Receiving Faxes on Your Printer

In addition to sending faxes, most fax-enabled printers can also receive incoming faxes automatically.

1. Ensure Printer is Ready: Make sure your printer is powered on and connected to the phone line.

2. Automatic Reception: By default, most fax printers are set to automatically receive incoming faxes. When a fax call comes in, the printer will answer after a set number of rings and receive the fax.

3. Printing Received Faxes: Once a fax is received, your printer will typically print it automatically. Some printers may offer options to save received faxes in memory if paper runs out, printing them once paper is replenished.

4. Fax to Email Feature: Some advanced printers also offer a “Fax to Email” feature. This allows incoming faxes to be automatically forwarded to a designated email address, eliminating the need to print every received fax. Check your printer’s manual to see if this feature is available and how to set it up.

Faxing Without a Phone Line: Wireless Fax Options

While traditional printer faxing relies on a phone line, modern technology offers alternatives for faxing without a landline. Some newer printers support wireless faxing through internet-based fax services.

These printers typically connect to your Wi-Fi network and use an online fax service to send and receive faxes digitally. This eliminates the need for a phone line and can offer more flexibility.

To use wireless faxing, you’ll generally need to:

1. Check for Wireless Fax Support: Verify if your printer model supports wireless faxing. This information should be in your printer’s specifications or manual.

2. Connect to Wi-Fi: Connect your printer to your wireless network.

3. Set Up Online Fax Service: You might need to sign up for an online fax service that is compatible with your printer. Some printer manufacturers partner with specific online fax providers.

4. Configure Wireless Fax Settings: Access the fax settings on your printer and configure the wireless fax options, usually involving entering your online fax service credentials.

Once set up, you can send and receive faxes wirelessly through your printer, often using similar methods as traditional faxing but utilizing your internet connection instead of a phone line.

Considering Online Fax Services: A Modern Alternative

While faxing from your printer is a convenient option, online fax services like FaxBurner offer an even more versatile and often cost-effective alternative. Online fax services allow you to send and receive faxes directly from your computer, smartphone, or tablet, without needing a printer or phone line.

Image alt text: FaxBurner app interface displayed on a smartphone, showcasing the ease of use for sending and receiving faxes digitally, highlighting mobile faxing convenience.

Benefits of Online Fax Services:

• No Phone Line Required: Fax over the internet, eliminating phone line costs.
• Accessibility: Fax from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Cost-Effective: Often cheaper than maintaining a dedicated fax line and printer supplies.
• Convenience: Send and receive faxes digitally, manage faxes online.
• Features: Many services offer features like digital signatures, cloud storage, and mobile apps.

If you fax frequently or want a more modern and flexible solution, exploring online fax services is highly recommended.

Final Thoughts on Printer Faxing

Faxing from your printer is a practical solution when you need to send faxes occasionally and already have a fax-enabled printer. It leverages existing equipment and provides a familiar faxing experience. However, for users who fax regularly, seek greater flexibility, or want to avoid phone line costs, online fax services offer a compelling alternative. Understanding how to fax from your printer and being aware of modern faxing solutions empowers you to choose the method that best suits your needs.