Posted by April_NY on 9/26/05 9:56am
Msg #67325

regular fax machine or efax? What to do? What do you have?

I have been getting faxes in the middle of the night from companies and marketing faxes. Its really upsetting when your entire family is woken up at 3am because a company is faxing an appt reminder.
I hate to go through the hassle of changing my fax number, on the other hand I REALLY hate being woke up and hearing the phone ring when I don't have to.
Here are my questions:
1) Is a online fax set up as good as my regular fax?
2) Can I depend on my computer fax?
3) Will by brother mfc 8500 send to a computer fax? (right now if I scan to the computer, it saves it as a JPG file and if there's 10 pages, you have to open 10 attachements).
4) which fax company is the best and cheapest route to go?
5) if I move, can I keep the same fax number?

Thanks so much! I've been doing closings for 4 years full time, it puts pampers on my baby and I don't want to mess it up.

April

Reply by PAW_Fl on 9/26/05 10:11am
Msg #67327

Re: regular fax machine or efax? What to do? What do you hav

Remember, you are running a business. And part of that business is receiving faxes. If you don't have a dedicated fax line, then I suggest you do, or get an efax account. Some people like efaxes simply because if frees up their line from incoming faxes, faxes arrive as emails. Since they're emails, you can select what to print and what to keep. Junk emails are easily trashed. And there is no 3 AM annoying phone ringing.

I personally have WinFax on my PC and a dedicated fax line. WinFax allows me to use my PC as I would an efax service. I do have two free efax "backup" accounts (K7 and eFax) in case I have a computer problem.

If you have an efax account, unless you specifically request, and pay for, a local number, you will get a number somewhere in the US. If you move, you will still have the same fax number, since the efax service will be emailing your faxes to whatever email address you choose.

Reply by LilyMD on 9/26/05 10:41am
Msg #67334

Re: regular fax machine or efax? What to do? What do you hav

I use efax to receive faxes and a regular fax machine to send. Works out great for me.

Reply by Kim_Cali on 9/26/05 10:45am
Msg #67335

Here is a failsafe method that usually stops faxes....

If you have or can obtain the fax number from the company that sent you the junk fax, then fax them a piece of paper ~ here's the catch....as the first paper feeds through your machine quickly tape it to the end of the next piece of paper that you will run through the fax, as the second piece runs through tape it to the first.

This makes a "loop" of continuous paper that just keeps revolving in your fax machine and will send that company the longest fax they have ever gotten and will probably run their machine out of paper.....just walk away for about a half an hour and let it fax the daylights out of them Its best if you write on the paper you are faxing so that it renders their paper useless on the receiving end.

Guaranteed they will get the message and will stop faxing you. On the paper that you send write in bold black marker that junk faxes are not legal and are unwelcomed and ask them to please accept this message as your right to be removed from their list or to opt-out.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 9/26/05 11:08am
Msg #67341

Re: regular fax machine or efax? What to do? Don't do this!

What you are suggesting to be done may be constured as malicious mischief with intent to harm and may also be considered aggravated harassment.

Junk faxes are required by law to provide an "opt out" number to call. If they don't report them to the FTC at https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

Reply by April_NY on 9/26/05 12:24pm
Msg #67357

Paw....

Hello,
Thanks for your help.
I have a seperate phone number for my fax that goes through the same line as my home phone. When someone dials the fax number, I get a double ring and the fax automatically picks up after the second ring. However, if I am getting a fax, my regular phone rings busy, and the other way around. So, its the same line, 2 phone numbers.
Anyways... I am also thinking about getting rid of my land line and just having a cell phone.
I have a 10 month old baby, and I am 5 months pregnant. While I have been doing this for 4 years, I am backing off a little in order to care for my babies, who are #1 priority.
The land line often wakes my sleeping baby up as well.
I also think getting rid of the landline (and regular fax) will save money. My landline phone bill is $65 a month.

To sum it up, I respect your opinion, am so glad you responded and hope to hear more from you about this.
Can I trust the efax (or another service) as much as I can trust my regular phone line fax?
Thanks again!
April

Reply by Art_MD on 9/26/05 12:32pm
Msg #67360

Re: efax vs regular fax

I much prefer e-fax. There are a few advantages.

1. I can access and print from other places.

2. I download confirmations onto my desktop. Open them and see who the confirmation is for. Then I rename to sonething like "NNNNN 9-03 AAAAA 4PM xxx" where AAAAA is borrowers name, NNNNN is an abreviation for or the name of the SS or TC, xxx is an abreviation for or the name of the city where the signing takes place. After the signing I nove the confirmation into a folder called notary confirmations.

3. Since I go thru my computer, I can theoretically print faxed docs on my laser printer.

4. Huds and other faxed docs are printed thru the computer and go to my laser printer. Much better than a non-laser fax.
Art

Reply by April_NY on 9/26/05 12:52pm
Msg #67371

ART...

This helps a lot.
How do you fax out though???
Thanks,
April

Reply by Art_MD on 9/26/05 12:58pm
Msg #67374

Re: ART...

I have a regular fax too. Also, e-fax allows you to fax documents that are on your computer. So, if you have to invoice, type it up, fax from computer.
I believe most people who use e-fax, maxefax etc use a regular fax for outgoing. Hard to fax back a copy of the signed hud using your computer.

Art

Reply by April_NY on 9/26/05 1:15pm
Msg #67379

Thanks Art

You just helped me make up my mind. By the sounds of it I need to keep my landline no matter what. I'll look into getting an efax along with that.
I guess I was just hoping to eliminate the landline fax and phone line, save money and still run efficiently.
Oh well.
Thanks again!

Reply by PAW_Fl on 9/26/05 12:38pm
Msg #67364

Re: Paw....

April,

What you're describing is distinctive ringing, not a dedicated phone line. It allows you to have two different numbers, but one physical phone line. When that line is in use, for either number, it is busy to the other one.

Yes, you can trust most efax services. Some people like eFax.com, some like K7.net, some use Maxemail. They all have their pros and cons. K7 and eFax offer free, although limited, fax services. For the best "bang for the buck", I would go with Maxemail Lite (http://www.maxemail.com/fax/fax-lite.html).

You will still need some way to fax out. Granted, an efax service provides this, but that would mean scanning in the document and sending it to the efax provider. Many folks who use an efax provider simply install a cheap-o fax machine on their home land line.

Reply by Giselle_CA on 9/26/05 1:14pm
Msg #67378

Re: Paw....

Does anyone know if the basic services for: K7.net, Maxemail, Efax...etc. prints any advertisements on the faxes received or do we have to get the upgraded service for no advertisements? TIA.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 9/26/05 1:20pm
Msg #67381

Re: Paw....

The "free" services DO NOT include any advertising. The fax looks just like you would get it on your own local fax machine.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 9/26/05 1:22pm
Msg #67382

Re: Paw....

Let me add, that though there is no advertising on the faxes you receive, eFax.com (and possibly others) will send you advertising to your email account.

Reply by BetsyMI on 9/26/05 1:28pm
Msg #67386

Re: Paw....

When you say they will send advertising to your email account, do you mean "lots and lots" of advertising???? A few a day, or more? That's important to know as I'd use a different email account in that case. Thx Paw, you're the greatest source of info!

Reply by PAW_Fl on 9/26/05 1:45pm
Msg #67391

Re: Paw....

No, not a lot. Very little in fact. I think I maybe got 4 "junk" faxes in the past year.

Reply by Giselle_CA on 9/26/05 1:30pm
Msg #67387

Re: Paw....

Thanks, PAW. I was wondering about advertisings. It seems the basic Maxemail service for $14.95 is not bad at all for the amount of incoming faxes per month.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 9/26/05 1:19pm
Msg #67380

Re: fax

I use myfax.com for incoming. Converts faxes to pdf, so you don't have to donload a special reader, goes to a toll free number for 10 bucks a month. I use my stand alone fax to send faxes but I have the id number set to the "Myfax" phone number, so anyone using the phone number off of my sent fax will get the correct number to send faxes to. Same thing when I send a fax off of my computer. Has worked out well.

Reply by Giselle_CA on 9/26/05 1:39pm
Msg #67390

Re: fax

I just found Onebox Unified Messaging system for only $12.95 more per month. Just a thought.

Reply by NorCalDar on 9/26/05 3:35pm
Msg #67418

You might want to look at Callwave

I use Callwave for incoming faxes and have a regular fax for outgoing. I love the fact that I can print the BR copies directly to my Laser Printer. They have a few other cool services too.

http://www.callwave.com/