To use a fax machine: connect it to a power outlet and phone line, load paper, and check the toner. Place your documents face-up in the feeder, dial the recipient's fax number, then press Send. No fax machine on hand? Fax.Plus sends and receives faxes from any device, no line needed.
A fax machine scans a document and converts each page into an electrical signal (a series of audio tones), which travels over a telephone line to the receiving machine. The receiving fax machine, fax server, or online fax service decodes the tones and prints or saves the page. Both machines briefly "handshake" at the start of the call to agree on transmission speed before the scan begins.
Para enviar un documento, el usuario introduce el documento en el fax e introduce el número de teléfono del destinatario. A continuación, el fax marca el número y envía el documento a través de la línea telefónica como una señal eléctrica. Aquí le mostramos cómo enviar un fax:
For easier faxing without a machine, try Fax.Plus. Simply sign up for a free Fax.Plus account, upload your files, and hit send. No fax machine needed.
En el otro extremo, el fax del destinatario convierte la señal eléctrica de nuevo en un documento, que luego se imprime. Aquí le mostramos cómo recibir un fax:
Para usar un fax y poder enviar y recibir faxes, debe asegurarse de que su fax ya está conectado a una línea telefónica, tiene suficiente papel en la bandeja y ha instalado el cartucho de tóner o la tinta correctamente.
Problemas de conexión
Si no hay tono de marcado, verifique las conexiones de la línea telefónica.
Compruebe la compatibilidad con el proveedor de servicios telefónicos.
Problemas de transmisión
Si la transmisión falla, compruebe el número de fax del destinatario.
Resuelva los problemas de calidad de imagen limpiando los componentes del escáner.
Vuelva a intentar el envío si se producen señales de ocupado.
Problemas de hardware
Elimine los atascos de papel siguiendo las instrucciones del manual.
Resuelva las advertencias de nivel bajo de tóner rápidamente.
Los aparatos de fax tradicionales pueden ser engorrosos. Las alternativas de fax en la nube como Fax.Plus eliminan la necesidad de dispositivos físicos y líneas telefónicas dedicadas.

Traditional fax machines are typically priced between $100 to $500, and you should consider the maintenance cost as well as the price for paper, ink, and toner. If you want to transmit faxes in high quality, the price can increase to $3,000.
With an online fax service, you no longer need to look for a nearby fax service, as you have access to a powerful fax machine in your pocket without having to have an actual fax machine, landline phone service, or fax modem.
Traditional fax machines need a landline to dial and transmit over the phone network. Online fax services like Fax.Plus don't: you send and receive faxes over the internet from a computer, phone, or email, with no landline, phone jack, or dedicated fax line required.
Yes, if your printer has built-in fax capabilities (multifunction printer), connect it to a phone line and follow standard faxing steps. HP, Canon, and Brother printers can also send faxes online without a phone line using Fax.Plus.
Yes. Online fax services like Fax.Plus let you send and receive faxes from a computer, phone, email, or even Google Drive, no physical machine or phone line needed. Sign up for a free account, upload or attach your document, enter the recipient's fax number, and send. See the full guide to faxing online for every device and platform.
Yes, in most cases. A physical fax machine prints every incoming page in an open tray, visible to anyone nearby, and offers no audit trail. Fax.Plus encrypts every transmission, logs delivery with timestamps, and is SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified, with HIPAA compliance available on the Enterprise plan under a signed BAA.
Whether you're troubleshooting a physical machine, ready to leave it behind, or faxing from a specific device, here's where to go next.
Create a free Fax.Plus account and send or receive faxes from your computer, phone, or email, no landline, toner, or paper jams involved.