With Internet Fax, Can You Block Unwanted Faxes?

Q: Can you block faxes or subscribe to a do not fax?

A: There is no sure way to completely stop someone from sending you faxes, short of calling them and requesting they stop. But you can block faxes from your inbox with several of our top-rated Internet Fax services. MetroFax, for example, gives you the option to block a specific sender with your MetroFax dashboard, which keeps unwanted faxes out of your inbox. And in addition to having one of the best junk fax blockers we’ve seen, MyFax also gives you the option to report certain faxes as spam, so they can help filter unsolicited faxes to all of their customers. You can also compare all of our Internet Fax services here.

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How do I Send a Fax Through my Email?

Q: How can I use my email to send a fax? 

Source: LuckyRegister

A: First, you must sign up for an Internet faxing service. While most of these services come with their own convenient web interface, many users may find the fax through email features even more useful. This enables you to simply email documents to other people's fax machines. A service that implements this quite well is Fax87. Their "Email-to-Fax" feature is extremely easy to use: using your sign-up email, send a message with an empty body and the file you would like to fax as an attachment. In the recipient line, type the destination fax 'number@emailyourfax.com'. Write your Fax87 fax number in the subject line and click send. You will then receive a confirmation email telling you that your fax was delivered.

MyFax, MetroFax, and most of our other Internet fax services offer this feature as well. Need help figuring out which Internet fax service is perfect for you? Compare them all here!

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Do Internet Fax Services Provide Encryption?

Q: I will be using Internet Fax for personal health information, do any of these services provide encryption?

A: That's a great question – you always want to make sure that your personal health information is secure. The great news is that most Internet Fax Services offer encryption. MetroFax is one such service. Not only are your faxes sent to and from your password-protected account, but they also offer SSL encryption protection. And while we are on the subject of personal health information, note that MetroFax is also HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant. MyFax is another great service that uses a secure server with SSL encryption. No human interaction happens while your faxes are being sent, and the fact that papers are never left forgotten on your fax machine should give you an extra peace of mind. Check out all of our Internet Fax Services and the great security features they provide.

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What is the Total Initial Cost to Set Up Internet Fax? Do I Need Any Additional Devices?

Q: How much does it cost to set up Internet Fax? Do I need any additional devices for it to work?

Source: Creative Commons; Internet Fax Central

A: The great thing about Internet fax services is that there is no additional hardware necessary – all you need is an Internet connection! Simply sign up, go online, and you're ready to fax.

Prices vary among Internet fax services, it all depends on how much you fax and whether you want particular features. For example, MyFax costs $9.17/month if  you sign up for an annual plan and there is no additional setup fee. In addition, when you sign up through NextAdvisor, you get 500 send and receive faxes per month – a great deal compared to the original 100 send and 200 receive for the same price. You can also get a toll-free number at no additional cost.

MetroFax is another great Internet fax service with no setup fee that only charges $6.63/month for the annual business plan. It also includes 500 send and receive faxes per month, but you have to pay an additional $2/month for a toll-free number. If you're a big faxer, then Fax87 may be the right choice for you with its 1000 combined send and receive faxes per month. See all of our Internet Fax Services to choose which plan is best for you.

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Are there Internet Fax Companies that Will Port my Existing Fax Number?

Q: Are there Internet fax companies that will port my existing fax number so that I don't have to change it?

A: Most Internet fax services can port current fax numbers, which in some cases can provide a more seamless transition. However, it does not come cheap and not all fax numbers are portable.

Fax87, one of our Internet fax favorites, charges a $25 fee for porting an eligible number. This process takes 1-5 weeks to complete and you cannot use their services until the number is ported. Make sure not to cancel your current service until porting is complete!

MetroFax also does fax number porting, and this too costs $25 and typically takes 10-14 business days. Before starting this process, contact your current provider to make sure that your fax number is eligible, then read up on each Internet fax services' porting process.

Remember, many of these Internet fax services, including Fax87 and MyFax, can provide you with a toll-free number at no additional cost. This can ultimately save you, and the people on the other side of the fax, a lot of money.

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Do you Need a Phone Line to send an Internet Fax?

Q: Do you need a phone line to send an Internet Fax?

Source: Creative Commons, Idaconcepts

A: The only thing you need in order to send an Internet fax is an Internet connection and an account with an Internet fax service – no phone lines necessary. One of our favorites is MetroFax, which offers a 30-day free trial and allows you to send and receive 500 faxes in a month. It is one of the cheapest Internet fax services at $6.63 per month, and definitely one of the fastest. While MetroFax charges $2.00 extra per month for a toll-free number, MyFax, which is $9.17 per month, lets you pick a free one. If you are looking for the cheapest option, Nextiva also allows you 500 faxes, and is the cheapest service at $4.95 per month for the annual plan. Again, all you need is an Internet connection, which means you can even send faxes from your mobile phone!

Compare more Internet Fax services here. Happy faxing!

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Can you send the same Internet fax to multiple numbers at the same time?

Q: Can you send the same fax to multiple numbers at the same time? If the receiver is still a fax machine and not a computer will it print on their fax machine?

A: Great questions. MetroFax does allow you to send the same fax to up to 250 recipients when you fax from the email that you’ve synced with the service, as long as your email provider doesn’t limit the number of email recipients. If you are using MetroFax Dashboard, you can send one fax to up to 50 recipients.

Also, yes, faxes from MetroFax can be sent to normal fax machines. First, make sure you are using an email that is synced with MetroFax. In the “To” section of the email, type in the 10-digit fax number you wish to fax to, followed by “@metrofax.com”. Anything that you type in the body of the email is the cover sheet, and the order that you upload attachments are the order that they are received. MetroFax will convert your attachments in to 200dpi black and white documents that will be received by the standard fax. If you have any other questions or want to compare Internet fax services, please check out our Internet fax review page.

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We have a small company, two people located at different addresses. Can we get two internet fax numbers?

Q: We have a small company, two people located at different addresses. Can we get two internet fax numbers?

A: Most internet fax companies charge per fax number, so if you wanted to get two separate fax numbers you would need to buy two plans. However, if it's OK for both of your employees to share the same fax number, several internet fax plans allow multiple email addresses to be associated with a single account. This would mean that both of your employees would receive the same faxes, so if that's an issue you might just want to sign up for two plans.

Plans aren't that expensive, in fact our top rated MetroFax is just $6.63 per month for 500 combined send and receive faxes.  You'll also be able to associate up to 10 email addresses with the account at no additional charge. To see other internet fax reviews, take a look at out our internet fax comparison page.  To learn more about internet fax and how it works, check out our internet fax FAQ.

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I don't normally receive faxes. What online fax company would be the safest and least expensive for me?

The following is an actual user-submitted question:

Q. My fax needs are simple: I have to fax my time sheets for work every two weeks, and I don't normally receive faxes. What online fax company would be the safest and least expensive for me?

A. You need just a little bit of Internet fax, but you need it on a regular basis. In your case, we'd simply recommend the cheapest option. Nextiva offers a combined send-and-receive 500 pages per month, so assuming your time sheets don't take up more than 250 pages (!), you've got nothing to worry about. The plan costs $4.95 a month and provides a 30-day free trial. In the unlikely event you need extra pages, Nextiva also offers the lowest per-page price.

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Which Internet faxing services are truly confidential?

The following is an actual user-submitted question:

Q. Which Internet faxing services are truly confidential?

A. Almost every Internet fax service keeps your documents confidential, provided you use the company's web interface. If you fax by email, you're essentially agreeing that your documents might be seen in transmission from your email to the service to the intended recipient. MyFax, RingCentral, and RapidFax are among those fax services with secure online forms. We prefer MyFax because of its price, interface, and free 800 number.

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