Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!snorkelwacker!apple!radius!lemke
From: lemke@radius.com (Steve Lemke)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Subject: Re: FAX modems on AppleTalk
Message-ID: <1326@radius.com>
Date: 5 Sep 90 19:39:05 GMT
References: <3D34F79BCEBF200C36@mbcl.rutgers.edu>
Lines: 79

HAMM@BIOVAX.RUTGERS.EDU (Greg Hamm) writes:

}I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has actually tried out sending and
}receiving FAXes to and from Macs using one of the many FAX modems now
}available.  We are most interested in one of the ones which will sit on
}AppleTalk and thereby be accessible to many users;

In a very indirect sort of way, we have an AppleFAX Modem sitting on our
AppleTalk network.  I've used it in this fashion, and also with it connected
specifically to one computer, using software from Solutions, Inc. in both
cases.

Using BackFAX (from Solutions), one can use the FaxModem on a single Mac,
and send and receive FAXes in the background.  One can also print from any
application to the FaxModem (using it just like a LaserWriter).

Using FaxGate (also from Solutions, which is what we are presently doing),
one can have a FaxModem on a machine that serves as an electronic mail
gateway from either Microsoft Mail or QuickMail (we use QuickMail, but
that's another whole story in and of itself).  So, anyone on the QuickMail
system can send an electronic mail message to people within our company,
people on the Internet (using Cayman's GatorMail, which is ALSO available
for Microsoft Mail, again another story), people on AppleLink, and people
with FAX machines.  The SAME message can be sent to all these different
services.  And, with the addition of MailMaker (which must be licensed
for each person who uses it, also from Solutions), you can print from any
application (or several different applications) and send the message as a
FAX.  So, we essentially have "Networked Faxing" but without the hassle of
having to use a Fax program - just Print from your favorite application.
Faxes can be received as well and forwarded to the Fax "custodian", but
we choose to receive FAXes on real FAX machines.

Another alternative would be to take a normal serial FAX Modem and put it
on something like a Shiva NetSerial.  Then, when you want to FAX, you would
use the normal software that came with the Fax Modem (or perhaps more
preferably, BackFax), and just connect to the FaxModem when you need it.
This points out another feature of having an Email gateway to Fax, though,
in the sense that once you send your FAX via Email to the gateway, your
CPU is freed up to do whatever you want, rather than being bogged down
by the FAX sending process.

}however, most of the
}review articles I've read never tell you any practical details, e.g.,
}
}	- do any of these beasts provide password protection, or
}	  at least call logging, or can anyone on your appletalk
}	  send reams to the Fiji Islands at will?

I don't think the NetSerial approach would buy you any password protection.
The email gateway would have the same problem - basically, anyone who knows
HOW to use it can.  Here, that's not such a big deal, since hardly anyone
even knows how to use it (specifically, how to address a message so that it
goes out through the FAX gateway).

}	- how does a network-shared modem deal with incoming FAXes?
}	  where does it send them?

(This is explained above for the gateway.)  In the case of a NetSerial,
I don't really know WHAT would happen for incoming FAX.  I guess whoever
might be connected to it at the time will get it.  However, as has been
mentioned in numerous postings in numerous groups, incoming FAX is best
left for real FAX machines.

}	- are these things just neat ideas, or do they *really* work?
}	  what are the gotchas in everyday use?

Again, explained above - we are really pleased (so far) with the FaxGate
that bridges QuickMail to the FAX Modem.

}Thanks,

No problem.

>Greg

Steve
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----- Steve Lemke, Engineering Quality Assurance, Radius Inc., San Jose -----
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