Product FAQs
Select a Biscom product below:
FAXCOM and Biscom's Fax Server Products
- After finishing the installation of the FAXCOM Server Software, do I need to reboot?
- Where on the FAXCOM Server do I store my company logo to be merged with cover pages?
- What is the location of the Routing table file that is created when I select Configure...Inbound Routing and create a route?
- What is the meaning of "Tran Mode"?
- What is the advantage of using Tran Mode?
- How do I enable Tran Mode?
- How do I confirm the version number of the FAXCOM Server Software?
- How do I enable additional server options?
- How do I add a dialing prefix?
- Are faxes stored on the FAXCOM Server?
- How do I enable data archiving?
- Can the FAXCOM Translation Server translate password-protected documents?
- Since Excel issues a new print job for each sheet, how do I configure the FAXCOM Translation Server to issue one print job?
- What is the best way to check the TCP/IP connectivity between my FAXCOM Server and my data server?
- Is it possible to send a quick test fax from the FAXCOM Server?
- What is T1?
Q. After finishing the installation of the FAXCOM Server software, do I need to reboot?
A. You must reboot only if installing Release 3.04 or earlier.
Q. Where on the FAXCOM Server do I store my company logo to be merged with the cover pages?
A. Locate the logo file in the u\ims\home directory.
Q. What is the location of the Routing table file that is created when I select Configure...Inbound Routing and create a route?
A. The location of the inroute.dat file is the u\ims\server directory.
Q. What is the meaning of "Tran Mode"?
A. Tran mode, also known as Transient or Sessions mode, means that the gateway connects primarily to a session name that is created on the FAXCOM Server - rather than relying solely on a TCP port number.
Q. What is the advantage of using Tran Mode?
A. Using Tran Mode enables you to bypass the FAXCOM Server four-host limit (where each fax service gateway is considered a host); in addition, Tran Mode gracefully handles TCP on networks with connection issues to help prevent lost TCP connections.
A. Do the following to enable Tran Mode:
-
On the FAXCOM Server, either configure one host port as Tran, or configure a second host port as Tran; note the number of the host port configured as Tran and stop it.
-
For FAXCOM for NDS, do the following to connect in Tran mode: run NWAdmin, double-click the fax queue whose connections you want to configure; select the FAXCOM Connections page and specify the Session Name.
-
For FAXCOM for Exchange 2000, do the following to connect in Tran mode: run Exchange System Manager; select the appropriate console tree; select Connectors; right-click the Connector for Biscom FAX and select Properties.Connections and specify the Session Name.
-
For FAXCOM for Exchange 5.5 and FAXCOM for Windows, do the following to connect in Tran mode: from the FAXCOM Administrator Configure menu, select Service; select the Settings tab, check Enable Transient Mode and specify the Session Name.
-
For FAXCOM for Domino, run Lotus Notes, select File.Database.Open, select the server that you specified (during the installation) as the location of the FAXCOM for Domino Admin 3.0 database and open the FAXCOM for Domino Admin 3.0 database; select the System Administration document; in the Connections section, enable Session mode and specify the Session Name.
-
On the FAXCOM Server, restart the TRAN host port.
-
On the FAXCOM Server, select Configure.Inbound Routing; insert a new entry, select Host Session for Destination Type and specify the Session Name.
Q. How do I confirm the version number of the FAXCOM Server software?
A. Select Start.Programs.Faxcom.Fax Server Administrator.Help.About FAXCOM Server
Q. How do I enable additional server options?
A. Select Start.Programs.Faxcom.Fax Server Administrator.Configure.Installed Options.
Q. How do I add a dialing prefix?
A. You can add a telephony dialing prefix, such as a 9, as follows: Select Start...Programs...Faxcom...Fax Server Administrator...Configure Server. In the Dial Prefix field, specify the dial prefix, being aware that you can include up to four B's, each of which represents a 2.5 second pause. Example: 9BBBB would dial the 9, wait 10 seconds then dial the user-submitted fax phone number.
Q. Are faxes stored on the FAXCOM Server?
A. Faxes are stored on the FAXCOM Server if you choose to configure and enable the Data Archive function.
Q. How do I enable Data Archiving?
A. Select Start.Programs.Faxcom.Fax Server Administrator.Configure.Data Archive and check the Enable Archive Control radio button.
Q. Can the FAXCOM Translation Server translate password-protected documents?
A. No. In general, the Translation Server will time out when any job sent to it requires an action from the user, such as clicking OK to a message or specifying a password. Before attempting to translate and fax a document, the user must remove any password assigned to the document.
Q. Since Excel issues a new print job for each sheet, how do I configure the FAXCOM Translation Server to issue one print job?
A. By doing the following: open the document in Excel, right-click the Sheet tab, choose Select All Sheets, select File.Page Setup, in the Print Quality field, select a resolution to be used for all sheets, click OK, and save the document. Then it can be translated and faxed successfully.
Q. What is the best way to check the TCP/IP connectivity between my FAXCOM Server and my data server?
A. You can use the ping utility, as follows:
Select Start.Run and type ping <ip address on your network>
as, for example, ping 128.1.6.138
If the TCP stack is operational, messages such as the following are scrolled on the screen and continuously updated every few seconds:
Reply from 128.1.6.138: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=128
Reply from 128.1.6.138: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=128
Reply from 128.1.6.138: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=128
Reply from 128.1.6.138: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=128
If no messages appear, or do not get updated every few seconds, the TCP stack may not be operational. If the TCP stack is not operational, you may see such messages as:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Q. Is it possible to send a quick test fax from the FAXCOM Server?
A. Yes. You can use the sendfaxtcp utility as follows:
-
Select Start.Programs.Faxcom.Fax Server Administrator.
-
Select View.Tasks to be able to monitor the progress of the fax you will send; minimize the Fax Server Administrator program.
-
Press the shortcut key, Ctrl+Alt+C, to go to the DOS prompt.
-
Type sendfaxtcp 6000 127.1.
-
When prompted, type 2 to Send from Keyboard .
-
When prompted to Input Phone #, enter the destination fax number of a nearby fax machine .
-
When prompted, type 1 to Input Line .
-
When prompted to Type one line, enter the text to comprise the fax (such as the word "test") . To test a specific transmit port, before the text to comprise the fax, type $SETFAXPORT 01$, as for example, $SETFAXPORT 01$ test.
-
When prompted, type 3 to send the fax .
-
Type exit or press the shortcut key, Ctrl+C, to close the DOS window and immediately switch back to the Fax Server Administrator View Tasks dialog and watch the progress of the fax, indicated by such messages as "FAXCOM collecting job," FAX delivery transmitting," "FAX delivery Done."
A Status of "FAX delivery done (0000)" indicates the fax was successfully sent. Any other status codes indicates an error, and you can do the following to determine the specific error condition:
On the View Tasks screen, press F1 to open the help file. Double-click the link to Understanding Completion Status Codes.
A. With a T1 line, you may get up to 24 virtual phone lines or "channels" on one single physical line made up of two pairs of twisted copper wires; this is possible because T1 lines utilize digital signals, instead of the analog signals that are utilized by the common loop-start line. Digital signals are multiplexed over time slots, allowing multiple channels to share the same physical line. While T1 service can provide important advantages to an organization - such as cost savings, channel density and expanded inbound routing capabilities - properly integrating T1 service is a more complicated process than installing a simple business phone line. T1 contains variations that must be explicitly configured by mutual agreement between the fax server and the PBX or phone company, and customers must determine the appropriate parameters for the T1 installation IN ADVANCE OF ORDERING the T1 service.
Fax Services
Fax Service Basics
- What is a fax?
- What is a computer based fax?
- What is a fax service?
- What is a fax server?
- Won't e-mail replace fax?
- How do network fax servers improve efficiency?
· Sending Faxes
- How do I send a fax?
- Do I need a fax machine or any special equipment to send a fax?
- What is the minimum information I need to send a fax?
- What is the addressing string I enter in the "To" field or a new message?
- Do I include hyphens in the fax number?
- Do I prefix the fax number with a "1"?
- What file types can attach to my fax message?
- Can I create my own cover page for faxes?
- Can I send international faxes?
- What do I do if I have sent a fax, but have not received any messages that the fax has gone through or failed?
- What do I do when I receive an error message for a fax I sent?
- What information is contained in a Transmission Status Report?
- Can I send faxes from a different e-mail address?
· Receiving Faxes
- How do I receive faxes?
- Do I need special programs to view my faxes?
- Why can't I view my faxes?
- What do I do if I am not receiving faxes?
- What do I do if I receive a junk fax in my account?
- Does Biscom store my faxes?
- Why is my fax number busy or not answering?
· Technical FAQs
- What do I do if I forget my password?
- How do I change my password?
- I tried to sign in to my account, but I am getting a message that says I have an incorrect username or password. What do I do now?
- What information is contained in a Transmission Status Report?
- How do I use a digital scanner with Biscom Fax Services?
- I tried to sign in to my account, but I am getting a message that says I have an incorrect username or password. What do I do now?
- What is the difference between the Office and Enterprise Services?
A. Facsimile (fax) is a method of encoding data and transmitting it over a regular telephone line so that it can be received in the form of hard copy. A fax machine scans an image (text, photograph, drawing, etc.) by reading one small area of the image at a time. Then the fax machine transmits that image to a remote facsimile receiver via telephone lines. There are currently over 50 million fax machines in use today, and they have revolutionized everyday communications around the world.
Q. What is computer-based fax?
A. Computer-based fax is a term that applies to using computers instead of fax machines to send and receive faxes. Typically, though not always, a computer will be on one end of the transmission, while a fax machine will be on the other end. Computer-based fax includes:
- Desktop Fax - Usually involves computer-based application on the desktop
- Email Fax - Faxes sent and received through an e-mail application
- Transactional fax - Integrates with server-based workflow applications that process large numbers of inbound and outbound faxes in association with a business process
- Broadcast fax -Involves the distribution of a high volume of faxes to a distribution list
A. A fax service provides an outsourced solution for computer-based fax. Instead of purchasing equipment and installing fax lines, the fax service manages and maintains the fax communications hardware and the telephone network connectivity. The users of the fax service typically see only their desktop e-mail client or fax client, which they use to send or receive faxes. Typically, each user is given an individual inbound fax number to which outside parties can send faxes. Faxes arrive at the desktop and can be viewed on the screen or printed out. The user of the fax service pays a fee to the fax service provider, which is typically based on a monthly fee and the number of pages sent.
A. Fax servers consist of software running on dedicated computers that connect to an organization’s local area network (LAN). Typically they contain intelligent fax boards that connect with the telephone network to handle very high volumes of inbound and outbound fax calls. The fax server allows all of the members of the organization to send and receive faxes at their personal workstations, multi-function peripheral devices (MFPs), or even traditional fax machines. The fax service provider uses many fax servers in a load-balanced configuration to provide fax services to its customers. Through the fax service, users are able to access the capabilities of a fax server without making the investment of installing and maintaining a fax server and support staff.
A. Despite the proliferation of e-mail, fax is still the communication medium of choice for millions of organizations worldwide. Fax messages provide a fast, reliable, secure and inexpensive way to transmit documents from place to place. Fax communication protocols have long been standardized, so every fax machine can talk to every other fax machine. Unlike e-mail, faxes are also recognized as valid legal documents. Some other advantages of faxing include:
- Viruses - faxes can’t carry damaging programs or infect the receiving fax machine
- Security - faxes are transmitted directly to the recipient and cannot be read or copied in transit
- Reliability - guaranteed point-to-point communication over ordinary phone lines
While e-mail has become a valuable tool for business, fax remains the best way to transmit documents quickly, reliably and legally. Furthermore, many organizations implement plans to use fax as an alternate communications system to e-mail and regular postal service to support business continuity in the event of an unplanned disaster.
Q. How do network fax servers improve efficiency?
A. Fax servers let users send and receive faxes directly from their workstations. Not only is this functionality a step toward the paperless office, it also allows a tremendous amount of workflow automation. Since computer-based fax handling is electronic, faxes can be routed to the appropriate people, read, modified and faxed back with appended documents or any other printable files. Faxes can be sent to shared folders so that multiple users can read a single transmission. Accounting systems can automatically fax invoices to customers while maintaining an audit trail for every fax transaction.
A. To send a fax, start your favorite e-mail program and address the fax as follows:
firstname.lastname.fax#@faxcomanywhere.com
For example, to send a fax to John Doe at the fax number 978-555-1212, type in the “To” field: John.Doe.978-555-1212@faxcomanywhere.com
Create your fax message in the text area of your e-mail program.
Next, attach any documents to be included in the fax. Biscom Fax Services automatically converts most popular file types into the fax format, including:
• MS Word |
• Lotus WordPro |
• MS PowerPoint |
• Visio |
• Lotus 1-2-3 |
• Adobe Acrobat |
• Lotus Freelance |
• Web page HTML documents |
• MS Project |
• MS Excel |
Q. Do I need a fax machine or any special equipment to send a fax?
A. No. FAXCOM Anywhere is e-mail-based, so wherever you can access your e-mail account, you can send or receive faxes.
Q. What is the minimum information I need to send a fax?
A. Just a fax phone number. While the addressing string you enter in the “To” field of an e-mail message can include the recipient’s first name and last name, the recipient names are optional. Any of the following strings would work for John Smith at 978-555-1212:
Q. What is the addressing string I enter in the “To” field of a new message?
A. Use the following format to address send a fax:
firstname.lastname.fax#@faxcomanywhere.com
For example, to send a fax to John Doe at the fax number 978-555-1212, type in the “To” field:
John.Doe.978-555-1212@faxcomanywhere.com
Q. Do I include hyphens in the fax number?
A. Yes you can, but it’s not necessary. You can write the number as 555-678-1234. You can also write the number using a period as 555.678.1234. The following fax e-mail addresses would work:
You cannot put parentheses(), commas, @ symbols, or spaces in the address string.
Q. Do I prefix the fax number with a “1”?
A. You can either prefix the number with a “1” or omit it.
Q. What file types can I attach to my fax messages?
A. Files produced by any of the following applications:
• MS Word |
• Lotus WordPro |
• MS PowerPoint |
• Visio |
• Lotus 1-2-3 |
• Adobe Acrobat |
• Lotus Freelance |
• Web page HTML documents |
• MS Project |
• MS Excel |
Q. Can I create my own cover page for faxes?
A. No. We don't support cover pages for the Personal Service. The user has to upgrade to Business Service to create cover pages.
Q. Can I send international faxes?
A. No. The basic Biscom Fax Services service is a domestic service only. If you are an international customer or need to send international faxes, please contact our sales department at (800) 477-2472 or sales@biscom.com.
Q. What do I do if I have sent a fax, but have not received any message that the fax has gone through or failed?
A. While we process faxes as soon as we receive them from the e-mail server, it may take some time for your e-mail provider or the Internet to forward your messages to us for transmission. If, however, you still have not received a transmission status e-mail message from us 45 minutes after sending the fax, send an e-mail to support@biscom.com or call 800-477-2472.
It is also possible that your e-mail spam filter is detecting messages from faxcomanywhere@biscom.com as spam and moving them into your spam folder. If that is the case, adjust the settings of your spam filter so that it accepts messages from faxcomanywhere@biscom.com.
Q. What do I do when I receive an error message for a fax I sent?
A. It depends on the specific error message. If, for example, the error message is “0004 – FAXCOM detected voice answer,” please check the number and make sure it is a valid fax number.
If the error message is “0013 – Called fax machine busy,” Biscom Fax Services retried the number four times over a 10-minute window and still was not able to transmit. In such a case, you should resend the fax, and begin the retry sequence again.
If you receive a message that you are unrecognized, your account is past due or has expired. You should try to log into your account and check your status before contacting us.
Q. What information is contained in a Transmission Status Report?
A. For every fax you transmit, you receive a Transmission Status Report e-mail message from FAXCOM Anywhere. The subject of the report that is displayed in your e-mail Inbox is either “Fax: Tx ‘ok’ Report” (for a successfully delivered fax) or”Fax: Tx NOT ‘ok’ Report” (for an unsuccessfully delivered fax).
While the transmission report for a successfully delivered fax contains more detail about the fax delivery that may be of interest, the subject of the e-mail message of “ok” speaks for itself. The transmission report for an unsuccessfully delivered fax (shown above), however, includes information for why the fax failed to be delivered.
The report includes a Status Code and an Explanation of the Status Code. If, for example, the Status Code was 0013 and the Explanation was “Called fax machine busy,” Biscom Fax Services retried the call four times in 10 minutes before declaring the transmission unsuccessful. You would typically allow time for the destination fax number to no longer be busy before resending the fax.
If, for example, the Status Code was 0004 and the Explanation was “FAXCOM detected voice answer,” please check the number and confirm that the number was a valid fax number.
Q. Can I send faxes from a different e-mail address?
A. No. You can use only the e-mail address with which you or your systems administrator registered for you to send faxes. If you currently have a Personal Account and would like to use more than one e-mail address to send and receive faxes, you would have to move to an Office or Enterprise account that supports multiple e-mail accounts and phone numbers.
A. You receive faxes as e-mail messages in your e-mail inbox, with the fax as a PDF attachment to the e-mail message. You will need a program such as Adobe Acrobat Reader (available at www.adobe.com) to read the PDF file, but most PCs come with Acrobat Reader as a standard installation. Just open the PDF attachment as you would any other e-mail attachment.
Q. Do I need special programs to view my faxes?
A. No. You view your faxes with Adobe Acrobat Reader (available at www.adobe.com).
A. First, confirm that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6.0 or higher installed on your system with which to open the fax. If you can’t view the fax because of its poor quality, it may be a problem with the sender’s fax machine. You can verify this possibility by sending a fax to yourself and inspecting the quality.
Q. What do I do if I am not receiving faxes?
A. We forward your faxes to your e-mail address as soon as we get them. If, however, you have not received a fax that you know was sent to you, wait at least fifteen minutes before contacting us to allow your mail provider to receive and forward the fax to your account. Then, if you still have not received the fax, send an e-mail message to support@biscom.com or call (800) 477-2472.
Q. What do I do if I receive a junk fax in my account?
A. While we never sell fax number lists to third parties, and while it is illegal to send “any material transmitted via facsimile that advertises the commercial availability or quality of any property, goods, or services,” it is still possible that you may receive unwanted commercial faxes. In such a case, please forward them to support@biscom.com with the word “junk” in the Subject field. If you have been charged for this fax, we will issue a credit to your account for the amount charged.
Q. Does Biscom Fax Services store my faxes?
A. No. We do not store any faxes. Once they are sent to your e-mail account, they are deleted from our servers.
Q. Why is my fax number busy or not answering?
A. If no one can successfully connect to your fax number, make sure the dialing format is correct (1 + area code + 7-digit local number if dialing from outside the local area). If the call to you is an international call, or made from a PBX system, additional dialing rules may also apply.
If your fax senders are experiencing this problem intermittently, it is possible that their local or long-distance phone companies are having problems connecting to your fax number.
Q. What do I do if I forget my password?
A. Click the Forgotten Password link on the Sign In page. Select the hint question you selected when setting up/updating your account, answer the question correctly and your password will be e-mailed to you. If you are unable to recall your hint question and answer, contact support@corp.faxcomanywhere.com.
Q. How do I change my password?
A. Simply follow these steps:
- 1. Sign In to your FAXCOM Anywhere account, and click the Change Password button.
- 2. Enter your old password, and then enter your new password.
- 3. Confirm your new password and click Submit.
Q. I tried to sign in to my account, but I am getting a message that says I have an incorrect username or password. What do I do now?
A. Assuming you remember your correct username and password, it is possible you have specified one or the other without the proper capitalization. FAXCOM Anywhere is Case Sensitive, meaning the program distinguishes between uppercase (capital) and lowercase (small) letters. Reenter your username and password, making sure to specify them with the correct capitalization.
Q. What information is contained in a Transmission Status Report?
A. For every fax you transmit, you receive a Transmission Status Report e-mail message from FAXCOM Anywhere. The subject of the report that is displayed in your e-mail Inbox is either “Fax: Tx ‘ok’ Report” (for a successfully delivered fax) or”Fax: Tx NOT ‘ok’ Report” (for an unsuccessfully delivered fax).
While the transmission report for a successfully delivered fax contains more detail about the fax delivery that may be of interest, the subject of the e-mail message of “ok” speaks for itself. The transmission report for an unsuccessfully delivered fax (shown above), however, includes information for why the fax failed to be delivered.
The report includes a Status Code and an Explanation of the Status Code. If, for example, the Status Code was 0013 and the Explanation was “Called fax machine busy,” Biscom Fax Services retried the call four times in 10 minutes before declaring the transmission unsuccessful. You would typically allow time for the destination fax number to no longer be busy before resending the fax.
If, for example, the Status Code was 0004 and the Explanation was “FAXCOM detected voice answer,” please check the number and confirm that the number was a valid fax number.
Q. How do I use a digital scanner/MFP with FAXCOM Anywhere?
A. Instructions are as follows:
FAXCOM Anywhere Personal Fax Service Integration:
Register the unique email address of each scanner/MFP as an individual account within FAXCOM Anywhere. Users can then fax from the device by specifying the addressing string in the following format: companyname.faxnumber@faxcomanywhere.com
- or firstname.lastname.faxnumber@faxcomnanywhere.com
All status messages are sent back to the email address defined for the device within FAXCOM Anywhere.
Biscom Fax Services Business Fax Service Integration:Register the unique email address of each scanner/MFP as group member within your Business Fax Service group account.
Users can then fax from the device by specifying the addressing string in the following format: companyname.faxnumb@faxcomanywhere.com
- or firstname.lastname.faxnumber@faxcomnanywhere.com
All status messages are sent back to the email address defined for the device within FAXCOM Anywhere.
To implement Usage accounting (whereby you track fax costs according to the sending device), register each device and its location in the Department field.
FAXCOM Anywhere Enterprise Fax Service Integration:
Contact FAXCOM Anywhere Sales (sales@corp.faxcomanywhere.com) for more information on how Enterprise Fax Service accounts integrate seamlessly with many scanners/MFPs.
Q. I tried to sign in to my account, but I am getting a message that says I have an incorrect username or password. What do I do now?
A. Assuming you remember your correct username and password, it is possible you have specified one or the other without the proper capitalization. FAXCOM Anywhere is Case Sensitive, meaning the program distinguishes between uppercase (capital) and lowercase (small) letters. Reenter your username and password, making sure to specify them with the correct capitalization.
Biscom Delivery Server
Please visit the BDS website for Frequently Asked Questions regarding this product
Website: http://www.biscomdeliveryserver.com/support/faq.html
