The cell phone is often seen as a replacement for many other machines and their functions. Today, you can use a mobile phone as an alarm clock, a camera, and more. It’s no wonder people have considered connecting a mobile device to a fax machine.
Is it possible? Yes, you can connect a fax machine to a cell phone, but it’s more complex than simply connecting the two devices. In this article, we’ve compiled the best ways to send and receive faxes using your mobile phone.
Table of contents
- How Does a Fax Machine Differ From a Cell Phone?
- How to Connect a Fax Machine to a Cell Phone
- Can I Use My Fax Machine Without a Landline?
- How to Fax Using a Mobile Phone
- What Are the Benefits of Using a Mobile Fax App?
- The Best Mobile Fax App You Can Use
How Does a Fax Machine Differ From a Cell Phone?
Fax machines
Fax machines use tones to communicate with each other and establish a connection. Tones here refer to a specific frequency that fax machines use while transmitting data.
The most important tone for a fax machine is the recognition tone. Its purpose is to identify a fax machine on the line. After establishing the connection, the fax machine will send a series of handshaking tones to negotiate data transfer.
These tones synchronize the two machines and ensure that the data is received correctly. Analog lines, which are used in landline telephones, can carry these tones without distortion. This makes them the ideal choice for traditional faxing.
Cell phones
On the other hand, mobile phones use digital signals to communicate. These digital signals are made up of 1s and 0s, which are then translated into data humans can understand.
The use of digital signals is the main reason why you can’t just connect a fax machine to a cell phone and expect it to work. The two devices use different methods to send and receive data, so they are inherently incompatible.
However, it is still possible to connect fax machines to your smartphones. In some cases, you may need special hardware or software to do this. Let’s look at the methods you can use.
How to Connect a Fax Machine to a Cell Phone
Wireless phone jack system
A wireless phone jack is a system that uses two units — a transmitter and a receiver. This system uses a base station that can connect to corded and cordless phones, answering machines, fax machines, and computer modems. You can purchase a wireless phone jack system in most electronics stores.
Fax over Internet Protocol (FoIP) providers
FoIP is a way of sending a fax using an Internet connection instead of a phone line. FoIP providers typically offer both cloud-based and on-premises solutions. To use FoIP, you must purchase a special adapter that connects your fax machine to a digital server.
While FoIP offers many advantages over traditional fax lines, the cost of adapters and monthly fees for service providers deter many users.
VoIP fax adapter
A VoIP fax adapter is a device that turns the signal from a traditional fax machine into packets of data that are transmitted through the internet.
HTTPS is one such special fax adapter. Since faxes need to be encrypted, it uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). The fax must go through a server, so fax adapters can only work with others. You need to have a subscription with a FoIP company that supports the specific fax adapter.
FoIP providers primarily provide a gateway service while offering the HTTPS fax adapter as an add-on service. However, these fax adapters and FoIP providers do not come cheap.
Can I Use My Fax Machine Without a Landline?
No, you cannot use a fax machine without a landline. Fax machines are technically telephone devices that use the landline network to send information.
What’s the workaround? Use a mobile fax app, which makes it possible to send and receive a fax using your mobile phone without a landline or even a fax machine.
How to Fax Using a Mobile Phone
Sending a Fax
To send a fax using your mobile device, you’ll need to use a third-party service. Many mobile fax apps are on the market. Let’s take iFax as an example.
- First, you’ll need to sign up for an account with the service. Once you have an account, you can start faxing.
- Enter the fax number of the recipient and upload the document you want to send.
- Click Send. You will receive a notification when your fax is delivered.
Receiving a fax
To receive a fax on your mobile device, simply follow the following steps:
- Download the iFax app.
- Open the app and create your iFax account. You can get your fax number with our free trial. This is the number that people will use to send a fax to you.
- You can then view the fax in your inbox. Access it as you would an ordinary email. You can even sign and forward the fax if necessary.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Mobile Fax App?
Convenience
This is the most significant benefit of using a mobile fax app. You can send and receive faxes anywhere, anytime, if you have an Internet connection. Plus, you no longer have to print anything on paper or purchase ink and other supplies.
Cost-effectiveness
Mobile fax apps are much cheaper than traditional faxing. You don’t need to pay for a fax machine or a separate phone line. Since you’re using the internet to send and receive faxes, there are no long-distance charges.
Ease of use
Mobile fax apps are straightforward to use. You don’t need any special skills or knowledge to get started. Your team can start transmitting documents without hours of training if the interface is well-designed.
Compatibility
Most mobile fax apps are compatible with multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This means you can send and receive faxes on the device that’s most convenient for you. The apps usually work with different operating systems and can be integrated with various productivity tools.
The Best Mobile Fax App You Can Use
As the demand for mobile devices exponentially grows, the need for convenient faxing solutions also follows. Make faxing easier by using the leading mobile faxing app today.
iFax is the perfect solution for anyone who needs to send or receive faxes without the hassle of connecting your mobile device to a fax machine. You don’t need any phone jacks or special fax adapters. All you need is the iFax mobile app.
Our top-rated mobile app works with Android and iOS smartphones. With our military-grade end-to-end encryption, you can rest assured that your faxes are safe.
See how easy it is to send and receive faxes using your smartphone. Download iFax for Android and iOS today.
