Print to remote fax?

March 22, 2011 9:13 AM

I'm wondering if this is even possible... my client wants to be able add the ability to select from the list of available printers; a remote fax machine. The original file will be quickbooks invoices. All my searches turn up what seem to be really old 'almost' solutions.
posted by bravowhiskey to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

What operating system? What fax machine? Many networked printers with fax capabilities support faxing from a remote PC. You could also install a fax modem in the computer and use that if a phone line is available.
posted by ChrisHartley at 9:22 AM on March 22, 2011

Really need more information to answer this. What does your client wish to accomplish? Do they want to have QB invoices print out on that remote fax machine? Do they want the remote fax machine fax invoices elsewhere? What fax machine are they using? Is there a VPN involved? Which OS are you talking about, Mac or Windows?

QB (any variant) for Windows (which I have directly supported in the past) will print to any printer device just like any other Windows program. You can print to a local printer, remote printer, fax machine, fax modem, PDF converter, etc. The question is what needs to be done, how do you want to accomplish it and what equipment you have.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 9:44 AM on March 22, 2011

Agreed, you don't give enough information. The two solutions that come to mind, without actually knowing what's going on is:

• Your two offices (see the assumption I made there?) should be able to communicate via VPN anyhow. You can share more than just fax machines, you can share authentication (domain, if your in Windows land) servers, file servers, printers, faxes, scanners and a bunch of other things.
• Install a fax server and you'll be able to print to any fax machine in the world instead of printing and then walking over to a fax and then printing.

Can I ask in what way this person is your client?
posted by Brian Puccio at 10:53 AM on March 22, 2011

ah fax server duh
posted by bravowhiskey at 1:10 PM on March 22, 2011