How to Connect a Fax to a PC

Fax machines assist small businesses in the quick transfer of hard copies of images and text. Businesses often use a central fax machine – commonly an all-in-one that combines scanner, copier and fax functions – to connect to a network so all office personnel can share the device. You can connect an all-in-one printer, copier and fax to a computer using an Ethernet cable or, depending on your device, a USB cable.

Locate the telephone line port on your all-in-one fax machine, commonly found on the side or rear of the device. You can also refer to your fax machine’s user manual for a diagram displaying the location of the telephone line port. Insert the telephone cord in the port.

Insert the other end of the telephone cord in a standard RJ-11 telephone jack.

Connect a USB cable to the USB port of the printer. Connect the other end of the USB cable to your computer’s USB port. If you are connecting the fax machine to a broadband router, connect an Ethernet cable to your fax’s Ethernet port.

Plug in the fax device and turn it on. Power up your host PC.

Insert the driver disc supplied with your fax in your host PC’s CD tray. Your computer will begin an installation process. You must follow the prompts of the installation wizard to install the fax’s operating software on your PC.

Insert the fax’s driver disc in each computer on your office network that will use the fax and follow the installation wizard prompts for installation. Open the fax’s operating program on each computer. You have connected your computer to your fax machine and can send faxes from your PC with the fax program’s user interface.