moyman@ecn.purdue.edu (James M Moya) (11/01/90)
I asked the following a ways back and didn't get much response so here it goes again. I would appreciate *any* information on Networkable FAX modems and associated software. By "networkable" I mean I want to set it up in one place (zone) and let everyone on the network be able to send and recieve using the one FAXmodem. Please let me know of your set-ups, hang-ups, etc.. whether you use it along with MS Mail or QuickMail, etc...Thankin' --moya Mike Moya Macintosh Systems and Networking Engineering Computer Network Purdue University
boris@world.std.com (Boris Levitin) (11/01/90)
moyman@ecn.purdue.edu (James M Moya) writes: >I would appreciate *any* information on Networkable FAX modems and >associated software. By "networkable" I mean I want to set it up in one >place (zone) and let everyone on the network be able to send and recieve >using the one FAXmodem. Please let me know of your set-ups, hang-ups, etc.. >whether you use it along with MS Mail or QuickMail, etc...Thankin' Solutions International has a product called FaxGate that's installed on a QuickMail or MS Mail server. Users send images via a chooser-level device that comes with a software package called MailMaker (essentially a network SuperGlue without GlueNotes capability). I am successfully using MailMaker to send images from my 4MB machine to users' 1MB machines, but my attempts to send from a 1MB machine were not successful; also, my company's MIS department has tested FaxGate and reports a lot of crashing. Even if the system were to work perfectly, it would still be rather expensive (a separate MailMaker license would be required for each user). A better solution is Prometheus Products' ProModem 9600M. It's a fully-Group III-compatible fax modem and a V.32 9600/19200bps data modem in one box (I *think* Prometheus also offers a cheaper version without the data modem). THe list price is $1000 although you could get it for around $670 from a mail-order place. It comes with MacFax, a chooser-level device that enables everyone within the same zone (I think it doesn't go across zones) to send faxes, although the physical modem has to be plugged into someone's serial port. The chooser device looks to software like a printer driver, and generates a "busy" signal when the modem is actually transmitting. The unit includes a disk spooler. The ProModem produces very sharp, properly- dithered output, especially when used with Adobe Type Manager, the included outline fonts or System 7's TrueType fonts. Finally, it should be possible to network any fax modem within an AppleTalk zone by using La Cie's SilverPlatter serial-peripheral-sharing utility. It costs $99 and also uses a chooser device. Boris Levitin ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WGBH Public Broadcasting, Boston boris@world.std.com Audience & Marketing Research wgbx!boris_levitin@athena.mit.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (The opinions expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily coincide with those of my employer or anyone else. The WGBH tag is for ID only.)