Can You Fax With MagicJack? Understanding the Limitations

Some of you may have faced the dreaded moment: you’re just about finished making a special meal or treat and you realize you’re out of an ingredient. Can you substitute baking powder for baking soda? Garlic salt for fresh, minced cloves? Ground up flaxseed for eggs? Perhaps, but the finished dish may not be exactly right.

This is very similar to the answer of the popular question, “Can you fax with MagicJack?” MagicJack is a service that allows you to make free phone calls, and since faxing has conventionally been linked with phone service, many wonder if you can fax with MagicJack. Perhaps, but the finished fax transmission may not be exactly right.

MagicJack is problematic when it comes to faxing, and we’ll explain why. In the end, you’re probably better off using an online fax service.

Table of Contents

• How MagicJack Works with Faxing

• MagicJack Fax Issues and How to Resolve Them

• More Reliable Alternatives to MagicJack Fax

How MagicJack Works with Faxing

When you sign up with MagicJack, you’ll receive a device with a standard phone jack that connects to your computer or router. MagicJack operates as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service, similar to Google Voice or Skype, allowing you to make free calls throughout the United States and Canada using the internet instead of the old-fashioned public switched telephone network (PSTN).

The difference between using the internet instead of the PSTN has to do with how the data is transmitted. Both take analog data, convert it to a digital signal, compress these signals, and divide them into smaller pieces. With VoIP, these pieces are sent through a packet-switched network on the internet instead of a circuit-switched one. Once the packets are delivered, the data is changed back into voice for the recipient. These transmissions travel back and forth so quickly that a fluid conversation results.

Conventional fax machines, on the other hand, take a scanned image, convert it to electronic pulses, transmit those pulses through a phone line, and change those impulses back into the original document. It sounds very similar to how the phone service over the internet works. And, yes, technically, you should be able to fax with MagicJack. However, the company itself admits you may face reliability issues.

MagicJack Fax Issues and How to Resolve Them

Can You Connect A Fax Machine To Magicjack For Sending And Receiving Faxes?

According to MagicJack, you can connect your fax machine with its software and modem to the MagicJack device. The company suggests that, before sending a fax, you try to make a phone call. If everything is working properly for a phone call, send a test fax to check quality and receptivity. Even after taking these steps, MagicJack says it cannot guarantee that fax documents will successfully be transmitted through its service each and every time.

Steps for Using MagicJack for Fax

You can test your connection to try and get MagicJack working. Follow these steps for using Magic Jack for fax.

Step 1: Make sure MagicJack is working

Test whether the MagicJack fax setup is working by connecting it to a regular telephone and making and receiving a call. If the connected telephone can place calls, the phone connection is working.

Step 2: Connect the fax machine to MagicJack

With the connection confirmed, set up your fax machine or computer with a fax modem and software and connect it to MagicJack in the same way you’d connect to a regular telephone line.

Step 3: Try it out

Test the connection by trying to send a fax using the fax machine or computer. For more information, check out FaxAuthority’s guide to testing a fax machine.

Step 4: Adjust the settings on the fax machine

If the connection doesn’t work, you can adjust the fax machine settings to simplify the signal through the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. Firstly, set the fax machine’s baud rate to the lowest possible setting, then set the error correction mode to off. 

These changes should help the fax signal be understood as it transmits through the VoIP system. However, not all fax machines have these settings, and this option won’t apply if you’re using a computer.

Step 5: Try it again

Repeat step 3 to test the connection again. If the test still doesn’t work, return the baud rate and ECM to the original settings.

Why are MagicJack faxes potentially unreliable? VoIP technology was designed to transmit phone calls over the internet, not faxed documents. Original fax machines were created to function on analog networks, not on a digital one, making VoIP technology somewhat incompatible with conventional fax technology.

In addition, there is often more variability in the quality of a given VoIP signal, which means that connections and transmissions are not as reliable as on a conventional analog network. Add to that the fact that you’ll probably need to use a splitter to connect both your phone and your fax machine to the MagicJack fax device at the same time, leading to further distortions of the end product.

If you’re having issues trying to fax with MagicJack, here are some troubleshooting ideas:

• Try plugging your fax machine directly into your MagicJack device if a splitter is degrading image quality.
• Fax fewer pages at one time and find another avenue to send graphically dense documents.
• Use a wifi connection to connect your MagicJack system.
• Do not run MagicJack on 3G, 4G or Air Card because the device requires high-speed connectivity and these signals are not compatible.
• Adjust your modem speed on your fax machine, beginning at the lowest setting and slowing moving higher until the quality is acceptable.
• Make sure your error correction mode is turned to the “off” setting.
• For important documents, you may want to make a follow-up phone call to the recipient and make sure the fax was received and readable.

More Reliable Alternatives to MagicJack Fax

Although MagicJack can be used reliably for free internet phone calls and perhaps an occasional fax here and there, you may want to consider more reliable ways to send and receive faxes through the internet on a regular basis. Many internet faxing services like eFax are available today to help you do just that without the need of extra hardware.

The bottom line is that today’s businesses still demand faxed documents as a means of communication, and being able to operate effectively and reliably in such an environment is still necessary. Online faxing is a cost-effective and convenient method to exchange fax documents with those suppliers, customers or stakeholders who require them. Easily fax a pdf online in minutes through your computer or phone.

In addition, internet faxing is less expensive and cumbersome than MagicJack, which requires you to print out your document and feed it through a conventional fax machine. Recoup the dollars spent on equipment, toner and paper as well as the time it takes to shuffle the paper while increasing fax quality and reliability.

Visit eFax.com to explore its many value-added features, including digital signature, toll-free or local phone numbers, and free online storage, to name just a few. Sign up for an account today for reliable, affordable and high-quality internet faxing.

FAQs Related to Fax with MagicJack

Does MagicJack support encrypted fax transmissions?

No, MagicJack doesn’t support encrypted fax transmissions, which means the faxes you send through the service may not be private and your confidential data could go missing.

What security measures does eFax offer that MagicJack does not have for fax transmissions?

eFax is the world’s leading online fax provider and offers top-of-the-range security measures to protect your data and users. eFax Protect ensures online fax messages are kept confidential and secure and meet regulatory compliance standards, such as HIPAA, GLBA, SOX, PCI, 256-bit TLS encryption and Tier-3 secure servers. Our flexible, scalable and secure cloud-based service streamlines fax processes and reduces overall fax costs.

How easy is it to switch from MagicJack to eFax?

It’s easy to switch from MagicJack to eFax and swap your bulky, costly fax machine for highly reliable, cost-effective online faxing. eFax also offers value-added features like digital signatures, toll-free or local phone numbers, and free online storage. Switch to eFax now to start faxing online.