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Most Carleton fax machines have been replaced by a digital solution that integrates with email.  Using this new system, you can send faxes from any MFP on campus, and you receive faxes from a special email box created just for your department or group.  Many departments on campus are using the new system and are happy with the results.

Important: receiving faxes has changed slightly as Carleton transitions away from Zimbra. Read on for more information about how to receive and send faxes in the Google world.

Receiving a fax through email

Fax mailboxes are configured as Google Groups. Google Groups are a special type of email account in Google that behaves like a combination of a mailing list and a shared mailbox. Each Carleton fax number is associated with an email address that corresponds to a Google Group. All incoming faxes are delivered as messages to the relevant Google Group. Based on the decisions that the owner(s) of that fax number make (see below for details), various people may have access to the Google Group to view and manage incoming faxes directly, and others may receive a copy of each incoming fax message in their own personal GMail account.

This service allows a department to get rid of a fax machine and receive incoming faxes through a special department emailbox. To set up this service, complete the Fax Server Setup Form and turn it in to Dave Flynn in ITS (while visiting, via campus mail, or via email). When filling out the form, the department must choose between two options for setting up the service:

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Important: it is not yet possible to send faxes from email in the Google environment. This functionality will be restored soon; in the meantime, please see the MFP instructions below for sending faxes.

Sending a fax using an MFP

To send a fax using any MFP on campus, use the  "Scan and Send" feature to scan the document and send it via email. The email address to which a fax should be sent takes the following form:

<phone number> @ f.x

Where <phone number> is the exact number you would dial from a Carleton phone if you were attempting to call the destination from your own office phone. In particular, you must include a 9 (if you are sending to a non-Carleton number), a 1 (if dialing a non-local number), the area code, etc. 

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