You may have a 64 bit version of Windows (Windows 7 x64) but this does not always indicate that you have a 64 bit version of Office 2010 installed. If you are not sure which version you installed, the following article will describe how you can determine the version you are using.

 Why use the 32 bit version of Office 2010 if I have a 64 bit operating system like Windows 7 x64?

The advantage of using the 32 bit version (the default installation, and recommended installation from Microsoft) is that your existing add-ons and templates that are designed specifically for 32 bit operating systems will (or should) continue to work with Office 2010. 

The advantage of using the 64 bit version of Office 2010 is that you can utilize more memory and handle larger documents within Office 2010.  So, unless you’re normally dealing and working with large files of 2GB or more, Office 2010 64 bit isn’t going to give you any advantage over the 32 bit version.

The following Microsoft Engineering Blog has some good information on this, http://blogs.technet.com/b/office2010/archive/2010/02/23/understanding-64-bit-office.aspx

NOTE: You can’t run mixed 32 bit Office and 64 bit Office 2010 components (side by side).  If you install Office 2010 64 bit, all your Office 2010 software will be 64 bit (Outlook 2010, Excel 2010, Word 2010 …)  The same is true for the 32 bit version.  If you have the 64 bit of Outlook 2010 installed, you must uninstall Outlook 2010 64 bit and install the 32 bit version to install any other Microsoft Office 2010 32 bit applications

If you’re using any of the following software products,  you’ll require the 32 bit version of Office 2010. 

• Sending fax merges with the FaxTalk Fax Merge requires a 32 bit version of Microsoft Word 2010. 
• WinFax PRO with a compatible operating system (Windows XP, 2003) will function with 32 bit Microsoft Office 2010.
• WinFax is not compatible with Outlook 2010 contacts.
• FaxTalk FaxCenter Pro 8, FaxTalk Multiline Server 8 and FaxTalk Messenger Pro 8 require the 32 bit version of Outlook 2010 to use contacts**

** FaxTalk FaxCenter Pro, FaxTalk Multiline Server and FaxTalk Messenger Pro can fax using 64 bit or 32 bit Office 2010 products.

How to determine the version of Microsoft Office 2010 installed

If you are not sure what version you have installed, you can check by clicking FILE from the Word ribbon, and then click HELP.

A 64 bit or 32 bit version will be indicated in the dialog box as shown. (32 bit or 64 bit will appear after the version information)

A Fake WinFax PRO 10.03 CD ROM in a paper sleeve

If you purchased WinFax software and have a questions regarding if it is fake or not, let us know and we can check it out for you.  If you purchased a download of  Symantec WinFax PRO, it is an illegal copy and  could contain malware.   

WinFax PRO is no longer being sold & distributed by Symantec and the only way to purchase a legitimate version is 2nd hand (used) or New Old Stock (NOS) from a retailer. 

There are also counterfeit CDs in existance, and they are poor quality copies of the original.  Don’t get ripped off by purchasing a WinFax PRO CD!  The picture above is an image of an actual FAKE / COUNTERFEIT WinFax PRO CD. If in doubt, ask the seller to send you a picture of the actual CD they are selling.  Compare it with the picture here. It is difficult to determine the fake from a real CD if you have never seen an authentic CD, but once you compare the two, the differences are easy to spot. 

The first clue is if your CD contains the version of WinFax PRO. All official CDs will only list version 10.0 on the CD.  Authentic CDs do not include version identifiers 10.02 or 10.03. This is not listed on the CD anywhere.    Official CDs are on silver “shiney” surface where “WinFax PRO” is printed.  A dull matte-finish is a fake CD. 

You can still use these multi-function printers in conjunction with a fax modem and WinFax PRO. You can use the scanner feature to scan documents, and, of course, to print your faxes.

 

• Fax from any application by clicking Print and selecting the FaxTalk printer driver.
• Scan pages directly from your scanner.
• Supports Super G3 Fax speeds with compatible Class 2.1 hardware.
• Import WinFax PRO faxes and contacts/phonebooks (See Notes below) (*does not import WinFax cover pages)
• Produce professional looking faxes with full preview and annotation.
• Cover Sheet Designer with 9 included pre-designed cover sheets.
• Access Microsoft Outlook (Outlook 2010 32 bit edition) contacts directly when sending faxes.
• Forward received faxes by email. (as PDF, TIFF or proprietary .FAX format)
• Operates as a network fax client for FaxTalk Multiline Server (for FaxTalk FaxCenter Pro or FaxTalk Messenger Pro)
• Broadcast faxes to fax numbers and email addresses.
• Fax Merge (personalize multiple faxes automatically) with Microsoft Word using optional FaxTalk Fax Merge software add-on.
• Fax Merge compatibility with ACT! 2008, ACT! 2009, ACT! 2010 and ACT! 2011 using optional add-on called FaxAdmin.
• Block the reception of unwanted junk faxes.
• Developer Fax SDK to integrate FaxTalk with your custom software application. (Programming experience required)
• Voice mail and Fax back capability with a compatible voice modem using FaxTalk Messenger Pro or FaxTalk Multiline Server software.

Importing WinFax data into FaxTalk

One of the nice features of FaxTalk is the ability to import existing WinFax PRO logs and phonebooks/contacts into FaxTalk.  Logs (the Send Log, Receive Log and any other message stores/sub folders you created in WinFax PRO) can be imported into FaxTalk and the fax images are automatically converted to a format that can be used in FaxTalk.  Logs that are imported are stored in a folder in FaxTalk called the File Cabinet.  The File Cabinet works like the Attachments folder in WinFax.   FaxTalk cannot import WinFax archive (.WFA) backups, so to be able to import you need to have WinFax PRO on the same system and it must be installed before you can perform the import in FaxTalk.  This can pose a problem if your old computer has WinFax, and your new computer is Windows 7 (or another operating system) with FaxTalk installed.  Fortunately, there is a workaround for this.   You can install a trial version of FaxTalk on the older computer, and then perform the import into the trial version of FaxTalk.  Once the import is completed, you can then save a backup using the FaxTalk Backup option.  Performing a backup creates an archive file with a .FTA extension.  You can then copy this .FTA file created from the trial version to the new computer.  At the new computer, you perform a restore (using the FaxTalk Backup Tool) and point to the .FTA file.  to restore the phonebooks and logs. 

Fax Blast using FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word

If you need to send multiple faxes with personalized information on each fax, you need the FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word. This allows you to use your contact database to send personalized faxes easily. Automate your faxing from Microsoft Word™ and FaxTalk FaxCenter Pro, FaxTalk Messenger Pro or FaxTalk Multiline Server. Fax broadcast from your Windows desktop by using the power of FaxTalk Fax Messenger and the FaxTalk Merge Macro for Microsoft Word. You can send faxes directly from Microsoft Word by clicking an icon. Select your prepared mail merge document with a data source, click on Send a Fax merge, select your recipients & optional cover sheet and click Merge. Send a few faxes or thousands of faxes, directly from Microsoft Word.

The FaxTalk Fax Merge is available separately as an add-on, or can be bundled together with the FaxTalk product of your choice at a discounted price.

Bundle with the FaxTalk Fax Merge for Microsoft Word

Compatible with Microsoft Word 2010 (32 bit edition only), Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft Word 2003 and Microsoft Word XP

Below you can view a video that shows the basics of sending a “fax blast” fax merge using Microsoft Word 2010 (32 bit edition) and FaxTalk Multiline Server (the operation is exactly the same with FaxTalk FaxCenter Pro or FaxTalk Messenger Pro, and Microsoft Word 2007)

You can order or download a trial version here http://www.getfaxing.com/faxtalk

Requirements for FaxTalk software:

• Compatible Microsoft Windows operating system (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000)
• Compatible Class 1, 1.0, 2, 2.0, 2.1 fax modem. (Internal or External models)
• Compatible Voice/Fax Modem for voice features of FaxTalk Messenger Pro or FaxTalk Multiline Server 
• Compatible version of Microsoft Word for the FaxTalk Fax Merge option. (Word XP/2003/2007/Word 2010 32 bit edition)
• Microsoft Word 2010 Starter Edition is not compatible. 64 bit version of Office 2010 is not compatible.

FaxBack has recently released version 8.6 of NET SatisFAXtion server software.  WinFax PRO client support has been completely omitted in the documentation of versions 8.5 and 8.6. The last version that mentioned the ability to connect WinFax as a client was version 8.1. 

We couldn’t find any upgrade warnings in the 8.5 or 8.6 upgrade or administration documentation for users that could possibily upgrade only to find they now have a bunch of  client software that won’t connect to NET SatisFAXtion anymore.

It’s obvious that the WinFax client feature has been depreciated since version 8.1, but it’s possible that WinFax PRO clients are still “unofficially supported”  in versions 8.5 and 8.6 with use of the latest WinFax Connector.

If you have any additional details regarding compatibility with these versions please let us know.   We contacted FaxBack directly and received a reply that WinFax PRO connector had not been supported since version 8.0 (while we found a WinFax Connector update released about 2 years after the release of 8.0? and 8.1 mentions it in the documentation.

We do know that  NET SatisFAXtion version 8.0 will be retired December 31, 2009.

Our initial testing confirms that you can run WinFax PRO in Windows XP mode, but you cannot “share” the WinFax PRO printer driver with Windows 7 applications.  We successfully shared the fax modem, (and it was a software based modem!) but not the fax printer. This prevents any access from Windows 7 programs to the WinFax printer. Only the applications that are installed within the Windows XP Virtual machine can be used with WinFax to send faxes, you cannot create faxes from within Windows 7 applications. 

This limits the usability of WinFax in Windows 7.  if you require to fax from a Windows 7 application, it will not work.  Although, having Windows XP within your Windows 7 operating system saves you the expensive of having another separate computer just to run legacy Windows XP applications such as WinFax.

An alternative to WinFax PRO is FaxTalk FaxCenter Pro,  more details here

 More on Windows XP Mode with Windows 7.

Windows XP Mode is a feature that is optional on Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise versions of Windows 7. Windows XP Mode is not available in the Home Premium or Starter Editions of Windows 7. Windows XP Mode option can be downloaded at no additional charge with a qualified version of Windows 7 directly from Microsoft’s Web site here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

In addition to the downloads, you’ll need a compatible processor and motherboard that supports hardware virtualization (AMD-V or Intel VT , also code named Vanderpool technology) . Microsoft has released a tool which you can download to test to see if your processor can support the AMD-V or Intel VT mode.  See Microsoft’s link above for more details.

More info on some compatible CPU’s in this post: http://www.getfaxing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=718

• Symantec never included the actual revision of WinFax PRO 10 (10.01,10.02 or 10.03)  on the CD ROM.  So, if your WinFax PRO CD ROM says “WinFax PRO 10.03″ its a fake. All genuine WinFax PRO 10 cd’s contain the heading ”WinFax PRO 10.0″
• If you see text with “winFAX” or “Live Update” anywhere on the CD its a fake.  The official Symantec trademarks are ”WinFax” and “LiveUpdate”, no other variations of this text should appear on the CD ROM.
• Failure to capitalize ”symantec” and “corporation”.
• An “All rights resverd” spelling error, or other spelling errors.
• Incorrect font used for WinFax PRO and Symantec logo. The current Symantec logo is consistant across all software they produce.
• Silver portion of CD is a (dull) matte finish, on the real CD it is relective (mirror surface).
• To determine if the CD is brand new and sealed – geniune WinFax PRO 10 CD’s come in a white envelope sleeve that are sealed with a sticker that may have one or more of the following: a bar code, a Symantec 5 or 6 digit product code, a brief license agreement. 
• In most cases, manufacturer information is printed on the inner rim of the CD ROM of genuine CD’s. This is usually missing on a counterfeit.
• Update patch 10.04 is not included on genuine CD ROMs. Any CD that contains the patch update to 10.04 is a counterfeit.

Example of a counterfeit CD ROM  and genuine WinFax PRO 10 CD ROM. Notice the differences in the mirror surface, the Symantec logo, and different font types. The counterfeit contains ”10.03″ version, something that is not printed on the genuine CD.  You’ll also probably see manufacturer information around the inner rim of the genuine CD ROM.  This is  likely to be missing on the counterfeit WinFax PRO CD.

This is a counterfeit poor quality copy of WinFax PRO 10.03 that appears to be created on a home deskjet printer. Note the non-reflective matte finish on the CD ROM.

 Here is the original design of the WnFax PRO 10 CD ROM used for North American releases of WinFax PRO 10.0 and WinFax PRO 10.01. This has a different design, yellow with silver (reflective) images.  This version uses the older style Symantec logo.

This image on the left is an example of a genuine WinFax PRO 10.0 or 10.01 CD ROM. Symantec updated most of its design & software boxes when they changed logo designs. Version 10.02 and 10.03 use the updated design & Symantec logo. This design also uses a reflective mirror finish on portions of the CD ROM. Lack of reflective mirror finish would indicate a counterfeit CD, or a version with the 10.04 update included on the same install CD would indicate a counterfeit.

WinFax PRO and TalkWorks PRO stores log records in the default Messages message store. A message store works like a filing cabinet with drawers that hold different types of files. For easy access, the Messages message store organizes your messages by placing them in one of four default folders:

• Send Log  Stores sent messages.
• Receive Log  Stores received messages.
• Outbox  Stores scheduled, held, and pending messages.
• Wastebasket  Stores deleted messages until you remove them manually or automatically.

Fax and voice log entries in the Messages message store are uncompressed; the Messages message store is therefore more suitable for short-term message storage or for storing a smaller number of messages. 

If you want to keep your messages for long-term use or you receive large numbers of messages, you can set up your own message filing system with custom message stores and subfolders. For example, you might want to organize correspondence by customer and your sales reports by quarter.

We’ve been testing an on-line fax service for a few months now, and have found OneSuite.com to be reliable for incoming and outgoing faxes.  Get yourself your own fax number, from a selection of 16 U.S. states, with unlimited incoming fax pages.  Your faxes are then transmitted to you instantly to your e-mail address in a multi-page PDF format. Get started for as low as $1.00 a month for unlimited incoming fax service! and you can get started within minutes with a minimum pre-paid amount of $10.00 US Dollars. Use the link below to sign up, and get an additional 5% sign up bonus and your 1st month free!  https://www.onesuite.com/A96909221/suitetreat

If you want to be able to send and receive faxes, the service is $2.95 a month and includes unlimited incoming faxes.  Sent faxes are charged at a per page rate , in USA/Canada the current rate is 2.5 cents per page. 

No setup fees, no hidden fees, you pay for what you use and the monthly fee of only $2.95 for sending and receiving, or $1.00 a month for receiving only.  Each subscription plan includes your own fax number, with unlimited fax receive.

Use SuiteTreat promotion code : A96909221 to receive the 5% Bonus plus your 1st month free.

• WinFax PRO 8.0x
• WinFax PRO 9.0x
• WinFax PRO 10.0x
• TalkWorks PRO 2.0x
• TalkWorks PRO 3.0
• WinFax Basic Edition (all versions)
• TalkWorks Basic Edition (all versions)
• Delrina Fax (French release, version 8.0x and above)

More details on this security flaw by clicking here

Symantec has released this official Security Bulletin for WinFax PRO, technical details can be found at Symantec’s Web site

If you use a Norton product for security, such as Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security 2009, this threat is detected with current definitions. Other security software from other vendors  may also detect this threat.

Regardless of the type of security you are using, We recommend setting the KillBit for this specific ActiveX control to always prevent it from activating. Setting this KillBit does NOT effect the normal operation of WinFax PRO. 

This is recommended if you have or do not have an installation of WinFax PRO.

If you have prior experience in setting a KillBit in the Windows registry, the CSLID for the WinFax PRO Viewer Control is {C05A1FBC-1413-11D1-B05F-00805F4945F6}

or, you can use our tool to do this for you, download our Free version of WinFax Tools.  Click “Fix Security DLL” button and the KillBit will be set automatically.

UPDATE: In a Windows XP update that was released February 9th, 2010, this security flaw was finally addressed. The actual update released by Microsoft is: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-008 – Critical Cumulative Security Update of ActiveX Kill Bits (978262).   If you have already downloaded this security update for Windows XP, then your system will already have the necessary ActiveX Kill bits set for the WinFax PRO ActiveX control.  You can still download WinFax Tools and confirm if the ActiveX kill bit was applied properly by this Windows XP Update. If your system has the Killbit set, the WinFax Tools program will indicate it has already been applied.

This is a common question that isn’t always easy to answer without more details on the specific fax pages you’re actually sending or receiving. There is a possibility that transmission errors  can cause pages to be re-transmitted, increasing the overall send and receive time.  In addition, there are compatibility issues with specific types of fax devices, where the maximum fax speed may be limited due to different fax specifications such as v.34, v.32bis and v.17 (more on this later.)

WinFax and the maximum fax transmission and reception speed.

The truth is, all fax transmissions are slow when compared with today’s high speed internet. The maximum speed you can receive and send with WinFax PRO is 14.4kbps (14,400bps), regardless of the type of fax modem you use.  This is a fax specification that is called v.17. You can send a 50 page Word document via e-mail in seconds, while that same 50 page document would take almost an hour to fax using a v.17 fax.

Super G3 and v.34 fax

Some newer office fax machines support something called Super G3 (also called v.34bis), and an older fax standard called v.34, both with transmission speeds of 33.3kbps and 28.8kbps respectively.  However, most  consumer grade fax modems that you buy for your computer don’t support Super G3 or v.34.

Both Super G3 and v.34 fax are not supported by WinFax PRO, even if WinFax did support the newer Super G3 standard, chances are you don’t have the fax modem hardware to be able to take advantage of it. Super G3 is usually reserved for higher-priced office fax machines and higher-end fax modem cards.  Usually, large and medium sized businesses may have a Super G3 Fax machine, but many are still using fax machines and devices that support the older v.17 standard at 14,400bps.  About 3 out of 10 fax machines support the Super G3 specification.

If you use a Super G3 Fax, your maximum speed is 33.3kbps — that’s less throughput then standard telephone based dial-up internet access! Now that’s not so Super speed, but it does cut the transmission time in half when compared to v.17 fax, and also the initial connection and disconnection times are reduced in Super G3 Fax.  To see the benefits of a Super G3 Fax machine, you must communicate with another Super G3 Fax machine or compatible device.

The good news is its all compatible, so a Super G3 Fax Machine can talk with other types of fax machines, including a WinFax equipped computer. The lowest speed of the two machines fastest speed is the transmission speed that is set during the initial connection.

Average time to send or receive a fax page

The time it takes to send or receive a fax is based on the actual content of the fax, and how that fax is compressed during the transmission. On average, a single page will take approximately 1 minute to transmit at the WinFax maximum 14.4kbps speed (about 1/4 the speed of the fastest dial up modem internet connection).

That time will increase considerably if the fax image includes photographs, or complex images on the page. A fax with continuous white-space can be sent or received much faster when compared to faxes with a lot of text and graphics, usually a single fax page with a lot of white-space can be transmitted under 45 seconds. A lot of this time is consumed at the initial connection, start of a new page, and disconnection portions of the transmission.

How to speed it up

If you are concerned about the time it takes to send a fax. I recommend reducing the quality of the fax transmitted by sending pages in “Standard” or “Low” resolution. This can be configured in WinFax setup, under the Send options. This can reduce the sending time of faxes by as much as 50%, but the quality of the fax that is received on the other side suffers. If you use a Class 1 fax modem, you can also turn on the High Speed and 2D Compression options.  You do not have this option with a modem configured as a Class 2 or 2.0 fax modem in WinFax PRO.

When receiving faxes, you do not have control how they are received, if a fax is transmitted by the sender to you in high resolution, you will receive the fax in high resolution and it may take additional time to receive it. If two 14,400 bps machines are connecting, the entire fax transmission speed should be 14,400 bps unless there are some problems with the connection. Speeds such as 9,600 bps, 4,800 bps and 2,400 bps are also possible during error conditions. There are also 9,600 bps fax machines, so you may be receiving from an older fax machine where the maximum speed is 9,600 bps and it may be a normal condition.

Conclusion

Faxes are slow when compared to todays high speed internet access, regardless of the fax specification you’re using.  There is nothing you can do about this limitation. Computers don’t normally come bundled with a fax modem that support Super G3 (Class 2.1 type fax modem), so you can’t take advantage of the speed increase unless you spend money on an expensive fax board and use software that will support the Super G3 specification.

At the time of the writing of this article, we found a reasonably priced hardware based internal PCI and PCI express fax modem that also supports Super G3 (Class 2.1), the MultiTech Multimodem ZXP.   Multitech has been in the fax modem business for many years, and are known for reliable products. They are one of the few manufacturers that produce an internal Super G3/Class 2.1 fax modem.

If you use this fax modem with WinFax, it will not support the Super G3 fax setting, you will have to configure this fax modem as a Class 1, Class 2, or Class 2.0 fax device.

Information regarding use of WinFax with Microsoft Vista and Microsoft Windows 7 from the WinFax Forums:  http://www.getfaxing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=718

Technical article on Microsoft Vista and WinFax PRO: http://www.getfaxing.com/winfax/2008/11/29/winfax-pro-and-microsoft-vista-compatibility/

Technical article on Microsoft Windows 7 and WinFax PRO: http://www.getfaxing.com/winfax/2009/06/03/symantec-winfax-pro-and-microsoft-windows-7-compatibility/

Alternative to WinFax PRO is FaxTalk FaxCenter Pro, it is compatible with Windows 7 & VISTA. More details here: http://www.getfaxing.com/faxtalk

One of the main components of WinFax PRO is its printer driver, the printer driver allows you to fax from other applications. Without this driver, you cannot send faxes from other applications. WinFax PRO is crippled without the installation of the included printer (WinFax) driver, without it, all you can fax are single cover pages that are built into WinFax.

The first problem with installation of WinFax PRO under Windows 2003 is that the printer driver support in the operating system was moved from kernel to user mode. The reason is that the use of kernel mode printer drivers can possibily cause a server to hang, result in a blue screen and require a reboot. This isn’t something you want happening on a server. Because of this possibility, Microsoft decided to block the installation of all kernel mode printer drivers in Windows 2003.

During the installation of WinFax PRO, a kernel mode printer driver (also called version 2 printer driver) is added to your list of installed printers. By default, Windows 2003 won’t allow you to add this printer, and during the installation it is either ignored silently or a printer driver related error message is displayed.

Fortunately, in Windows 2003 you can bypass this restriction. You can set a group policy in Windows 2003 to allow the installation of kernel mode printers. Once you’ve done this, you should be able to successfully install WinFax PRO under Windows 2003.

Using Terminal Services / Remote Desktop Services with WinFax

One of the reasons of a Windows 2003 Server installation is because you can then use Terminal Services/Remote Desktop Services to have users connect remotely. We get a lot of requests regarding using WinFax with Terminal Services/Remote Desktop Services. This article may save you a lot of time and headaches.

Many printer drivers just don’t support terminal services (now called Remote Desktop Services), and WinFax PRO’s kernel mode drivers are no exception. If you attempt to print to the WinFax PRO printer driver, the output results will only appear on the console session (session 0), not the users remote connection. There is a document from Microsoft which explains how to shadow the console session 0 with a remote session here. Not a solution, but you can see what is going on here.

So the problem here is anyone using Remote Desktop Services trying to send a fax from their local machine are not going to see the WinFax Send screen asking them enter a fax number/name for the document they want to fax. While you could shadow the console session 0, its not always a good solution.

Alternative solution and sharing WinFax PRO with other clients

WinFax PRO includes a feature called Fax Sharing. It allows you to configure one computer to be a “WinFax Host”, and then you can connect (up to 25) other “WinFax clients” to it. The clients you connect don’t require a fax modem, they just require WinFax PRO to be installed on the local machine. Faxes are then routed to the Host from the client and are sent through the installed fax modem on the Windows 2003 server. Each client has its own send & receive log, and installed WinFax printer driver so everything is generated on the client computer. Remember that each client must be using an OS that WinFax can support, like Windows XP.

With Fax Sharing, you can configure the Windows 2003 machine as a WinFax Host. You can then install WinFax PRO on each user’s machine, and then connect to the Host. The Host machine doesn’t even need the have the WinFax PRO printer drivers, they are not required if all the faxes are going to be processed from the client machines print drivers. We’ve not experienced any problems with the WinFax PRO printer drivers, they are fairly stable, but if you don’t want to stay clear of Kernel mode drivers installed under Windows 2003, then you can remove them or just leave blocking of kernel mode printers on during the installation of WinFax.

I hope this article provides you a better understanding how WinFax interacts with Terminal Services/Remote Desktop Services, and some of the issues with using WinFax with Windows 2003 Server machines. There are of course other technical requirements when dealing with Fax Sharing and Windows XP SP2 or SP3 clients, which will be covered in another article.

What is a doorway page?

It’s a link that may look legitimate and appear on search engines like Google, but once you click them, they can link you to another Web site or page that could be totally unrelated to the original link.

We’ve encountered links where you are presented with a realistic looking “Windows Security” scanner screen, where it looks like it is scanning your computer and it reports that several viruses are detected.  Clicking anywhere on the screen, including the Cancel button forces you to download and run a file.  The truth is no virus is detected, and the screen is nothing more than a animated graphic of the scanning process fooling the user that a real Windows security scan is happening.  Of course in a state of panic, the user clicks Cancel, and it asks you to run a file. This is where they get you, the trick here is if you actually do download run this file, you’re likely to be infected with malware, or worse, a virus that could potentially delete your data. Most of these doorways are a way for a scammer to take your hard earned money, but the most common are doorway pages that link to sites which try to sell you something, like illegal software downloads. A recent Google search of “WinFax OEM” resulted in some specific examples:

Symantec winfax pro 10.03 Download Cheap OEM software 8 Aug 2009 … Symantec winfax pro 10.03. Shop for cheap OEM Computer Software. Find the lowest priced Computer Software products from 100s of different …blog.student-energy.xxx/wp-includes/js/…/ymce.php?p…winfax-pro… – Similar

Symantec winfax pro 10.4 Download Cheap OEM software

5 Aug 2009 … Symantec winfax pro 10.4. Find, shop for and buy software, business software, multimedia software, and more from Discount OEM Software.com.
blog.student-energy.xxx/wp-includes/js/…/ymce.php?p…winfax-pro… – Similar

As you can see, these 2 specific links are hosted on a WordPress blog (I’ve edited the original link, to protect the owner of that domain).  The problem here is this WordPress site was compromised, the original owner is likely unaware that their site is being used as a doorway page. Once the visitor clicks on one of these links, they are re-directed to another Web site which purpose is to sell software downloads.

The spammers are using this organization’s domain as a doorway.  Not only is traffic being routed to their domain, and then re-routed to the spammer site, but they are also being used for the purpose of legitimately getting indexed quickly on search engines, like Google.  This can also damage your search ranking of your legitimate Web site once Google determines your site is being used as a doorway page.

Stuffed keywords like the following can appear on a hacked webpage:

Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Monday, August 24, 2009 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 download Buy Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 online oem Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 price Symantec winfax pro 10.0 crack Symantec winfax pro 10.0 software Symantec winfax pro 10.0 download download Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 sales serial number for Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Buy Symantec winfax pro 10.0 cheap Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 low price Symantec winfax pro 10.0 product key Buy Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 serial number buy Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 oem Symantec winfax pro 10.0 buy buy Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 oem serial number for Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 rapidshare Symantec winfax pro 10.0 download Symantec winfax pro 10.0 download Symantec winfax pro 10.0 software Symantec winfax pro 10.0 crack cheap Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 keygen Symantec winfax pro 10.0 price Symantec winfax pro 10.0 sales download Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 download Symantec winfax pro 10.0 serial number Symantec winfax pro 10.0 product key Symantec winfax pro 10.0 torrent oem Symantec winfax pro 10.0 Symantec winfax pro 10.0 low price

As you can see, they stuff the keywords so Google, and other search engines rank these pages above other similar type pages related to Symantec WinFax PRO. Once the page has been indexed by the search engine using the above keywords, they redirect the same indexed link to a spam site.

These Web sites should never be trusted! Why? because if they will go to lengths to hack other sites to make money, they will likely use your credit card and other personal information for their benefit. In addition, If any site is offering an immediate download of WinFax, at any price, it is illegal. We’ve come across MAJOR sites, universities, colleges and other organizations that have hosted links that redirect to these download sites, many of which included offers to download WinFax PRO and many other software titles after entering your personal information & credit card details.

If you are looking to purchase WinFax PRO, do so from a legitimate vendor, or private third-party who can provide you with an original Symantec CD-ROM media from their existing old-stock.  Please see our Where to Buy WinFax in our Guides section for more details on this.

 To purchase WinFax PRO, you’ll need to buy from a liquidator/distributor who has NOS (New Old Stock) on hand, or buy from a third-party 2nd hand.  You can find some sellers of WinFax (used and new) on eBay.   

http://www.getfaxing.com/winfaxebay

NOTE: Just because you’re buying an actual CD ROM doesn’t mean the software is legitimate. We’ve found some eBay sellers are knowing (or unknowingly) selling  illegal , copied software.  If the seller has more than one copy, and continues to sell the same product be suspect that the software is illegal.  If you suspect a seller has illegal software, ask them to send you a photo of the CD ROM they are selling. You can compare with our “Counterfeit CD” article we have on our site here.

NOTE: GetFaxing.com does not sell WinFax PRO software, The above link contains a listing of all current eBay listing with the search term “WinFax”.  We are not affiliated with any sellers (commerical, or private) of WinFax PRO software. 

There are also Google Ad links to WinFax software on our support forums, please see http://www.getfaxing.com/forums/

Any site which offers you an “instant” download of WinFax PRO is an illegal site not authorized by Symantec to sell & distribute WinFax.  For your security, do not buy and download any WinFax software from any of these  ”OEM download” sites you might find in some search engines such as Google. Not only are you purchasing pirated software (if you actually get anything at all), but you risk exposing your personal credit card details to criminals.  The only authorized download reseller of Symantec WinFax PRO prior to 2006 was Digital River. Digital River operated the Symantec Online Store.  They no longer offer this download, or provide on-line sales for Symantec.

Here’s a Video of some of WinFax’s features.  It was incorrectly named Norton WinFax in the video, WinFax Features Video

Before you purchase WinFax PRO software (eBay is one source), I’d recommend you read the following guide, so you know what you are buying.

Some WinFax History

WinFax was developed by Canadian software developers Delrina Technology in the early 1990s. Delrina sold millions of copies worldwide and as its flagship product, it pushed Delrina to become one of the fastest growing technology companies in Canada. The software allowed Windows based PCs with fax modems to easily send and receive faxes. It was part of Delrina’s contribution towards the “paperless” office. It included a easy to use interface and advanced features that still are not found in many fax software packages today. Delrina’s success caught the eye of software giant Symantec, and the company, along with the development rights to WinFax, was sold to Symantec in 1995. Symantec continued developing and updating WinFax PRO until about 2002, until it was discontinued in June 2006. Support ceased in August, 2006. As of the writing of this guide, no new versions are being developed by Symantec or any other third party. However, WinFax is still being used by thousands of users worldwide today! The reason is many die-hard users of this great fax package don’t want to give up the ease of use of WinFax – and have tried many other “alternatives” without success. Although never confirmed by Symantec, it has been rumoured that over 10 million copies of WinFax PRO were sold worldwide prior to being discontinued.

Free Upgrades, Support?

So now you know Symantec has discontinued WinFax. Auctions on eBay which claim “Free upgrades” are misleading, because Symantec will not offer any free upgrades, provide support, or provide updates to this software. While there is a LiveUpdate (Symantec’s automatic update software) feature in WinFax PRO, it does not automatically update your version of the software. Live technical Support from Symantec is also no longer available, and the only source of information for WinFax PRO is what is available from their on-line Web site or third-party Web sites. So be prepared to solve problems yourself on-line, or with the help a third party Web site, or support service such as the GetFaxing.com WinFax forums. More information on WinFax PRO and how to receive LIVE remote technical support can be found at www.GetFaxing.com. All retail versions of WinFax PRO 10 included a manual, and were sold with the “yellow” cardboard box. If the auction your looking at doesn’t include a manual or box, the CD might be counterfeit, especially if the seller has multiple copies for sale. Symantec has recently sued many dealers who sold illegal copies of their software. Be aware of what you are buying and what you will receive. Lots of sellers like to include a picture of the nice yellow box shot of WinFax PRO in their auctions, and many auctions use the wording “SEALED”, but you only end up receiving is sealed CD-ROM in an envelope sleeve. Many sellers also claim your buying the “OEM version” but WinFax PRO 10 was never bundled with specific hardware, so there are no OEM versions of WinFax PRO 10. (There were some BASIC Editions that were bundled with hardware, but these were feature limited) However, there are some exceptions and many eBay sellers are legitimate. Loose sleeve CDs may be legitimate software that was never put into a box for retail sale, used for volume licensing sales, some one selling a copy that lose the box and manual, etc. Its very difficult for you to determine how the seller obtained these CDs, so you might want to ask them. Look at the eBay feedback rating and comments to see if they’ve had any complaints before bidding.

Vista and Windows 7 compatibility

If you’re using Windows Vista or Windows 7, forget about using WinFax PRO. While WinFax PRO will install under Microsoft Vista and Windows 7, it will not operate properly. The fax printer driver will not install in these operating systems (it’s not compatible). The printer driver is the heart of WinFax, without it, you can’t send faxes from applications. If you already have Vista Ultimate or Business Editions, you’ll already have a basic fax software included with the operating system. These are very basic and not even come close to the features of WinFax. Unfortunately, if you only have Vista Home, Premium or Basic you won’t get any built in fax capability. Windows 7 will also include a very limited fax capability, but at this time it is unknown which versions will support this feature out of the box.

If you have Windows XP, you’re best bet is version 10.03. Version 10.03 is the version if you require access to Outlook 2003 data. Other versions will not function properly with Outlook 2003 and will give you grief with your Office applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel, because WinFax likes to install these add-ins without telling you. While 10.03 is recommended, it is not necessary. Version 10.02 has problems with the “Software Development Kit”, so if you plan on using WinFax with any other application, forget version 10.02. Version 10.04 is only required if you are using a Fax Sharing Host in Windows XP SP2 or SP3 (this is the only update can be downloaded from Symantec’s Web site, but to update you require version 10.03)

Using WinFax PRO with Windows XP Service Pack 3 / Service Pack 2

Yes, WinFax PRO is compatible with Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Service Pack 3. Anyone who claims otherwise, is incorrect. If you’ve recently upgraded your Windows XP computer to include Internet Explorer 7/8, Service Pack 2, or the latest Service Pack 3, and you use WinFax PRO or TalkWorks PRO, you may have encountered a problem entering fax numbers in a phonebook. You may have also encountered problems entering a fax number, an IP address, or CSID (Caller Station Identifer – a fax number) during the installation or within the user properties setup of WinFax PRO. Download WinFax Tools for a solution.

WinFax PRO 10 Version history

WinFax PRO 10.0 (released prior to Windows XP, but will install with Windows XP. Problems with Office 2003)

WinFax PRO 10.01 (short lived LiveUpdate for 10.0, fixed a few bugs, such as changing e-mail forwarding file type from .exe to .fxm, but generated some other flaws, because of this, it was removed as an update)

WinFax PRO 10.02 (officially planned Windows XP version. Problems with Office 2003 integration still, and also introduced the SDK problem which causes problems with third-party integration (Merge faxing with Microsoft Word, ACT! etc.)

WinFax PRO 10.03 (released to fix problems in 10.02 – much better, Outlook 2003 works without crashing. Still problems with Word macros)

WinFax PRO 10.04 (released as an update from version 10.03 only, fixes the security settings in Windows XP SP2 only for use with Fax Sharing) Not recommended as an update unless you are using Fax Sharing and Windows XP SP2 on all computers.

What type of fax modem?

You’ll need an analog fax/data modem installed on your PC for sending and receiving faxes. WinFax will not send “Internet faxes” for free using a DSL or Cable Modem. WinFax can be used to send internet faxes, but can only be done with a third-party company called Concord Fax which charges a fee for usage. Visit www.getfaxing.com/winfax  for more details on using a DSL or Cable Modem with WinFax PRO

The three main internal components of any analog fax modem are the DPU (Data Pump Unit which contains the DSP-Digital Signal Processor,RAM+ROM), the MCU (Microprocessor control unit) and the DAA (Data Access Arrangement which is the portion of the modem that handles the telephone line connection) . Different types of modems will include the DPU & MCU either in hardware in the form of microprocessor chips on the modem itself, or emulated in software performed by the computer. All modems have a DAA as hardware but they are not all created equal. The actual functions of these components are not discussed in detail here, but we mention them so you can understand the differences between the different types of modems you can buy.

“SoftModems”

They’re internal and sometimes found as external USB modems and can be purchased at computer stores or on eBay for very cheap or they come bundled with your computer. They work, but not always well with WinFax. They’ll come with drivers that are specific for the operating system you are using (usually, this is Windows – many Linux users don’t like softmodems for this reason). A “soft modem” is usually missing the DPU and MCU hardware that more expensive modems have built in. Instead of this hardware, the computer is used to simulate this missing hardware, this reduces the overall manufacturing cost of the modem because it uses less microprocesser chips. Why do you think it only cost $10? Some people might have had a bad experience with a “softmodem” and will tell you these modems are junk, but the truth is these modems can and do work if you have a fast computer and the drivers are installed correctly. We have many of our customers working well with these types of modems, so if you’ve already have one of these modem installed in your desktop or notebook, you can give it a try. You might be successful, just be aware that you can probably do better with the “controller based” or “controller-less” type modem described below. If your sending and receiving a serious amount of faxes while working on your computer doing other tasks, you might want to look at a better performing fax modem. Usually around $20.00 price. PCTel, ESS, Conexant Soft56K, HSF, U.S. Robotics 5670 are all softmodems.

“Winmodems”

Winmodems are often refered to as being the same as “softmodems”, but this is not true when dealing with U.S. Robotics types modems. U.S. Robotics came out with the first “WinModem” in the late 90s, and they own the trademark to this brand name. So legally, other modem manufacturers can’t call their modems “WinModems”. A U.S. Robotics brand “WinModem” is usually a controller-less type of modem. If a modem is a referred to as a “WinModem”, and is not a U.S. Robotics brand, you can be sure its really just a “softmodem”. I expect because of this consumer confusion, U.S. Robotics has dropped using the name “WinModem” for newer models of modems they manufacturer.

“Controller based” modems, often called “Hardware Modems”.

All external modems which use the serial port connection (usually 9pin or 25pin) are Controller based modems. Also often called “Hardware Modem”. The processing is done all within the modem itself, and not the computer. These modems have the DPU & MCU built into the hardware so you don’t have the computer worry about these tasks. These are the best types of modems. You can also purchase internal versions of these modems in PCI or PCIe format, but they are a rare find as few manufacturers make these. Found new at around $50 and up for external, internal hardware modems PCI/PCIe $70 and up. U.S. Robotics 5610 is a controller based internal fax modem.

“Controller-less” based modems.

A controller-less based modem off loads the MCU to the PC. This lowers the overall cost of the modem but keeps the DPU on the modem itself, so it’s one step below performance of the Controller based modem, but well ahead the “Softmodem” design. Many internal PCI modems manufactured today are “Controller-less” based modems, unfortunately, these aren’t the modems that usually get bundled with your PC. These are a popular choice for those who don’t want an external based fax modem. These modems are sometimes also referred incorrectly as a “hardware modem” when compared with a “softmodem”. Found new at a price range from a low of $30 and up. The Conexant HCF type fax modems are controller-less and U.S. Robotics “WinModems” are controller-less.

How can I tell the difference between types of modems?

A “softmodem” is fairly easy to recognize, its the one that is small, compact, and might only have a single-chip on the entire fax circuit board. If the driver name has the words “Soft” , “Flex”, “HSP”, HSF” its likely a softmodem. Most manufacturers of softmodems will not mention anywhere in their marketing material about it being a “softmodem”, so you need to look a the driver, or the modem circuit board, or do some research on the specificiations of the fax modem from the manufacturer. External USB modems also fall into the “softmodem” category, but some external modems have both USB and Serial connections which could be controller based fax modems. Internal Controller-less and Controller based fax modems usually will have a few microprocessor chips on the fax circuit board, perhaps 2 or more microprocessor chips. They are usually larger in size when compared to a softmodem. Most manufacuters who make these modems make sure their marketing promotes the fact they are “hardware based” fax modems and can get a higher price tag because of this.

External controller based fax modems are easy to recognize, they’re external, require an added power supply, and connect to the computer via RS-232 (serial type 9 pin or 25 pin) connector. When in doubt, find the model number of your fax modem, and if possible, contact the manufacturer for specifications of the fax modem.

Look for an old fax modem

Older 28.8kbps and 33.6kbps fax modems are just as good as the new 56kbps ones. Remember this speed is for the “data” portion of the modem, not the fax, which is standard at 14.4kbps. The max fax rate that you can transmit with WinFax is 14.4kbps, so these fax modems work fine. Older modems manufactured in the mid and late 90s (Hayes, Supra. U.S. Robotics for example.) are good for use with WinFax and eBay is a good source to buy used, older 14.4kbps fax modems dirt cheap. Unfortunately, many older internal modems use the old ISA bus which all modern computers have abandoned, so you want to avoid these because they just won’t plug into a modern PC with PCI slots. Internal controller based PCI modems are good if you stick with those that are “controller based” or “controller-less”. Rockwell based (now called Conexant) chipset are recommended, but external modems using the standard 9 pin or older 25 pin serial port work best. The fax standard is 14.4kbps, so an older modem will perform the same speed as a new one when using WinFax PRO.

2 modems in one computer

WinFax PRO will support up to 2 modems on a single PC. If you need to have dual modems, I’d recommend ensuring both modems are different, otherwise, you may run into difficulties. Two external controller based modems are best, or one external controller-based and one internal controller-less. You can try two controller-less modems, but make sure they are different models/manufacturers. Never use two softmodem based modems on a single machine, you’re just asking for trouble.

Fax Merge/Fax Broadcasting/Sending Bulk Faxes

Yes, WinFax PRO can receive faxes but one of the most common uses of WinFax PRO is to send many faxes, called a fax merge/fax blast, or fax broadcast. You might have a fax that you need to send to each of your customers or clients on a weekly or monthly basis. A properly configured WinFax PRO is perfect for this type of job. A fax merge allows you to personalize individual faxes to your clients. We can assist in setting up this type of service for you, never again do you have to pay an outsouring company to send your faxes – you can do it all yourself! More information can be found at GetFaxing.com

Hope this guide helps, and good luck with your faxing project! If you have any additional information you’d like to suggest for this posting please let us know.

An important update to all WinFax PRO fax users 

UPDATED NEWS : Microsoft releases “ActiveX Killbits” Security Patch for XP February 9th, 2010 (See below)

A security flaw (called a Remote Buffer overflow) with a specific ActiveX Control that is used by WinFax PRO was reported. This type of security flaw is fairly common with ActiveX controls, and effects many programs out there. Recently the same security risks were identified in Facebook & Yahoo Music ActiveX controls. The flaw allows a script (on a Web page that you visit) to execute a program on your computer. When these risks are identified, Microsoft releases a security update to the operating system that fixes these holes.

For this flaw to effect you, you’d have to 1) Have WinFax PRO, TalkWorks PRO or WinFax Basic Edition installed 2) be tricked to visiting a Web page set up with this exploit, and 3) click “Yes” to allow the ActiveX component to run (it is preferred that you don’t allow ActiveX components to automatically run, so beware and check your settings in IE)

We’ve tested the “proof of concept” test script in Internet Explorer and our AVG Anti-Virus detected it immediately and prevented the script from executing. However, one user commented to us that a carefully encoded script could bypass current Anti-virus detection. We’ve determined this Fax Viewer flaw effects all versions of WinFax PRO (from 8.0 to 10.04) and TalkWorks PRO (2.0 and 3.0) and all WinFax Basic Editions.

Symantec’s Security team response was they would not be updating the effected file since they discontinued sales and support of WinFax PRO in 2006.

How to protect myself?

We have included a free tool (WinFax Tools) which sets the “killbit” for this WinFax specific ActiveX control in the Windows registry. A “killbit” disables the WinFax ActiveX control from executing in Internet Explorer and Microsoft Explorer. This doesn’t effect the normal operation of WinFax PRO but will disable any custom written (WinFax SDK) applications that may use this WinFax Viewer Control from a Web page.

The Fix:

1. Click here to download WinFax Tools
2. Click the “No Operator Code” button when prompted
3. Click the “Fix Viewer DLL Security” button to set the “Killbit” for the WinFax ActiveX Control.
4. Click ”Yes” when prompted.
5. You’re done, and are now protected from this security risk.

This type of security flaw is common with many ActiveX components used in applications, not just WinFax. Facebook & Yahoo ActiveX controls have recently been indentified with the same risks. It always recommended to follow safe surfing practices, have anti-virus enabled and a firewall, keep your Microsoft Windows OS updated with the latest security patches released by Microsoft, don’t allow ActiveX controls to run automatically, and be aware of any ActiveX controls that you allow to run.

It’s possible that Microsoft will include a security update (which includes the Killbit) in the near future that would prevent the execution of this specific ActiveX control. We recommend you take action now, instead of waiting for Microsoft to release Killbit Security updates.   

 UPDATE March 2010: In a Windows XP update that was released February 9th, 2010, this security flaw was finally addressed. The actual update released by Microsoft is: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-008 – Critical Cumulative Security Update of ActiveX Kill Bits (978262).   If you have already downloaded this security update for Windows XP, then your system will already have the necessary ActiveX Kill bits set for the WinFax PRO ActiveX control.  You can still download WinFax Tools and check to see if the ActiveX kill bit was applied properly by Windows XP Update. If your system has the Killbit set, the WinFax Tools program will indicate it has already been applied.

Here are some links to interesting applications and technical articles on ActiveX controls and Killbits for those interested in learning more about “Killbits” and security issues with ActiveX controls.

Killbit Explorer application (lets you see all ActiveX controls that have killbits set.) http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/killbitexplorer

How to disable ActiveX controls from running in Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240797

Article on ActiveX Controls and Security http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/security-pros-kill-activex-164?page=0,0

Symantec’s Official Report on this flaw http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/attacksignatures/detail.jsp?asid=23348

I recently picked up a Magicjack, you might have seen the commercials on television, its a USB device that plugs into your computer that allows you to plug a telephone into it, giving you a dial tone so you can make telephone calls using a regular corded or cordless telephone. The difference is the telephone call is routed via your computer to the Internet, using the Magicjack service.

The big advantage to the Magicjack service is its price, and the ability to hook up almost any type of household telephone. The Magicjack retails for $39.99 and includes 1 year of US & Canada unlimited incoming and outgoing calls.  They also claim that service after 1 year is only $19.99.   Yes, you also get an incoming telephone number, where you can pick from dozens of area codes across the United States (Canadian area codes are not yet available).

My first test was with voice calls on a Notebook (Core 2 Duo, T5200, 1.6Ghz, 2GB RAM) with Microsoft Vista SP1.  The installation was completely plug & play, I simply inserted the MagicJack into a free USB port and it turned on and begin downloading the installation program for Vista.  Within a few minutes, the software was installed successfully. I registered on-line and selected my incoming telephone number. A lot easier than I expected it to be.  I plugged in a regular corded telephone, picked it up, and got a dial tone!  I dialed a number, and sure enough it worked.  My first voice call quality was comparable to a regular land-based telephone line, if there was a difference I couldn’t really tell.   I tested incoming by dialing my new Magicjack number. The telephone rang, and the Caller ID appeared on the telephone display. So far, so good.

My next test was on an older Pentium III, 450Mhz, 768MB PC running Windows XP Service Pack 3.  I use this PC for my Skype calls as well, so I expected some conflict or performance problem.  I plugged the Magicjack into my USB Hub, and sure enough, the Blue LED lit and it began installing the software.  Within minutes it was configured and ready to go.  I didn’t have to repeat any of the registration process, since my phone number was already configured.  Surprised, outgoing calls seemed to work perfectly.

I’ve been using MagicJack now for voice calls for about 2 months and in the most part, it works as advertised. You will encounter quality issues if your Internet connection slows down. I tried the service on a 1MB down/768b up ”Lite” DSL service, and for the most part, voice quality was reasonable. In some calls, the person would complain they couldn’t hear me properly but I could hear them fine.  On a faster 4MB down/1MB up Internet DSL service, overall the call quality was good but I would have problems with some calls due to bandwidth issues.  Usually the problem was with the caller hearing me.

Faxing using MagicJack with WinFax PRO

I checked with the people at MagicJack directly and they claim that faxing isn’t supported. I believed them, since I know that a fax call isn’t as forgiving as a voice call if there is any drop in quality. I thought I would try it anyway, so I unplugged the fax modem telephone line and plugged it directly into the Magicjack.  I started up WinFax PRO and send a fax as I normally would on the regular telephone line, sure enough it dialed andstarted to send a fax.  I tried a simple 1 page WinFax quick cover page, it worked.  I then tried faxing a multiple page fax.  It failed.  I then tried a 1 page fax again, and it failed.  I started adjusting the settings in WinFax.  I turned off High Speed Compression (2D), ECM for sending and ECM for receiving.  I adjusted the Maximum Transmission speed to 4800 bps or 2400 bps.  This did seem to improve the success rate, but it was still giving me problems with some faxes.  After trying several different combinations, I came to the conclusion that faxing may or may not work using the MagicJack.  Send 10 faxes, if your lucky, maybe 50% may go through if they are short/1 page faxes.  Once you increase the number of pages, or the amount of data on each page, you risk a greater chance of a failure. Results probably will vary depending on the call quality and your PC’s performance.  I did not try incoming faxes, but I would expect similar results. If anyone has had better success please post your comments!

Some things I don’t like about the MagicJack

• If you call a number that is BUSY, you don’t get a busy signal.  You get silence followed by a dial tone.
• There is no uninstall for the MagicJack software.  When you plug it in, it will automatically install device drivers. However, the good news is that MagicJack will only start with Windows if the actual device is plugged in.  If you do remove the MagicJack from the USB port, the MagicJack software does not start (but the device drivers are still installed).
• There is no normal method to close the MagicJack software while it is active.  I haven’t really had any reason to do this, but in some cases you may only want to have MagicJack active when you want to use it, not all the time. (Yes, you can close it using End Task from the Task Manager)
• The MagicJack software window opens when you use it. (You can’t keep it minimized and out of the way)

Overall opinion of MagicJack

I like it, but wouldn’t use it as a replacement to my regular land-line considering you need a computer on 24/7, plus a working (fast) Internet connection 24/7.   Its great for a 2nd line, or just for making long distance calls to friends and family.  It is an excellent value at $39.99 for the initial cost, and $19.99 for the additional years of service.  Not recommended for faxing with WinFax or any other fax software, and definitely not for data usage (such as credit card authorizations, modems, data transmission etc.)