AFax - Frequently Asked Questions

(Q1) Can you provide me with a list of supported modems?

AFax is low cost product and it is mostly intended for usage with low cost modems. Here is a partial list of supported fax modems:

  • 3Com (Us Robotics) Sportster, 56k FaxModem or any older US Robotics Sportster modem
  • Hayes Accura 28,800
  • Telebit WorldBlazer Prolink 1436V (Rockwell chipset)
  • Practical Peripherals PM 144 MT II
  • MultiTech MultiModem ZDX 33,600
  • ZyXEL Elite and U336S
  • ... etc

List of supported multiport serial cards:

  • DigiBoard PC/Xe 64k

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(Q2) What Group III compression schemes (MH, MR, MMR, JBIG) do you use? What about ITU ECM?

In general, every fax modem should work, but if you experience some problems, please let us know. Some problems can be solved by consulting modem manual. For most modems default values will be fine.

Note: You should always use flow control. If your modem doesn't react as it should and/or you get a message from the system that your modem is configured without flow control, find specific command in your modem user's guide and write it in "Additional Init String" box (Advanced options). Eg. AT S58=2 S68=255 defines HW (RTS/CTS) flow control for Telebit World Blazer modem. Other modems may have different init string (eg. AT &K3). Refer to your modem user's guide for specific command, if default one doesn't work.

ITU-T (formerly CCITT) recommendation T.4 specifies that Group3 fax devices must incorporate Modified Huffman (MH) run-length encoding of scanning lines. Other compression schemes, such as: Modified Read (MR), Modified Modified Read (MMR) that comes in conjunction with ECM, ... etc. are optional for Group3 and as such not implemented in current version. Market conditions will dictate their eventual implementation in further AFax PRO version of this product.

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(Q3) AFax MAPI integration with Outlook/Exchange Server?

AFax (Professional version) can only forward incoming faxes to e-mail account as attachment through MAPI profile with MS Outlook/Exchange e-mail service included.

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(Q4) How to check the status of a sending fax?

You can use AFax Manager to view the status of a fax being sent. Click on 'Personal Sending Queue' item under your AFax server name to view the status of a fax while it is in the queue. After the fax is sent out, use 'Personal Journal' item under your AFax server name to view the final status and info about the fax.

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(Q5) Why I am able to write anything in the Port Name Input Box instead of just having predefined Port Names (eg: COM1,COM2,COM3,COM4...)?

COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4... are not the only names that could appear here.
We are supporting up to 128 modems at the same time, so the real situation is that we will have up to 4 Digiboard or Equinox multiple serial I/O boards in our server (with 4/8/16/32 ports each).

On Digiboard COM/Xi board serial port name can be (and often is) user defined (Serial1, Serial2, cu01, cu02, /dev/tty1A, /dev/tty2A, digi3C, digi3D, ... etc.) instead of COM1, COM2.

This is done by administrators to ease the maintenance. It's much easier for administrator to find the modem on port /dev/tty2C (or digi2C) because this name is used as a shortcut and means:

'Third(C) serial port on the Second Digiboard' then to find which modem, among 128 same models, resides on port COM37!

In short, if your machine has 2 serial ports and 1 Digiboard with 8 serial ports, they could be named:
COM1, COM2, digi1A, digi2A, digi3A, digi4A, digi5A, digi6A, digi7A & digi8A

as well as:
COM1, COM2, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, ... etc.

So, to resume we have decided not to use an incomplete list, because any name can appear as Serial Port Name (not only COM1, COM2).
Anyway we do supply default value (COM1) for this field.

Beside this, NT recognizes only COM1 to COM9 all other port names must put '\\.\' prefix in front of COM name (so that COM10 is not a valid name but \\.\COM10 is)!

We do this automatically, so that in our AFax user can and should put only COM10 for port name.

The list of values was applied for selecting the Serial Port Data Rate in the same 'Add Modem' window, because only those (shown) values are allowed.

When mentioning 'Serial Port Data Rate' maybe it is not bad to emphasize one more less known fact, which may also rise some questions in the future: Serial Port Data Rate & Fax Modem Data Rate!
Serial Port Data Rate is determined (among others) by the SCC (Serial Communication Controller) chip (UART), which resides on the serial I/O card.
In short you should set serial port (baud) rate based on your UART type:

  • UART Serial Rate
  • 16550, 115.2K or 57.6K bps
  • 16450 38.4K bps
  • 8250 19.2K bps

Note: Our default value is 19.2 Kbps

Fax Modem Data Rate is at most 14.4K bps (determined by Fax standards), even if you have 33.6K bps or new 56K(X2) modem.
Conclusion: Change the default value only if you share your Data/Fax Modem with other applications (for accessing Internet or so).

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(Q6) How do you share one modem for AFax and Internet?

a) AFax versions below v2.03:

For AFax to share a fax modem with RAS (Remote Access Service), set the modem to Send Mode only, and make sure in RAS the modem is configured for Dial Out Only mode.

To set a modem to Send Mode only, use AFax Manager.

Select "Modems", and then select the fax modem entry in the right pane. Double click on the entry, or select "Modem" and "Edit" from the menu. The "Edit Modem Configuration" dialog will show up. Make sure in "Send/Receive Mode" the "Send" is selected. Click Ok to reinitialize fax modem.

To set RAS to Dial Out only mode, use Control Panel. See Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 documentation for more on RAS configuration.

Select Network in Control Panel. Select "Services" tab, then "Properties..." for "Remote Access Service". Select device to share fax modem with AFax, and select "Configure...". In "Configure Port Usage" dialog make sure "Port Usage" is set to Dial Out only. Click on Ok if you needed to change to dial out only mode.

b) AFax v2.03 and higher:

For AFax to share a fax modem with RAS (Remote Access Service), enable "TAPI Device" in the modem settings.
Select "Modems" and then select the fax modem entry in the right pane. Double click on the entry, or select "Modem" and "Edit" from the menu. The "Edit Modem Configuration" dialog will show up. Click on "Advance" button. The "Advance Edit Modem Configuration" dialog will show up and check "TAPI Device" check box. Click Ok to reinitialize fax modem.

Please note when using TAPI in rare occasions, AFax could signal modem is 'out of service' after a receive session or initialization. The modem must be disabled, then enabled again to make it "Ready" again.

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(Q7) Fax Class 1.0 and Fax Class 2.0 modems?

1. AFax supports both Fax Class2 (2.0) and Fax Class1 modems.

2. You can use "HyperTerminal" or any similar terminal program to determine whether your modem is Class2 or Class2.0. Type : AT+FCLASS=? and if you receive something like: 0, 1, 2 or 2.0 as a response, then your modem can be configured as Fax Class1 or Fax Class2.0 modem but if you receive something like: 0,1 then this is the Fax Class1 modem.

3. In short, when Class 2/2.0 command set is used, most of the fax session is controlled by a fax modem built-in firmware and only fax session setup by PC software, e.g. AFax Server.
When Class 1 command set is selected, all of the work is pushed to PC software.

On multitasking systems, such as NT and Unix, and with multiple fax modems attached, using Class 2/2.0 command set is recommended.

Trade off using Class 2/2.0 over Class 1:

  • - less control over fax session if not handled well by modem
  • - initial connection
  • - not all modems support Class 2 or Class 2.0
  • + less CPU utilization
  • + fax protocol timings non issue, since modem handle them
  • + multiple concurrent fax sessions possible (using multiple modems)

4. The Electronic Industries Association (EIA) defines a Class1 fax modem in specification EIA/TIA-578. Class 1 means simply that the fax modem provides the minimum service necessary to implement a Group3 fax session. A fax session conducted using a Class1 modem must always be managed under control of software application. Unlike a typical data modem session, the timing, decoding and sequencing requirements of T.30 standard make it impractical to control a fax session using manually issued commands.

A Class2.0 fax modem contains a good deal more intelligence then a Class1 modem! The partitioning is changed, so that the tedium of implementing a fax session using T.30 is offloaded from PC to the modem. The designation Class2.0 (with the ".0" revision level) applies only to fax modems that are compliant to the final version of specification TIA/EIA-592. During development, draft versions of this standard have been issued under the designation SP-2388.The final version, however, differs significantly from early drafts.

Modems that were manufactured based on SP2388-A return simply "2" as their class number.

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(Q8) Who to contact for technical support?

For AFax technical support, please contact us at info(at)adriacomm.com

Please specify in your email message:

  • 1. Product Type:
  • 2. Product Version:
  • 3. Windows Version:
  • 4. Windows Language and Locale:
  • 5. Fax modem make(s) and model:
  • 6. Problem description and steps to reproduce:

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(Q9) How to add new cover page on AFax?

First of all, check if you have administrator rights on AFax server. You can do that by expanding branch 'Fax Servers' (click on plus sign on the left of the item) in the left pane of AFax Manager and then expand branch with server name for which you want to change cover page. If you see item "Cover Pages" then you have administrator rights on that server, and cover page(s) can be changed. Otherwise, contact your system administrator.

Click on item 'Cover Pages' in the left pane of AFax Manager. In the right pane you should see items "Cover Page 1", "Cover Page 2" and "Cover Page 3". These are standard (vendor-supplied) cover pages and they serve as templates for custom cover pages. You can double-click on each cover page to start cover page viewer and check what they look like. A AFax version below v2.5 enables you to change only "FAX COVER" portion of cover page, which was meant to serve as portion for your company logo.

a)Std

With right mouse button click anywhere on the right pane of manager, and choose "Add". If Popup dialog shows up with question "Do you want to use Cover Page Wizard?" select "No" button.

In the first text box of the dialog 'Add Cover Page Template' you should write the name for new cover page. Type e.g. 'My CP' here. In second box ('Copy From') choose standard cover page you wish to modify. In the third box type short description of cover page you are creating.

Click on the 'View/Edit Logo' button located on the bottom left corner of displayed dialog. This button should start the default application responsible for picture files on your computer. Most commonly this is Microsoft Paint Application. Please note that you should not change the size of these bitmaps, because they will be stretched to its original size (in fax cover page), which may produce undesirable appearance.

You can change the fax cover picture now. If you have you company logo in BMP file format, you can paste it in MS Paint by using 'Edit->Paste From...' command.

Exit and save changes.

b) With Cover Page Wizard (AFax v2.5 and higher)

With right mouse button click anywhere on the right pane of manager, and choose 'Add'. After “Do you want to use Cover Page Wizard?” shows up click ‘Yes’ button. Then, Cover Page Wizard should show up and you can design cover page selecting existing options on it.

Next time the user prints on AFax and 'Send Fax' dialog is displayed, click on 'Options' button, then 'Cover Page' button and choose 'Cover' you wish to use from now on.

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(Q10) I discover the following error message in the event log file "Journal internal error: Failed inserting record in database". How can I fix this problem?

Your Journal database file is damaged and you should delete this file:

  • 1. Stop AFax Server service (from AFax Manager->Server->Default Server->Stop or from Command prompt enter ->net stop afax)
  • 2. Delete files c:\afax\server\config\journal.dbs and journlmg.dbs
  • 3. Start AFax Server service (from AFax Manager->Server->Default Server->Start or from Command prompt enter >net start afax)

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(Q11) How can I configure AFax to work with ISDN-card?

AFax currently does not support ISDN adapters explicitly. However, if your ISDN card/driver can emulate fax-modem protocol there is a chance that it will work with AFax.

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(Q12) When I try to send something from a client machine, I receive an error "Channel connect failed …"

This error is result of unsuccessful client-server communication.

  • 1. First of all, check if the AFax Server service is started.
  • 2. Check if network works good. For instance, find if you can see server machine using Network Neighborhood from client machine.
  • 3. All clients and server must have the same network protocol on first place in list, please open Control Panel->Network->Protocols
  • 4. Check if user rights is valid booth on AFax Server and on NT machine where AFax Server is installed using NT User Manager and open Registered Users folder in AFax Manager.

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(Q13) Following dialog appears when attempting to START AFax Server: "Couldn't start AFax Service. Check your Windows permissions"

You must have some User rights in your account that start/stop NT Services on machine where AFax Server is installed. Open Windows NT User Manger, click on Policies, check Show Advanced User Rights check box, click on Right and select “Log on as service”, click on Add and exit.

Please note, by default, AFax Server starts in a context of Windows NT Local System. Use Windows NT Services Control Panel to change AFax Server startup parameters. In the services list select "AFax Server" and click on "Startup..." button and “This Account” button and specify your account under which the AFax Server will run.

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(Q14) Is AFax suitable for Windows NT Terminal Server?

When a user, logged on to the Terminal Server from a terminal, prints to the AFax printer driver, Send Fax dialog doesn’t appear to prompt the user for the fax number and other sending options. If, however, the user is logged on from the console, the dialog does appear. This makes AFax unsuitable for a Terminal Server environment.

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(Q15) I have installed the Server and Workstation part of AFax on the same machine. When I enter AFax Manager and select Server to set the properties everything is grayed out. When I try to look at Registered Users I get the error "User is not registered User".

You have to log in (NT) as Administrator or the user who installed AFax. Also, check with NT User Manager if you are registered and your permissions on that machine.
Then, please make sure you have Administrative rights in AFax. Use AFax Manager and check Registered Users List on a server. Use Windows NT Services Control Panel to change AFax Server startup parameters. In the services list select "AFax Server" and select "Startup...”. Use Log On As property to change how the service should start. Select “This Account” and specify an account (for instance Administrator account) under which the AFax Server will run.

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(Q16) In AFax Manager I can’t find shared network printers and/or MAPI and ODBC resources available on system. What I’m doing wrong?

Please note, by default, AFax Server starts in a context of Windows NT Local System account that has an access to limited number of printers. In order to use some other resources available on the system (MAPI, ODBC, etc.), AFax Server service startup parameters need to be changed. Use Windows NT Services Control Panel to change AFax Server startup parameters. In the services list select "AFax Server" and select "Startup...". Use Service Startup Type, to select when the service should start. By default, Automatic is selected, which starts the service every time the system starts up. Use Log On As property to change how the service should start. The default, System Account, allows you only limited access to printers. Select This Account and specify an account under which the AFax Server will run, and provide the service with more choices (for instance Administrator account).

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(Q17) How can I improve quality of fax transmission?

If you haven’t tried yet, sending and receiving fax could be improved by changing modem settings:

  • 1. Setting modem to answer on first RING signal.
  • 2. Use Class 1, this improves initial connect to remote fax.
  • 3. Reducing Modem Data Rate to 9600 bps.

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(Q18) When I have tried to import fax addresses from Access database using AFax Address Book Import Wizard from ODBC DSN, Wizard only shows the first table in Access database.

Until we make the fix, workaround is described here:

1. Select DSN (1st Wizard step), and (2nd Wizard step) put some text, at least, in the two fields marked with (*). Then (3rd Wizard step) check Custom checkbox on ODBC SQL Query dialog.

Use Access to:

  • 2. Select database
  • 3. Select tab 'Queries' and make the query
  • 4. Put the mouse cursor on Query's window title bar and click right mouse button
  • 5. Select from pop-up menu: SQL view
  • 6. You will see adequate SQL statement, select them all and copy it (ctrl + c)
  • 7. Paste (ctrl + v) this code in AFax Custom query text box and edit it.
  • 8. Click Test button, and if everything is OK click Finish button.

Example:

SQL statement from Access Query:

SELECT Table1.first, Table1.last, Table2.fax
FROM Table1, Table2
WHERE (((Table2.lastname)=[table1].[last]))
ORDER BY Table1.last;

Copy this statement in AFax Custom Query and edit as it is done below and apply attention to square brackets and “AS” keywords:

SELECT [Table1].[first] AS FirstName,
[Table1].[last] AS LastName,
[Table2].[fax] AS FaxNumber
FROM Table1, Table2
WHERE ((([Table2].[lastname])=[table1].[last]))
ORDER BY [Table1].[last];

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(Q19) I am getting fax communications errors. Do you have list of fax error codes?

Please note, fax session is divided into five phases:

  • Phase A: call establishment (establish fax session)
  • Phase B: pre-message procedure (two fax machines negotiate and select connection parameters)
  • Phase C: message transmission (transmission of a fax page data)
  • Phase D: post-message procedure (confirmations about received data…)
  • Phase E: terminate the fax session (hang up)

Fax Error Codes for Fax Class 2 (decimal) and Fax Class 2.0 (hexadecimal):

  • From 0 to 9 are reserved for Phase A (00 – 0F hexadecimal)
  • From 10 to 19 are reserved for fax transmission Phase A (10 – 1F hexadecimal)
  • From 20 to 39 are reserved for fax transmission Phase B (20 – 3F hexadecimal)
  • From 40 to 49 are reserved for fax transmission Phase C (40 – 4F hexadecimal)
  • From 50 to 69 are reserved for fax transmission Phase D (50 – 6F hexadecimal)
  • From 70 to 89 are reserved for fax receiving Phase B (70 – 8F hexadecimal)
  • From 90 to 99 are reserved for fax receiving Phase C (90 – 9F hexadecimal)
  • From 100 to 119 are reserved for fax receiving Phase D (A0 – BF hexadecimal)

There are currently 4 possible receiving error conditions handled in a form of a fax cover document to system Dispatcher (Fax Class2 command set):

  • 1. Message: "Fax Communication Error 1", or Message: "Fax Communication Error 9"
    The call was not a fax call, or the call was terminated by remote side right after the call was answered (Phase A).
  • 2. Message: "Fax Communication Error 70" and To: ~nobody.
    The call was a fax call. Initial pre-message negotiations failed. The local fax modem and remote fax equipment could not synchronize and exchange any fax protocol data (Phase B).
  • 3. Message: "Fax Communication Error 70" and To: 999-9999 (some concrete fax number).
    The call was a fax call. The local fax modem and remote fax equipment synchronized and exchanged some protocol data, but failed to connect to exchange the fax document (Phase B).

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(Q20) How can I localize cover page strings?

To change cover page strings, find C:\AFax\Server\Cover\Cover.inf file on server and open it for edit. Then, you can change and localize cover page fields on this way:

SenderName="From:" to SenderName="Von:" etc.

Also, you can change the text font on cover pages if you add at the end of the file next rows for instance:

....
[CoverPageFont]
FaceName="Tahoma"
CharSet=1

In FaceName field you can write any valid font name (which exists in server machine). Copy that file to every AFax client folder c:\afax\users\user-name\cover.

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(Q21) I have a problem with AFax and MS Word 97. When I print a page the output is compressed and there are about 3-4 centimeters free on the bottom.

Select the AFax printer, and then set the Page Size in Word from 'Custom' to A4 before sending the page to AFax. When selecting AFax printer from MS Word 97, the Page size changes from A4 to 'Custom' (this is because AFax “A4” isn't same as A4).

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(Q22) I am wondering why on the 2d or 3d attempt at dialing a number, you can hear it dialing the number very slowly and all outgoing fax numbers have commas inserted between numbers?

The slow dial you experienced is 'Safe Dialing mode'.
The slow dialing is a result of previous unsuccessful send fax attempt. Slow dialing, by default starts on 2nd attempt. You can change it to some higher value in Server Parameters - Modem Request dialog. Set "Safe Dial Start Attempt" to 4, for example, and up to 4th attempt the full speed will be used. You can disable Safe dial if you set the "Safe Dial Start Attempt" value higher than the maximum "Total Dial Attempts".
In Safe Dialing mode, transmit speed is reduced to 4800 bps and the digit dialing is extended to account for possible poor transmission conditions on the phone line.

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(Q23) Is there any way to concatenate multiple documents from multiple applications into a multipage fax?

In Send Fax Dialog, click on 'Options' button and check 'Enable Append another document to fax job'. Then send current fax doc, and when popup dialog shows up with question: “Would you like to append another document to this fax job?” select 'Yes' and Send Fax Dialog temporary disappears. Select some document from another application and select 'Print' command again etc.

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