Topic: receiving incoming faxes

[kruhm]

My goal is to have a system built to receive incoming faxes that automatically forwards to the users' email inbox. Each user would have their own fax number as a unique identifier.

Any ideas or direction for this to become a reality?

I've seen some great outgoing fax projects happening and while the SMERP promises in their next release to acheive this, I am under pressure to find a solution.

thanxs in advance,
dak

[psoren]

Each user would have their own fax number as a unique identifier.

Are you going to set up one faxmodem for each user?

Per

[kruhm]

No, I want to setup one central outgoing faxmodem for all users as found here: http://smerp.free.fr/
Users can fax simply by printing to the fax printer shared out on the SME.

As for incoming, I want to get a block of telephone numbers from the the local telco (these are relatively inexpensive). These numbers will all point to the same physical line -the faxmodem on the SME (actual line # 555-1111).

The trick is then to get the SME to recognize the number faxed to (555-2222), relate it to the LDAP, see that user3 has fax number 555-2222 and forward the fax to user3's email address.

It seems like this should be possible with a little thought from a few experts around here that have more experience than I.

This is open for suggestions.

I hope this clarifies the goal.

thanxs,
dak

[duncan]

You should check the hylafax mailing lists. There has been a lot of discussion with respect to DID and MSN.

Regards Duncan

[guest22]

I guess you need a script that will "catch" the the last x digits of the incomming number, and will mail the fax to the correct mail alias ( username klaus, alias 1234 )

[stefan24]

My goal is to have a system built to receive incoming faxes that automatically forwards to the users' email inbox. Each user would have their own fax number as a unique identifier.

I have ISDN here and use Capisuite from www.capisuite.org, which allows my to use a ISDN card (for example AVM Fritzcard or AVM B1) and receive faxes and use a voice mailbox system for each MSN. Each voice mail or fax is forwarded to the appropriate user(s) via e-mail.

The fax send feature is not really good and you have to build the binaries from the sources. I'm not able to generate a RPM and server-manager config for SME.

Stefan

[gregswallow]

If you use hylafax, this page has some info about using separating out faxes from 2 lines going through one modem.  But I think you'd have to check with your telephone company if say you get 3 lines and forward 2 of them to the first one, if the Caller ID will recognize the number it is forwarded from or the number of the person faxing to you.  Without it showing the number its forwarded form it won't work for what you want I don't think.  In the example below they were using a pbx.

http://jamesthornton.com/linux/gazette/issue79/fraile.html

[dowens]

If you can get the Caller ID routing working newer PBX's can send Caller id data to analog devices.  I have setup a pool of DID numbers that come in on a T1 Through the PBX and each calls a different group with that analog ext in it.  Sending the caller ID info of what ever group number it was calling ie.  Caller ID would show call for Group 5501 or 5502 etc but all ringing the same ext.  We used it at an answering service that answers for multiple Bussinesses.  But it might help if yours can send that info.

[kruhm]

i have an old centrex rolm/seimens pbx hooked up to a PRI (a digital T1 line reserved just for phone use). It's as old as dirt and so is the guy who configs it for me. so i try to bother him little. I've never attempted to config the thing myself. Nor do I want to.

However, I missed my deadline and had to spend 20k on a commercial solution. Still i learned much in my travels on trying to get this to work. I'll post my findings for others in case they are looking for answers and don't have to go searching through archives piecing it together. There isn't much easy to find info about this.

First, I think the fax routing addition would be great. SME's first goal is to be "Simple to setup and use" as a "communications server." So it only seems natural to handle faxes.

Second, I;ve only taken a few telephone classes. And I probably should have paid more attention. So for all you telephone wizard out there, I'm winging this, and I still dont know what ATI9 means. I just wanted to get this working.

Telephone standards are different throughout the world, so your experience may differ.

Still, fax routing by extension number does seem to be possible with hylafax. After all, Hylafax's commercial division (ifax) claims this to be true: http://www.ifax.com/index.php/article/articleview/13/1/10/

DNIS (dialed number information services) is needed. It reveals the number that was dialed. While different than CID, caller ID, some posts refer to it as CID info. While some posts seem to indicate this must be done on a digital line (that's a PRI or a BRI) the commercial solution put in place didn't need that (in fact, the installer said he only had it done once on a digital line and they needed the whole line to get it working).

To be able to capture this, you need special equipment, a regular fax modem won't do. The commercial solution uses a BrookTrout fax board (i can post the model number later). The fax board captures the dialed number by listening for the tones (or dtmf, dual tone something something) and matches it to a user's email. While we already knew that, it's harder done than said.

A hunt group (a bunch of numbers going to line one then rolling over to line two) is placed on the line to get this working.

The paid for solution can also interface with an Exchange directory according to the sales person. I suppose it can interface with any LDAP directory since the base of AD is just a proprietary LDAP with a seal of ms approval. I haven't tried this yet but I plan on trying (ldap not exchange).

I'll post more when i mess around with the software next week.

thanxs,
dak

[pfloor]

[Post erased by pfloor]

[gla]

Hi,

I think you can find your answer in the file FaxDispatch in /var/spool/hylafax.

This file contain the rules to dispatch faxes to users.
You can route by sender's TSI, and/or by device, and/or by caller id (CID)

Consult the faxrcvd(8C) man page for more information.

[gla]

As for incoming, I want to get a block of telephone numbers from the the local telco (these are relatively inexpensive). These numbers will all point to the same physical line -the faxmodem on the SME (actual line # 555-1111)

If you can associate phone number with linux device, you can easily use the device dispatch...

[pfloor]

[Post erased by pfloor]

[kruhm]

You are surely after this (from the iFax website):
I know, that's why I posted the link in my previous thread.

I really can't find anything on hylafax.org on how to set this up.
I know, that's why I posted my findings in my last post.

I am pretty sure that a regular modem won't work for this either.
I know, that's what I wrote in my last post.

How many distinct fax numbers are you thinking about?
Starting with 10 going to 30

You can route by sender's TSI, and/or by device, and/or by caller id (CID)
None of these solutions are realistic for the average SME. Unless the faxes are only coming from one number on a regular basis.

Although not well documented, HylaFax v 4.1.1 and above support routing of faxes based on DID/DNIS.
I know, that's why I posted my findings, for other searching for the same information. And to see if anyone had any experience in doing so or if there is any interest in getting this working (closing in on 600 views).

Since I already dropped 20k dollars on a solution, I neither NEED to get this working nor am I spending as much time on it as before. I'm still interesting in the project and would like to get it working for future use and the SME community.

The goal is more than just get Hylafax working the way it should (it doesn't even have to be hylafax). The goal is have the SME recognize the dialed number AND map it back to a user's email in the LDAP directory (after a fax number field has been created in the LDAP).

thanx,
dak

[kruhm]

Just as a follow up, the solution to this lies in the hardware. The Brooktrout card is needed. AFAIK, there aren't very many alternatives, if any.

The commercial solution uses a Brooktrout TR1034 modem card. It has 1 ethernet port on that back that translates into 4 telephone ports (2 wires for each telephone port). Each telephone port gets its own extension -1001, 1002, 1003, 1004. A telephone hunt group is put on the extensions so that if 1001 is busy, the call rolls over to 1002 and so on. The card recognizes the number dialed by DTMF tones (the sound you hear when pressing a number on a telephone).

The card is an analog solution, not digital (PRI or BRI not necessary).

The card is very powerful. It can handle hundreds of DID's and hundreds of calls every day with ease.

The card is very expensive. You better be willing to shell out a couple thousand just for the card.

The card comes without drivers! That's right, the buggers (Brooktrout) refuse to supply drivers. You can only get drivers through their official distributors (ie, ifax, captaris, avm, etc). That means even if you get a card, your still stuck depending on a commercial solution (unless, of course, you develope your own drivers).

Anyway, FWIW I thought I'd post this just to close out the issue (more than 1000 views already).