FaxHQ TPC.INT Internet Fax Server Configuration FAQ


What hardware do I need to run an Internet Fax Server?

What about modem support?

Can I use PPP/Slip to connect to the Internet?

Is there a step by step PPP/SLIP Guide?

How do I setup the fax gateway?

How can I test everything is working before going live?

Are there any additional configuration items?

Can I design my own coversheet?

Can I customise Email messages?

Where can I get help?

Legal BS

HQ logo


For more infomation about FaxHQ: http://www.lan1.com.au/HQ

For more information about the network that provides this service: http://www.tpc.int


What hardware do I need to run an Internet Fax Server ?

Any windows 3.1 capable machine can run as a fax server on the tpc.int fax network. FaxHQ has versions to support Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT. The manufactur's recommended specification for each of those operating systems is also what we recommend for fax server use. ie. Windows 3.1 works OK with 4MB RAM, but better with 8MB RAM. You also need a permanent connection to the Internet, either LAN or dial-up connection. Finally you need a Class 1, Class 2 faxmodem, Intel Satisfaxtion or other CAS compatible Fax Modem.

What about modem support?

FaxHQ supports mosts common Class 1 and Class 2 Faxmodems. We recommend that you use Class 2.0 modems wherever possible since they use less processing power when delivering a fax. Class 1 modems require more CPU time to manage them.

FaxHQ can also support most high end faxing hardware, including Intel Satisfaxtion, Gammalink GammaFax and PureData Satisfaxtion. If you require multiboard support for the high end faxing hardware and support for GammaFax you will need some additional hardware drivers from us. Unfortunately we will have to charge you $US25 for these drivers since we have to pay license fees to Instant Communications for these hardware level drivers.

There is no charge involved for Class 1, Class 2 and single board Intel or Puredata Fax hardware.


Can I use PPP/Slip to connect to the Internet

You can use PPP, SLIP or have a LAN connection to the internet. Your site must be connected to the Internet 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. PCs which connect twice a day for 10 minutes are not suitable candidates as cell providers. The TPC.INT network uses a feature of the internet called DNS to route faxes through the world. TPC.INT acts like a telephone switchboard, dynamically connecting the senders SMTP service to the SMTP service of the Cell provider. Because these connections are done in real time, the Fax Server cell has to be online and expect a Fax Email at any time. If the Cell server is down, the network is basically broken since the user is unable to deliver the mail message which becomes the fax.

FaxHQ looks for a Winsock interface to the internet, so it can run over IPX gateways, Trumpet, Microsoft Winsock and many other stacks. We use FaxHQ with Microsoft's TPC/IP and Winsock package with Windows 3.11 and with MS TCP/IP for Win95 and WinNT. Our main test platform is NT 3.51 Server.


   

Is there a step by step PPP Guide?

1:You will need PPP or SLIP dialup account with unlimited access.(you will need to remain connected as close to "always" as possible)

2: A dedicated phone line for the computer. (again, you need to remain connected 24 hours a day)

3: A reliable local dialup connection. (sounds redundant, but if you have a bad connection andfrequently get "booted", it's not going to work well)

4: A second modem and (preferably also dedicated) phone line.(for sending out the faxes)

5: A static (also called "fixed" or "dedicated") IP address. (most dialup providers dynamically allocate addresses - while this works fine for typical client use, you need a fixed address to run *any* kind of host/server)

How do I setup the fax gateway?

Download the software and copy it to a temporary directory. Unzip the files into your temp directory. From inside Windows run the pre-supplied setup program. Select a destination for the FaxHQ files and wait for the files to be extracted.
When this extraction is complete, the setup Wizard will be launched. You need to go though this and answer all of the questions


There are two important items here.
SMTP Server Name: This is the name of the SMTP server that is used to deliver mail notifications about fax activity.Return E-Mail address: This email address is added to every message your fax server sends to a user. Normally this should be set to Faxmaster@your-host-name.organisation
The other options are used with the client software. The client and server can share the same data files and DLLS.
Click Next. The next screen covers delivery mechanisms. Again most items refer to the client, but you may want to click Print Inbound faxes if you are also going to be receiving faxes. The fax server will use the default printer setup under Windows. You can also set Delete after sending which will remove the fax image file when a fax has been succesfully sent.
Click Next. This section is where you set your dial prefix and dial suffix. If you need to dial 9 or turn off call waiting before each call you should should setup a dial prefix here.

Click Next. This next section if very important and is where you configure the modem for fax activity. If you have two modems connected , ie one for Internet and one for Fax. You should setup your faxmodem only. Clicking Auto-Detect is usually a good idea since it will try and determine the type of modem and the com port it's attached too.
There are some additional settings you can use to control your modem and there are covered in additional items later in this faq.
Click Next and Finish to complete the setup.
You should see some new icons (or start menu options). In 99% of cases you will not have to do any more configuration. To run the tpc.int gateway you have to launch two applications:
SMTPG - the STMP daemonFHQS - the Fax daemon

How can I test everything is working before going live?

FaxHQ comes with a couple of utility programs that allow you test individual components. The test programs and the Fax and SMTP daemon all write error messages and status codes to a file called HQErr.log. Look in there first if you encounter any unwanted experiences.
There are two components you should test first
SMTP DaemonThe PostScript engine When you are sure these components work OK, you can use the FaxTest program to exercise the Fax Server itself.

1. Testing the SMTP daemon

launch SMTPg.exe
Edit FAXHQ.INI and change the SMTP entry under internet to be the SMTP host name. ie. The name of the machine running SMTPg. Run the following application with the command line
C:\FAXHQ\sendmail remote-printer.TEST_USER/TEST_COMPANY@6125585400.iddd.tpc.int,1.tpc
This is a windows application which will send the mime encoded file 1.tpc to your new SMTP daemon. The Fax number is not important, but if you use the one above and you make a mistake and ends up on the real network it will come to HQ's home system and not end up annoying an innocent 3rd party fax machine.The file 1.tpc is included in your distribution kit.
Sendmail always deletes the file after sending so either make it read-only or make a backup copy of the file.
Remember to change the SMTP entry in FaxHQ.ini back to its correct setting otherwise you will end up with circular email.

2. Testing the PostScript Engine
Launch the application PSTest from FaxHQ root. Click the ellipses button (the one with the .. dots on it) next to the box marked PS file to convert. Select the file called HQCOV1.PS
Click the Convert Button. If this works you should see a picture on the right of the screen with a rasterised fax. If it doesn't work, the error text message will appear on the result code. These error messages should hopefully be detailed enough to solve any problems.
If you have any problems here the error message should be helpful enough for your to fix the problem. One thing to look out for on a Windows 3.X system is for Maths coprocessor support. The postScript engine needs floating point support which is usually done via a maths copro. If you have a 386DX or 486SX you don't have maths hardware. You will need to add the Microsoft Maths CoPro emulator VXD. (supplied in the distribution kit). Copy this file to your windows system directory and add the following line to system ini
[386Enh]Device=wemu387.386
You will need to reboot.
3. Sending a Fax.
Launch the application called FAXTEST.EXE. You can use this application to test 3 parts of FaxHQ. Faxing a text file, faxing a postScript file and faxing a MIME encoded multi-media file. This program is fairly self explanatory. You will find a sample mime file (1.tpc) in the faxhq directory if you want to test that part.
After selecting the fax type you want to send, launch the Fax Daemon (FHQS) and the fax should be sent.

Are there any additional configuration items?

Yes. Everything is stored inside the FaxHQ ini file. This file is located in your root FaxHQ directory. ie. C:\FAXHQ in a default installation.
Many of the options can be configured using the setup Wizard, INETSET, which is in the main FaxHQ directory.The dial Prefix and Suffix are stored in the FaxHQ's internal registry database. You won't be able to change these without using the setup wizard.NB. Some of these configuration options apply to Beta level 3. These items are marked with a *

[Internet]Dial Substitute=1214 :800 1:
This is a most important item. When faxes are routed via the tpc.int network, they use a fully formed Fax number convention which includes the country code and area code. In all cases you will want to remove the country code, since you never use your own country code when dialling locally. You will also want to remove the area code in most cases. In the two examples above the Dial substitute 1214<SPACE CHARACTER>: will convert the 1214 in front a number into a space character, thereby removing the +1 country code and the (214) area code. The second example 800 1800: will add a 1 onto all numbers starting with 800.
The dial subsitute is cumulative from left to right. ie. It will remove the 1214 first and then try to apply the 800 test to the remaining text..
[FaxModem]User-Init 1=X4L0M1User-Init 2=X1L0M0
You may want to change the default initialisation string for themodem. You specify the modem number you want to init followed by the AT commands. The AT is not required.
[FaxModem]FaxShare*=1
If you set FaxShare to 1, FaxHQ will attempt to share your phone line with other devices. ie. If you have a telephone connected and you are using the telephone when FaxHQ wants to deliver a fax and it detects no dial tone it will retry later without generating error messages back to the Fax Sender.
To restrict users abuse of your fax system there are two additional commands you may wish to implement
[Limits]Fax*=25Email*=10
This will restrict faxes to one fax number to be 25 in any 7 day period. Each user will only be permitted to send a maximum of 10 faxes in any 7 day period.
There are no default limits.
[Config]Broadcast Start*=10:00BroadCast End*=22:00
If you use the telephone for other purposes you can instruct FaxHQ to send faxes only at certain times of the day. The period covered is between broadcast start and broadcast end. Outside of these times no faxes will be delivered, although Faxes can be received. All SMTP traffic will occur as normal.

Can I design my own coversheet?

Yes. There is a sample supplied called hqcov1.ps which is the postScript output of HQCov1.wri. You can use most Word Processors or editors to design a cover sheet. Simply add the fields you require<faxNumber: ><Company: >....<Account:>
etc into the document and print the cover sheet to a postScript file called HQCov1.PS. FaxHQ will then merge the user supplied information into your cover sheet at send time. Every fax transmitted will have your cover sheet attached. You can include graphics, logos and any true type font in your cover sheet.
The sample file HQCov1.WRI will illustrate the layout and available fields in the cover sheet.

 

How do I customise the email message users see?

This is done be editing the file called banner.txt, located in the main faxhq directory. Every message your fax gateway delivers is prepended with the text from banner.txt.
The emails sent to users who have reached their fax limit is prepended with a file called abuse.txt. The SMTP server changes the message text depending on whether email or fax number limits are reached.

 

Where can I get help?

The first place to try is tpc-pc@info.tpc.int. The software developers, Mr Hewes and other users running the cell are accesible through this mailing list.
Always take a look in HQERR.LOG, in the faxhq directory. This may point you in the right direction if you have some strange problem.

 

Legal BS

Windows is a trademark of Microsoft. FaxHQ is a registered trademark of HeadQuarters Software Pty Limited.
HeadQuarters Sofware provides the FaxHQ TPC.INT server version free of charge to individuals or organisations willing to act as cell providers and become part of the TPC.INT network.
Organisations wishing to use FaxHQ for solely commercial reasons need to contact HeadQuarters Software (faxhq@lan1.com.au) to discuss licensing arrangements.