Configuring fax
The FortiVoice unit supports fax in the following ways:
- Use the FortiVoice unit to send and receive faxes. The FortiVoice unit contains a full featured fax server that is able to receive faxes and forward them in PDF format to an extension’s user portal or a user’s email. End users can log into their FortiVoice user portal to view the faxes and upload PDF or JPEG files to send faxes. For configuration information, see Receiving faxes and Sending faxes.
- If you want to continue using your fax machine with the VoIP phone system, connect the fax machine to an adapter (such as OBIHAI OBi 200, Cisco SPA 112, or Grandstream HT 702) that supports T.38 first before connecting to the FortiVoice unit. T.38 is a protocol designed to allow fax to travel over a VoIP network.
- With FortiVoice 200D-T, if you want to use your existing analog phone line, connect the fax machine directly to the FXS port. Make sure that the fax function is enabled when configuring the analog extension. See Modifying analog extension (200D-T, 1000E-T, and 20E2 models only).
In this case, the fax machine is treated like an extension. The FortiVoice unit receives faxes and relays them to the fax machine. Faxes sent from the fax machine will follow the fax sending dial plans.
To use this option, you need to create and enable the fax extensions first. You then need to configure the FortiVoice unit to receive and relay the faxes to the fax machine. See Configuring fax extensions, Receiving faxes, and Sending faxes.
This topic includes:
Receiving faxes
Configure the FortiVoice unit to receive faxes over the VoIP network and forward the faxes to extensions or emails. You can configure one or more faxes to meet the needs of different departments, for example.
To configure receiving faxes
- Go to Call Feature > Fax > eFax Account and click New.
- Configure the following:
GUI field
Description
Incoming Fax Setting
Name
Enter a name for the receiving fax configuration.
Number
Enter an extension for this fax. This is where the incoming faxes go to.
Display name
Enter the name displaying on the extension.
Enable
Select to activate this fax.
Description
Enter any notes for the incoming fax Setting.
External Numbers
Map the DID numbers to the extension of the fax. Incoming faxes to the DIDs will all reach the extension. For information on DID, see Mapping DIDs.
To map the DID numbers:
- Click New.
- Select Enable to activate this DID mapping.
- Select the trunk used for dialing the DIDs.
- Enter the DID number that you want to map to an extension.
- Click Create.
Select Fax Monitors
Click in the field and select the users that can monitor the faxes received on this fax extension in their FortiVoice user portal and can choose to view, delete, resend, forward, or download the faxes. Click Close.
The selected users will also receive email notifications when a fax is received if their extensions are linked with email addresses. The notification will also have a PDF attachment of the fax if their extensions are configured with email notification attachment option. For more information, see Setting extension user preferences.
This is useful if you have a fax that serves several departments.
Fax to Email
Enter the email addresses to receive the faxes sent to this extension. Users will receive the faxes in PDF format.
You may customize the email template. For details, see Customizing call report and notification email templates.
Relay to Fax Machine
Click in the field and select the fax machines connected to the FortiVoice unit via T.38 adapters. Faxes will be relayed to the selected machines.
Click Close.
Archive
Select Fax archive to activate fax archiving and enter the file name to archive following the formats in the drop-down list.
To view faxes sent and received through the FortiVoice unit, see Viewing archived faxes.
- Click Create.
Sending faxes
Configure the dial plans for sending faxes. The dialed fax numbers matching the configured number pattern will be subject to the call handling actions.
The fax sending dial plans will not interfere with phone call dial plans since the FortiVoice unit deals with the dial plans separately.
For information on dial plans, see Configuring call routing.
You send faxes in the user portal. Senders will receive email notifications when a fax is sent if their extensions are linked with email addresses. The notification will inform if the fax has been successfully sent and have a PDF attachment of the fax if their extensions are configured with email notification attachment option. For more information, see Setting extension user preferences.
In addition, senders can always view the status of the fax sent in their FortiVoice user portal. For more information, see the online help of the user portal.
To view the outbound dial plans, go to Call Feature > Fax > Sending Rule.
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GUI field |
Description |
|---|---|
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Select to test if the dial plan is created successfully. For more information, see Testing dial plans for sending faxes. |
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Enabled |
Select to activate this dial plan. |
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Name |
The name of the dial plan. |
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Pattern |
The phone number pattern in the dial plan that matches other numbers. For details, see Dialed Number Match. |
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Call handling |
The call handling action for the numbers matching the configured number pattern and the caller IDs matching the caller ID pattern. For details, see Call Handling . |
To set up a fax sending dial plan
- Go to Call Feature > Fax > Sending Rule.
- Click New.
- Configure the following:
GUI field
Description
Name
Enter a name for this plan.
Enable
Select to activate this dial plan.
With dialed number pattern matching, you can create one phone number pattern in your dial plan that matches many different numbers.
The dialed numbers matching this pattern will follow this dial plan rule.
For information on adding a dialed number match, see Creating dialed number match.
Click New to configure the call handling action for the numbers matching the configured number pattern. For details, see Configuring call handling actions.
- Click Create.
Testing dial plans for sending faxes
After you create a dial plan, you can select the dial plan and click Test to see if the dial plan works.
For more information, see Test.
To test a dial plan
- Go to Call Features > Fax > Sending Rule.
- Select the dial plan that you want to test and click Test.
- Select Test Call - Dry Run or Test Call.
- Configure the following:
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GUI field |
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Description |
|---|---|---|
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Test Call - Dry Run |
Run a system outbound dial plan test without making a real phone call. |
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Destination number |
Enter a destination number to call. |
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From number |
Enter the number from which you want to call the destination number. The FortiVoice unit will connect this number with the destination number for the test. |
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Test |
Click to start the dry run test and view the Test result. |
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Reset |
Click to remove the test result in order to start a new test. |
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Test Call |
Test the dial plan by making a real phone call. |
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Destination number |
Enter a destination number to call. |
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After call is established |
Select the FortiVoice action once it calls the destination number:
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Test |
Click to start the test and view the Test result. |
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Reset |
Click to remove the test result in order to start a new test. |
Creating dialed number match
You can create one extension number pattern in your dial plan that matches many different numbers for outbound calls.
The numbers matching this pattern will follow this dial plan rule.
The FortiVoice unit supports the following pattern-matching syntax:
|
Syntax |
Description |
|---|---|
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X |
Matches any single digit from 0 to 9. |
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Z |
Matches any single digit from 1 to 9. |
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N |
Matches any single digit from 2 to 9. |
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[15-7] |
Matches a single character from the range of digits specified. In this case, the pattern matches a single 1, as well as any number in the range 5, 6, 7. |
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. |
Wildcard match; matches one or more characters, no matter what they are. |
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! |
Wildcard match; matches zero or more characters, no matter what they are. |
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Pattern |
Description |
|---|---|
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NXXXXXX |
Matches any seven-digit number, as long as the first digit is 2 or higher. |
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NXXNXXXXXX |
This pattern matches with areas with 10-digit dialing. |
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1NXXNXXXXXX |
Matches the number 1, followed by an area code between 200 and 999, then any seven-digit number. In the North American Numbering Plan calling area, you can use this pattern to match any long-distance number. |
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011. |
Matches any number that starts with 011 and has at least one more digit. |
To create a dialed number match
- Go to Call Feature > Fax > Sending Rule.
- Click New.
- In Dialed Number Match, click New.
- Configure the following:
GUI field
Description
Match Pattern
Enter the number pattern for this rule (see Pattern-matching syntax and Pattern-matching examples).
Click + to add more patterns.
Modification
You can manipulate the number patterns you entered.
Strip
Enter a number to omit dialing the starting part of a pattern. 0 means no action.
For example, if your Match Pattern is 9XXX and Strip is 1, you only need to dial the last three digits for this pattern.
Prefix
Add a number before a pattern, such as area code.
For example, if your Match Pattern is 123XXXX and its area code is 555, you can enter 555 for the Prefix. When you dial a number under this pattern, you do not need to dial the area code 555.
Postfix
Add a number after a pattern.
For example, if your Match Pattern is 9XXX and the numbers under this pattern have been upgraded to have an additional digit 5 at the end, you can enter 5 for the Postfix. When you dial a number under this pattern, you do not need to dial the last digit 5.
- Click Create.
Configuring call handling actions
Configure the call handling action for the numbers matching the configured number pattern.
To configure the call handling action
- Go to Call Feature >> Fax > Sending Rule.
- Click New.
- In Call Handling, click New.
- Configure the following:
GUI field
Description
Schedule
Select the FortiVoice operation schedule to implement this plan. Click Edit to modify the selected schedule or click New to configure a new one. For more information on PBX schedule, see Scheduling the FortiVoice unit.
Action
Select the call handling action for the numbers matching the configured number pattern and the caller IDs matching the caller ID pattern.
Outgoing trunk
Select the trunk for sending faxes. Click Edit to modify the selected trunk or click New to configure a new one. For more information on trunks, see Configuring trunks.
Caller ID modification
Select the caller ID modification configuration. Click Edit to modify the selected configuration or click New to configure a new one. For more information on caller ID modification, see Modifying caller IDs.
Warning message
If you select Allow with warning or Deny with warning in the Action field, select the sound file for the warning. Click Edit to modify the selected file or click New to configure a new one. For more information on sound files, see Managing phone audio settings .
Delay
Optionally, if you want to discourage certain users for sending faxes, enter the call delay time in seconds.
- Click Create.
Archiving faxes
Configure the Setting to archive the faxes.
To configure archiving faxes
- Go to Call Feature > Fax > Archive.
- Configure the following:
GUI field
Description
Rotation Setting
Fax rotation size/time
Enter the archived fax file rotation size and time.
When the file reaches either the rotation size or time specified, whichever comes first, the archiving file is automatically renamed. The FortiVoice unit generates a new file, where it continues saving recording archives. You can access all rotated files through search.
Archiving options when disk quota is full
Specify what the FortiVoice unit should do if it runs out of disk space. Select Overwrite to remove the oldest archived folder in order to make space for the new archive, or select Do not archive to stop archiving more recorded calls.
Schedule
Select a schedule for the rotation.
Destination Setting
Destination
Select an archiving destination:
Local: the FortiVoice unit’s local hard drive or a NAS server.
Remote: a remote FTP or SFTP storage server.
Local disk quota
If Local is the archiving destination, enter the disk space quota.
The total disk quota for archiving calls cannot exceed 20% of the total data disk size. For example, if the data disk has a size of 100 GB, a maximum of 20 GB can be used for fax archiving.
If this quota is met and a new fax must be archived, the FortiVoice unit either automatically removes the oldest fax archive folder in order to make space for the new archive or stops archiving, depending on the Setting you specify under Rotation Setting.
If Remote is the archiving destination, configure the following:
Protocol
Select the protocol that the FortiVoice unit will use to connect to the remote storage server, either SFTP or FTP.
IP address
Enter the IP address of the remote storage server.
User name
Enter the user name of an account the FortiVoice unit will use to access the remote storage server, such as FortiVoice.
Password
Enter the password for the user name of the account on the remote storage server.
Remote directory
Enter the directory path on the remote storage server where the FortiVoice unit will store archived calls, such as
/home/fortivoice/call-archives.Remote cache quota
Enter the FortiVoice cache quota that is allowed to be used for remote host archiving. The above statement regarding the Local disk quota also applied to the cache quota.
- Click Apply.
Configuring other fax settings
Configure the station IDs, fax header, T.38 fax options, and fax sending queue for outgoing faxes.
To configure fax settings
- Go to Call Feature > Fax > Setting.
- Configure the following:
GUI field
Description
System station ID
Enter a station ID that shows on each fax sent from the FortiVoice unit.
System fax header
Enter a fax subject header that shows on each fax sent from the FortiVoice unit.
T.38 Fax
Sending Fax: Initiate a T.38 reinvite if the remote end does not
Select if the fax receiving terminal does not reply to a T.38 invitation.
Sending/Receiving: Fallback to audio (G.711) mode on T.38 failure
Select to use G.711 mode if T.38 communication fails.
UDPTL port start
T.38/UDPTL uses UDP as its transport protocol.
Enter the UDP Transport Layer start port.
UDPTL port end
Enter the UDP Transport Layer end port.
Send Queue
Max retry times
Enter the maximum number of times to resend a fax. This is useful if a fax cannot be sent due to busy lines or other reasons.
Retry interval
Enter the time interval between fax sending retries.
Wait time for an answer
Enter the waiting time for a “go-ahead” signal from the fax receiving terminal. After the waiting time is over, the FortiVoice unit will either retry to send the fax or stop sending it depending on the Max retry times configuration.
- Click Apply.