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How to find the fax number on a printer
Your printer does not actually have a fax number of its own. The number belongs to the phone line plugged into the LINE port, and the printer only displays whatever number was programmed into its station ID. Finding your fax number therefore means checking what the machine has stored and, if that is blank, confirming the number with your phone provider. This faxfromcomputer.ca guide shows how to print the settings page that reveals the stored number, how to set the station ID so recipients recognise you, and where to look if you fax online instead.
Get Started NowWhere a printer's fax number really comes from
The number is assigned to the telephone line by your phone company, exactly like a voice number; many home offices use one line for both. The printer never receives the number automatically. It transmits whatever station ID a person typed into its fax settings, which is why a second-hand machine often shows the previous owner's number, or nothing at all.
How to find your printer fax number: print the settings report
Every fax-capable machine can print a configuration or user-settings report that lists its programmed fax number. The menu names differ by brand, but the report is always a page or two and takes under a minute to produce.
- Open the Fax or Setup menu on the printer's control panel.
- Look for Reports, Print Reports or User Settings; on Brother machines it is usually under Print Reports, on Canon under the User Data List, and on HP under Fax Setup or Reports.
- Print the report and find the line labelled Fax Number, Station ID or Unit Telephone Number.
- If the field is blank, the number was never programmed; confirm the line's number on your phone bill or with your provider, then enter it as the station ID.
Setting the station ID so recipients see your number
The station ID is the name and number printed in the header of every fax you send. Set it in the fax settings menu by entering your fax number and your name or organisation. Recipients and their fax logs will then recognise your transmissions, and some machines reject faxes that arrive with no station ID at all, so the two minutes it takes to fill in are well spent.
How to find a recipient's fax number
Your printer cannot look up anyone's fax number; it only stores contacts someone has saved in its address book. Check the speed-dial or address book section of the settings report for numbers already programmed. For a new recipient, get the number from their website, letterhead, business card or a direct phone call. Government offices such as the CRA publish fax numbers for specific departments on their official pages.
Faxing online? Your number is in the dashboard
If you use a browser fax service instead of a machine, there is no mystery to solve: the number is shown in your account. With FaxToFax.com you choose a local or toll-free Canadian or US number at sign-up, and it appears on your dashboard and on every delivery receipt. Incoming faxes land in an encrypted inbox with an alert, which suits documents covered by PIPEDA or Ontario's PHIPA far better than pages sitting in a printer tray. It is the setup we suggest most often at faxfromcomputer.ca for home offices without a landline.
How to Find Fax Number on Printer: Where It Really Lives: questions
How do I find out my fax machine number?
Print the machine's configuration or user-settings report from the Reports menu and look for the station ID or fax number field. If it is blank, the number belongs to your phone line, so confirm it on your phone bill or with your provider.
How do I find the printer fax number on a Brother or Canon machine?
On Brother, go to Print Reports and print the User Settings list; on Canon, print the User Data List from the reports menu. The programmed fax number appears near the top of either report.
How do I find a recipient's fax number on my printer?
You can only see numbers already saved in the machine's address book or speed-dial list, which appear on the printed settings report. For anyone new, get the number from their website, letterhead or a quick phone call.
Does a printer have its own fax number?
No. The number is assigned to the phone line connected to the printer, not to the hardware. The printer merely stores and displays it as the station ID once someone programmes it in.
Why does my printer show the wrong fax number?
The station ID was programmed with an old or incorrect number, which is common on second-hand machines. Open the fax settings, update the station ID with the current line's number, and your outgoing fax headers will be correct.
Where do I find my fax number with an online fax service?
In your account dashboard. With FaxToFax.com, the local or toll-free number you picked at sign-up is displayed in your account and shown on delivery receipts, so there is nothing to print.
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