How to Test a Fax Line

Whether you are just hooking up a brand new fax machine, or need to find out if your line is having technical difficulties, you can test your fax lines without the help of technical support. By completing this task as soon as possible, you lower the risk of missing out on important documents.

• Send a test fax to a local machine. For instance, this is particularly ideal if you work in an office setting where there is more than one phone line in the same building. This way, you can simply send the document and check to see if it was received on your own without relying on anyone else. If the fax did not go through, you can then confirm that you have an issue with the line and contact the technical support for your phone service.


• Contact close friends or relatives and obtain someone's fax number to see if he or she receives your fax. This is ideal if you do not have a fax within the same building. Advise the other person to keep the line open and send the fax over immediately. Wait at least five minutes after the last page of the document went through before calling the person. This is just so that you leave enough room for a delay if there is one.


• Sign up for a fax service online. You can find a few services that offer you the first few faxes free of charge, or are free altogether. Once you have signed up for a service, send a fax to your machine to see if you receive it. Once you have sent the document, make sure to keep the phone lines open so that there are no disturbances.