[GRLUG] fax server

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> from that other OS.  The most time consuming part of the whole thing?
> Compiling drivers for those damn HSF, HCF and winmodems.  All junk!!!

Yikes!

> I picked up a older, yet still shrink wrapped external modem, dug up
> another old external modem from the junk pile and setup a dual-modem
> server (one for incoming and the obvious other).

"Real" modems can still be purchased from companies like Multitech.

> By the way, as I found out, just because you compile some drivers and
> your modem works with "minicom" doesn't mean HylaFAX will like it

Yes.  For faxing there are multiple "classes" (1.0, 2, 2.0) which
provide different levels of functionality [doing more-or-less in
software-vs-hardware].  Also the quality of implementation varies.

> underscores in them.  Stick to external modems.  You can pick them up
> for a song and a whistle at Comp Renew.  I whistled "Livin' La Vida
> Loca" for mine.  ;-)

Agree.  If you aren't using a multi-port board designed for faxing then
use external models so you can 'reboot' them without bothering the
server.  See
<http://www.hylafax.org/content/Hardware_Compatibility_List> for
hardware compatibility - and if you want a trouble free life STICK TO IT
(avoiding the softmodem part).  These days the Mainpipe IQ express
multi-port boards seem to be the premier solution and are certainly what
I would buy if I were building a server today.   You can get the
Multitech ISI boards cheap **BUT** the driver only works in the 2.4.x
kernels.