How to fax with Magic Jack – sending, receiving, alternatives, and more

Last Update: August 9th, 2021

There are no direct fax features built into Magic Jack.

According to Magic Jack, connecting a fax machine should work. We caution readers, however, that many VoIP phone services are incompatible with fax machines.

On this page, we’ll give instructions on how to try to connect a fax machine to Magic Jack.

Popular alternatives to faxing through Magic Jack are:

• An online fax service. Some of them combine both phone and fax in the same package.
• A fax machine (or computer with fax software) connected to a landline phone line.
• Printing the fax and sending it from a store with fax services (such as copy/print shops or a library).

Can I send and receive faxes with a fax machine connected to Magic Jack?

Maybe.

According to Magic Jack, “it should work fine.” We’re skeptical (as we are with all fax through VoIP connections).

VoIP services (such as Magic Jack) are known to very incompatible with fax machines.  Even when a connection between an internet phone service and a fax machine works, often it is not reliable.

Sending and receiving a fax with Magic Jack (maybe)

We’re cautious about this working. Even when a test fax works, the reliability of the connection is not guaranteed.

What you will need

• A Magic Jack account and phone number
• The required equipment to connect to Magic Jack
• A fax machine (or a computer with a fax modem and fax software)

A computer cannot simply plug into a Magic Jack system and start faxing. It needs to be connected to Magic Jack through the fax modem, and have fax software to send and receive faxes.

Step 1 – make sure Magic Jack is working

Test the Magic Jack connection by connecting a regular telephone to it and placing (and receiving) a phone call.

If the phone is able to place calls through Magic Jack it means that the phone connection is currently working.

Step 2 – connect the fax machine to Magic Jack

Set up the fax machine (or computer with a fax modem and fax software) and connect it to Magic Jack the same way it would connect to a regular telephone line.

Step 3 – try it out

Send a test fax to someone with a fax machine.

Alternatively, we keep a list of services that send and receive test faxes.

Step 4 – adjust settings on the fax machine

If the fax machine is not yet working, we’ll adjust the settings on the machine to make the signal easier to understand through the VoIP service. Not all fax machines will have these options.

1. Lower the baud rate on the fax machine as low as it can go. If there is no “baud rate” feature on the fax machine, look for a similar function.
2. Turn error correction mode (ECM) to off.

These changes will help the fax signal be better understood as it is transmitted by through the VoIP phone system.

Step 5 – try it again

Repeat Step 3 – test the fax connection.

If the test fax is not working, be sure to return baud rate and ECM to their original settings.

Plugins, apps, and adapters for faxing with Magic Jack

There are none that we’re aware of. Either the fax machine will work while connected to Magic Jack, or it won’t.

Frequently asked questions about Magic Jack and fax

Your questions help others just like you!

Contact us for any questions about Magic Jack and fax not listed here.

Question: Are there any online fax services that are compatible with Magic Jack?

Answer: We are aware of none.

An online fax service runs on a separate line – a different service from Magic Jack.

Many fax services can be connected to an email system, giving access to both email and fax in the same inbox.

Question: Can I fax documents such as Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word through Magic Jack?

Answer: No, see the explanation above and our suggested alternatives.

We also have specific resources for faxing a PDF or a Microsoft Word document.

Question: My fax machine was working with Magic Jack before – what changed?

Answer: We are not sure what changed. Sometimes one fax is successful, and the next is not.

Fax is a problem over VoIP because of how the VoIP phone line changes the audio signal to digital. A change in the VoIP environment can result in a transmission that worked no longer working.

Larger page counts, more graphically intense documents, changes on the internet, and changes with other fax machines can cause problems with the fax.

Question: Can I receive a fax with my Magic Jack phone number?

Answer: If the fax machine is properly working on the Magic Jack connection, it should be able to receive.

Sources and more resources