SMTP-Compliant Environments

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About the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP

The Faxpress' versatile Email Gateway for Generic SMTP enables users of SMTP-compatible email systems to send and receive faxes right from their mail client. The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP is a reliable alternative to NLMs or connectors, since it runs as a service on the Faxpress rather than on the NetWare or Exchange server of the email system.

The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP provides a robust and efficient way to fax-enable Novell GroupWise, and, in Microsoft Exchange environments, can also be used as an alternative to the Exchange Connector and Outlook Direct options discussed in MS Outlook Environments. The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP can also be used in Microsoft environments without an Exchange server.

The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP’s fax features are available to both local and offsite FaxPress users, and allow email messages to be sent to both fax and email recipients simultaneously.

How It Works

The FaxPress Email Gateway for Generic SMTP is an RFC-821 compliant, 32-bit Windows-based service that uses SMTP to communicate with your SMTP server and Castelle Program Interface (CPI) to communicate with the FaxPress.

Outbound Faxes

Sending a fax using the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP requires the user to include the recipient’s fax number and the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP’s subdomain name in the email address string. The user addresses the message to the recipient’s fax number@ the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP’s subdomain, e.g.:

14084960502@fax.company.com.

The email message is sent via SMTP from the sender’s mail client to the mail server. The mail server then forwards the message to the Faxpress’s IP address, since the Faxpress’ IP address corresponds to Email Gateway for Generic SMTP’s domain name – fax.company.com, for example. The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP makes no distinction between different kinds of SMTP mail servers.

The email address string can also be used to provide other information for the fax. Cover page information (recipient’s name, recipient’s company name, recipient’s voice number) and other instructions for the FaxPress (bill back code, PBX password, personal cover page, etc.) may be added using key codes and delimiting characters.

After your SMTP server passes the message to the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP, the Gateway prepares the message for the Faxpress. The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP first extracts the fax number and other address information from the email address header, then logs onto the Faxpress and accesses the user’s account for additional information.

The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP prepares the email message body text and converts any attached files to faxable format. The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP opens files in their native application OLE to create a faxable format. This is why the native applications associated with any file attachments must be installed on the Faxpress.

The Gateway sends the prepared fax to the FaxPress. The Faxpress then merges the recipient information (name, phone number and message) to the cover page. The fax is placed in a queue and the Gateway polls the Faxpress for outgoing fax status. When the fax attempt is complete, the Gateway dispatches the sender an email success or failure notification. Failure notices can also be sent to the Faxpress administrator.

Inbound Faxes

The Email Gateway for Generic SMTP service periodically polls the Faxpress for incoming faxes. When a user’s Faxpress account receives a fax, the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP sends the user an email notice with the fax attached, assuming your phone system supports some form of automatic routing (e.g., Direct Inward Dialing). If the recipient’s Faxpress account isn’t registered with the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP, or if your phone system does not support automatic routing, a notice is sent to the Email Gateway for Generic SMTP administrator.