Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:35467 comp.dcom.modems:4587
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!van-bc!sl
From: sl@van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: FAX modems
Keywords: fax modem
Message-ID: <5@van-bc.UUCP>
Date: 29 Sep 89 06:50:03 GMT
References: <2398@loral.UUCP>
Reply-To: sl@van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne)
Organization: Wimsey Associates
Lines: 22

In article <2398@loral.UUCP> jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay Bowden) writes:
>
> And while I am at it, can a FAX machine *originate* a
> call, but then *receive* the FAX instead of sending it
> (sort of the reverse of what is normal fax behavior)?
>

Yes. It's called polling. It must be supported at both ends. Basically the
document is left in the machine being called. When the other machine calls,
instead of receiving, it asks to send. And the calling machine agrees to
receive instead of sending.

Insecure in that any other machine that supports polling can call in and
collect the document instead. So often a "password" of sorts is programmed
in. Then only the machine knowing the (typically 2 digit) password can
collect the document.

In larger (read expensive) systems somtimes combined with user id to retrieve
fax's from a "mailbox". 

-- 
Stuart.Lynne@wimsey.bc.ca uunet!van-bc!sl 604-937-7532(voice) 604-939-4768(fax)