Mgetty+sendfax

Mgetty+sendfax is a handy set of programs that lets you send and receive faxes on a Unix system using a class 2.0 or class 2 fax modem. Pretty cool, right? One of the extensions, called vgetty, comes with it and helps manage incoming voice calls for compatible modems. New ones get added regularly if their specs are available.

What Does Mgetty Do?

The main program, mgetty, allows your class 2.0 or 2 fax modem to receive faxes and handle logins without messing up outgoing calls. It's like having your cake and eating it too!

All About Sending Faxes

If you need to send faxes, there's sendfax, which is perfect for sending out fax files all on its own. On top of that, vgetty can act like an answering machine! It can pick up calls, record voice messages (if it hears one), or handle fax or data calls just like mgetty.

A Bunch of Useful Features

The whole mgetty+sendfax package includes vgetty along with several utility programs to help manage your faxes and voice messages easily.

Here are some key features:

• Send faxes directly or use shell scripts—super easy to integrate into other applications.


• Fax polling: You can call a weather station to get the latest weather map via fax (note: not all modems support this feature!).


• Create a fax queue so outgoing faxes get sent automatically! You’ll even get an email about the result.


• The best part? You can use one modem line for receiving calls while dialing out!


• Mgetty's smart enough to keep your modem in check with specific initialization settings.


• You answer incoming calls manually instead of letting the modem pick them up when it's down (very handy!).


• This software replaces old-school options like getty and uugetty while being compatible with lock files from various versions of UUCP.


• You can receive class 2 faxes if your modem supports it!


• Mgetty's got extensive logging features for debugging.


• If you're feeling fancy, set up your machine as a fax poll server to send pages when asked!


• You can even refuse calls based on Caller ID if your modem supports it—super useful!


• Tons more features available through the voice library too!