faxauthority.com

Fax Authority is an independent information site about fax machines, online fax services, and fax communication problems. It publishes tests, reviews, news, historical references, and technical explainers, plus links to reviews of the same topics on other sites. It is a research and reference resource, not a fax service provider — you cannot send a fax through the site itself.

What the site covers

The homepage organizes its content into four main areas:

Brands and services reviewed

The site's review coverage spans both online fax providers and fax machine manufacturers:

• Online fax services: eFax, RingCentral, Nextiva, MyFax
• Fax machine makers: HP, Brother, Ricoh, Canon

According to the site, Brother has the widest offering of fax machines of any manufacturer, and eFax has built a brand that is effectively synonymous with online faxing. RingCentral is described as carrying its VoIP experience into online faxing, and HP's printing technology accomplishments are noted as part of its fax machine history.

When Fax Authority is useful

• You are choosing between online fax providers and want plan-level reviews rather than marketing pages.
• You need a step-by-step answer to a concrete task, such as sending a fax, obtaining a fax number, or clearing a paper jam.
• You want historical or technical background on fax technology, or context on fax-related news.
• You want pointers to reviews elsewhere, since the site also links out to coverage on the same topics by other sites.

Limits to keep in mind

The site describes its aim as providing "serious and reliable information," but it is a guide and review site. Pricing, current plan terms, and availability are not established by the homepage material alone — check the provider's own pages before deciding. For anything involving confidential documents, treat the news items on the site (such as the misdirected health records case) as reminders to verify a recipient's fax number before sending.

If you're new to Ahrefs and want to run your first SEO audit, the fastest path is: open Site Explorer, enter your target URL, review the Overview for a health snapshot, then dig into Organic Keywords, Top Pages, and Site Audit to find specific problems. From there, build a short prioritized to-do list instead of trying to fix everything at once.

This tutorial walks through that workflow using a realistic starting scenario, explains what the numbers mean, and shows how to turn findings into actions.

Before You Start: Pick a Narrow Scope

A common beginner mistake is auditing an entire large website on day one. The reports become overwhelming, and you can't tell which issues matter.

Instead, choose one of these starting points:

• A single important page (your homepage or a key product/service page)
• A small site (under ~50 pages, e.g., a personal blog or small business site)
• One section of a bigger site (e.g., /blog/)

For this tutorial, assume you're auditing a small business site with about 30 pages. The same steps scale up later.

You'll need an Ahrefs account to follow along. Ahrefs offers paid plans, and pricing and feature limits change over time, so check the current Pricing page for what's included in each tier before committing.

Step 1: Enter Your Target in Site Explorer

Site Explorer is Ahrefs' core tool for analyzing any website or URL.

1. Open Site Explorer from the top navigation.
2. In the search box, paste your domain (e.g., example.com).
3. Choose the Exact URL or Domain mode depending on scope. For a full-site view, use Domain or Prefix; for a single page, use Exact URL.
4. Press Enter.

You'll land on the Overview report. Don't try to absorb everything — focus on four numbers first.

Reading the Overview Snapshot

Important caveat: Ahrefs' traffic and keyword numbers are estimates based on its own data. They won't match Google Search Console or your analytics exactly. Treat them as directional, not absolute.

Step 2: See What You Already Rank For

Go to Organic Keywords in the left sidebar. This shows queries where your site appears in search results.

Sort by Traffic (descending) to see which pages bring the most estimated visitors. Then look for:

• Keywords ranking in positions 4–15 — these are often the easiest wins. A small content or on-page improvement can push them onto page one.
• Keywords with high volume but low position — potential opportunities if the topic is relevant.
• Irrelevant keywords — if you rank for something off-topic, it may signal thin or mismatched content.

Write down 5–10 of the position 4–15 keywords. These become your first optimization targets.

Step 3: Find Your Best and Weakest Pages

Open Top Pages. This ranks your URLs by estimated organic traffic.

Look for two things:

1. Your top performers — understand what topics and formats work. Can you create more content like this?
2. Pages with traffic but poor rankings — these may need on-page fixes (title, headings, internal links).

If a page gets zero traffic and targets a topic you care about, it's a candidate for a rewrite or consolidation.

Step 4: Run a Technical Site Audit

Now move to Site Audit. This crawls your site and flags technical and on-page issues.

1. Click Site Audit → New project.
2. Enter your domain and set crawl settings (default is usually fine for a small site).
3. Start the crawl and wait for it to finish.

Once complete, you'll see a Health Score and a list of issues grouped by category.

Which Issues to Fix First

Not all issues are equal. Prioritize in this order:

Ignore low-impact warnings (like minor meta description length) until the big items are handled.

Step 5: Turn Findings Into a To-Do List

You now have raw data. Convert it into a short, actionable list. Example:

1. Fix 3 broken links found in Site Audit.
2. Rewrite title tags on 5 pages with duplicate titles.
3. Improve 4 pages ranking in positions 6–12 by adding missing subtopics and internal links.
4. Remove or update 2 thin pages with no traffic.

Keep the list to 5–10 items max for your first audit. Finishing a short list beats starting a long one.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Chasing every red flag. Site Audit flags many minor issues. Fix what affects rankings and users first.
• Trusting estimates as exact numbers. Ahrefs data is modeled, not measured from your analytics.
• Auditing a huge site too early. Start small to learn the interface.
• Ignoring search intent. A page can be technically perfect but still fail if it doesn't match what searchers want.
• Forgetting to re-crawl. After fixes, run Site Audit again to confirm improvements.

Where to Go Next

Once your first audit is done:

• Compare with competitors using Site Explorer's Competing Domains and Content Gap reports.
• Track keyword rankings over time with Rank Tracker.
• Explore backlink opportunities in the Backlinks and Link Intersect reports.
• Set up recurring Site Audit crawls so new issues surface automatically.

Your first audit isn't about perfection — it's about building a repeatable habit: enter a target, read the key reports, pick the highest-impact fixes, and act. Do that once a month and your site's health compounds.

Fax Authority's guide to getting a fax number breaks the choice into three routes: a local phone number, a VoIP number, or a number issued by an online fax service. The right one depends on whether you need a physical fax machine on site, whether you want to send and receive from a computer or phone, and how much research you're willing to do before committing. Fax Authority's stated position is that getting a number "can be easy, if the right research is done first" — so the guide treats number selection as a research task, not a checkout step.

The three types of fax numbers

Fax Authority groups fax numbers by how they are delivered rather than by provider brand:

The distinction matters because it determines your equipment. A local or VoIP number still assumes you have something to plug in or configure. An online fax service number replaces the machine entirely, which is why Fax Authority's how-to content splits "How to Send a Fax" into machine-based and computer-based paths.

Steps to get a number through an online fax service

Fax Authority's how-to articles on sending faxes and faxing from a computer describe the same general sequence. The steps below follow that structure; exact menu labels differ by provider.

1. Decide what the number is for. A number used for occasional inbound documents (contracts, prescriptions, signed forms) has different requirements than one printed on marketing material and expected to last for years.
2. Check number availability in the area code you want. Online fax services typically let you pick from available numbers, and local-looking numbers are often the reason people choose this route over a toll-free option.
3. Choose a plan that matches your volume. Fax Authority's reviews are organized around specific plans — for example, its eFax review covers the eFax Plus plan, its RingCentral review covers the Fax 750 plan, and it also reviews Nextiva's Basic plan and MyFax's "Best Value" plan. Plan names are the unit of comparison, not just the provider.
4. Set up sending and receiving. Once the number is active, you send by uploading a document and entering the destination fax number, and you receive inbound faxes as files in the service's interface or inbox.
5. Test with a real fax. Send a one-page document to a number you control, or ask a contact to fax you a page, and confirm both directions work before you publish the number anywhere.

What "research first" means in practice

Fax Authority's framing implies a few checks before you commit to a number:

• Portability and permanence. If the number will appear on business cards or a website, confirm what happens to it if you change plans or providers.
• Coverage of your use case. Fax Authority's how-to library covers faxing from a computer, from Windows 7, and from Windows XP — an indication that the guide expects readers to arrive with an existing setup and match the method to it, rather than assuming one universal workflow.
• Provider track record. The site's reviews lean on history and reputation: eFax is described as a brand "synonymous with online faxing itself," and RingCentral as a provider with "a reputation for reliability" that moved from VoIP into online faxing. Those are the dimensions Fax Authority uses to compare, so they're the dimensions worth checking yourself.

Choosing between the options

There is no single best route in Fax Authority's material — the guide presents options and lets the use case decide.

• Choose a local or VoIP number if you already have a fax machine, need a number that matches your local area, and are comfortable managing a phone line or VoIP configuration.
• Choose an online fax service number if you want to send and receive without hardware, need to fax from a computer, or want inbound faxes delivered as digital files.
• Compare on plan, not just brand. Fax Authority reviews named plans (eFax Plus, RingCentral Fax 750, Nextiva Basic, MyFax Best Value), which suggests that within a single provider the plan tier is what changes your limits and features.

One caveat worth carrying into your decision: Fax Authority's page evidence covers reviews, how-to articles, news, and history, but it does not publish pricing on the pages captured here. Treat any cost expectation as something to verify directly with the provider rather than something the guide settles for you.

Fax Authority (faxauthority.com) is a reference site for fax machines, online faxing, and fax communication issues. Its "How to Send a Fax" article states that faxes can be sent in several ways: from a fax machine, through an online fax service, or using technology already on your computer. Which method fits you depends on how often you fax, whether you need a dedicated fax number, and whether you have a landline or scanner available.

Method 1: Send From a Traditional Fax Machine

This is the original approach and still works for one-off or high-volume paper documents.

Prerequisites: a fax machine, a phone line (or the machine's connection method), the recipient's fax number, and the document.

Steps:

1. Set up the machine per its manual — Fax Authority's "How to Use a Fax Machine" article covers setup, sending, receiving, and troubleshooting.
2. Place the document face-down (or per your machine's feed direction) in the feeder or on the glass.
3. Enter the recipient's fax number on the keypad.
4. Press the send/start button and wait for the machine to dial, handshake, and transmit.
5. Check the transmission report or display to confirm the pages went through.

Common snags: paper jams (Fax Authority has a dedicated guide, "How to Fix a Paper Jam in a Fax Machine"), busy signals, and wrong-number dialing. If the machine reports an error, re-send and confirm the number before retrying.

Method 2: Send Through an Online Fax Service

Fax Authority's review section covers providers such as eFax (Plus plan), RingCentral (Fax 750 plan), Nextiva (Basic plan), and MyFax (Best Value plan). These are the services the site has reviewed in depth, so its comparisons are a reasonable starting point if you want a provider rather than a machine.

Prerequisites: an account with an online fax provider, and — per Fax Authority's "How to Get a Fax Number" article — a fax number, which can come as a local phone number, a VoIP number, or a number issued by an online fax service.

Steps:

1. Choose a provider and plan. Fax Authority's reviews describe each provider's background and plan structure; use those to compare before signing up.
2. Obtain a fax number through the service (or port/use an existing one).
3. Upload the document to send, or use the service's email-to-fax option if offered.
4. Enter the recipient's fax number and send.
5. Confirm delivery through the service's sent/status log.

When this fits: you fax occasionally, don't want to maintain a machine, or need to send from a laptop or phone. Fax Authority also notes a Popfax.com iPhone faxing application in its news section, an example of mobile faxing.

Method 3: Send From a Computer

Fax Authority has separate how-to articles for faxing from a computer, including "How to Fax From a Computer," "How to Fax with Windows 7," and "How to Fax with Windows XP." These cover using existing technology on your computer rather than a standalone machine.

Prerequisites: a computer, a document in digital form (or a scanner to digitize it), and either a fax modem with a phone line or an online fax service account.

Steps (general pattern):

1. Prepare the document as a file, or scan the paper copy.
2. Either connect via a fax modem and dial the recipient's number through fax software, or log in to an online fax service and upload the file.
3. Enter the recipient's fax number.
4. Send and verify the transmission or delivery confirmation.

Note: the Windows 7 and Windows XP articles reflect the operating systems of their time; the underlying approach (modem plus fax software, or a web service) still applies, but exact menus differ by system.

Before You Send: Preparation Checklist

• Confirm the recipient's fax number — a wrong digit wastes a transmission and may send your document to a stranger.
• Check page order and orientation in the feeder or file.
• Decide on a cover page if the recipient needs context; Fax Authority's how-to content treats sending as a multi-step process including setup and troubleshooting.
• Know your confirmation method — transmission report on a machine, delivery log on a service.
• For sensitive documents, be aware that misdirected faxes happen; Fax Authority's news section includes a report of confidential health records accidentally sent to a Florida couple.

Where to Go on Fax Authority

Fax Authority describes its aim as providing "serious and reliable information" plus tests, reviews, news, historical references, and technical information, and it links to reviews of the same topics on other sites — useful if you want a second opinion before choosing a provider or machine.

Fax Authority's guide to fixing a paper jam treats it as a general-purpose troubleshooting task: power down, open the machine along its designed access path, pull the jammed sheet in the direction of paper travel, then check for torn scraps before closing and testing. The steps below apply to most fax machines; the exact door, lever, or roller you touch depends on the brand and model.

Why Fax Machines Jam

Most jams come down to a small set of causes:

• Misaligned or overloaded paper — sheets stacked unevenly or filled above the tray's limit line feed at an angle and catch.
• Worn or dirty rollers — pickup and feed rollers lose grip over time, so paper slips and crumples.
• Humidity and damp paper — moist sheets stick together and pull through as a clump.
• Torn scraps left behind — a fragment from an earlier jam sits in the path and blocks the next sheet.
• Wrong paper type or weight — paper outside the machine's supported range feeds poorly.

Prevention follows directly: fan the stack before loading, stay under the tray limit, store paper dry, and clear every fragment the first time.

Steps to Clear a Jam Safely

1. Turn the machine off and unplug it. Fax machines have heated fuser areas and moving rollers; cutting power removes both the burn and pinch hazards.
2. Open the access panel or door. Most machines have a front or side door, sometimes with a release lever or button. If the display points to a specific area (document feeder, paper tray, output), start there.
3. Remove the paper tray if it blocks access. Set it aside rather than forcing it.
4. Pull the jammed sheet slowly in the direction the paper normally travels. Pulling backward against the feed direction is what tears sheets and leaves scraps behind.
5. Check for torn pieces. Run your eyes along the full path — rollers, guides, and the output area — and remove any fragments. A leftover scrap causes the next jam.
6. Inspect the rollers while you're in there. If they look glazed, dusty, or flattened, that's a likely repeat offender.
7. Close everything, reload paper squarely, and plug back in.
8. Send a test fax or make a copy to confirm the path is clear.

What Differs by Brand

Fax Authority covers fax machines from Brother, HP, Canon, and Ricoh, and the brand pages are the place to check model-specific access points. The general pattern:

For any of these, the reliable move is to find your model's manual or the brand page on Fax Authority rather than guessing at a lever.

After the Jam: Test and Maintain

• Test with a single sheet first, then a short multi-page fax, so you catch a partial fix before it becomes a repeat problem.
• Clean the rollers according to your model's instructions if jams recur.
• Replace the paper stack if it's damp or curled rather than reusing it.
• Log repeat jams — the same location jamming twice usually means a worn roller or a scrap you haven't found, not bad luck.

When to Stop DIY

If a sheet is wrapped around a roller, if you can see a sensor or fuser component in the way, or if the machine jams in the same spot after two clean attempts, stop pulling and consult the model's service information. Forcing paper past a fuser or sensor is how a jam turns into a repair.