Tag: vsifax

How Do I View VSIFAX Modem Stats?

If you experience failed faxes, running these commands can help identify if the issue is affecting a single modem/phone line or multiples modems/phone lines:

grep result $VSIFAX/spool/logs/modem1* | awk '{print $6}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn
grep result $VSIFAX/spool/logs/modem2* | awk '{print $6}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn
grep result $VSIFAX/spool/logs/modem3* | awk '{print $6}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn
grep result $VSIFAX/spool/logs/modem4* | awk '{print $6}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn

Where can I purchase a USB modem?

MultiTech has discontinued the only USB modem that works with VSI-FAX, but the working MT5634ZBA-USB model is still available elsewhere. We suggest starting with an eBay search, which has worked well for a number of customers seeking replacement modems in a pinch. All of the typical eBay caveats apply (i.e. purchase from a reputable seller, make sure there’s a return policy, verify the warranty status, etc.).

Please note that while the model numbers are similar, this is not the same modem as the newer MT5634ZBA-USB-V92 model, which is not certified for use with VSI-FAX on Linux.

Configuring Fax on Demand

The VSI-FAX server installation program automatically installs the Fax on Demand Connector and creates a fax destination called FoDC for you. This is the destination that should be used for sending fax jobs to the Esker Fax on Demand server.

To be able to fax through Esker on Demand, you simply need to enter the following connection information you should have received via email when subscribing to the service:

  • Account ID
  • Password

To configure the connector:

vfxadmin config -a -i FODC DEVICE hostname na.ondemand.esker.com
vfxadmin config -a -i FODC DEVICE accountid 00012345
vfxadmin config -a -e -i FODC DEVICE password WwVEbyrp

To enable the connector:

vfxadmin enable fodc

If you are migrating from a VSI-FAX configuration that used modems, you’ll need to remove the existing default fax1 class and replace it with a new one containing only fodc:

vfxadmin class -d -a fodc temp
vfxadmin class -x fax1
vfxadmin class -d -a fodc fax1
vfxadmin class -x temp

If you are not using modems, and this is your first time configuring VSI-FAX, all you need to do is create a “class” called “fax1” and add the device “fodc” to the fax1 class:

vfxadmin class -d -a fodc fax1

When the connector has been configured and set as the default destination, you are ready to fax via Fax on Demand.

Esker’s service requires 10-digit dialing, so you should verify that Eclipse is configured to use 10-digit dialing rather than 7-digit dialing: F2 -> P -> A -> Fax -> ALT-F

Testing the Fax on Demand Connector

To send a test fax via FoDC:

vfx -n +5087788384 -d FoDC /etc/hosts

To check the status (where 1013 is the fax job number output from the previous command):

vfxstat 1013

Reference

How do I check my fax failure rate?

First, run the following command to list the result of each fax attempt:

vfxolog -d | egrep -v "^Req|QUEUED|SNDING" | awk '{print $9}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn

Here’s output from an example system experiencing issues with fax reliability:

root@eclipse ~]# vfxolog -d | egrep -v "^Req|QUEUED|SNDING" | awk '{print $9}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn
    489 NORMAL
    100 LINDRP
     86 TMEOUT
     83 BUSY
     31 NOTFAX
      4 CANCEL

Each stats code means something different, but for the purposes of this investigation we care mostly about the good status (NORMAL) vs. the bad status (LINDRP and TMEOUT).

To calculate the fax failure percentage: (LINDRP + TMEOUT) / (LINDRP + TMEOUT + NORMAL).

How do I fix a VSI-FAX duplicate key error?

If the VSI-FAX database has been corrupted, you may receive an error similar to the following:

vfxstat: Cannot login: Duplicate key

If this happens, we recommend that you run the following procedure as provided by Esker technical support:

cd $VSIFAX/spool/dbs
vdbtool unload -h on user > user.csv
vfxsched stop
vdbtool delete user
vdbtool create $VSIFAX/lib/dbs/user.sch
vdbtool load -h on -u user < user.csv
vfxsched start
vfxadmin user -t umd=usr-admin vsifax

If that does not resolve your issues, you should contact Esker technical support for assistance.