ELSA LANCOM Business 6000, Manual

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Operating modes and functions
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ELSA LANCOM Business 6000
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6.9 Office communications and LANCAPI
LANCAPI from ELSA is a special version of the popular CAPI interface. CAPI
(Common ISDN Application Programming Interface) establishes the
connection between ISDN adapters and communications programs. For their
part, these programs provide the computers with office communications
functions such as a fax machine or answering machine.
This chapter briefly introduces you to LANCAPI and the accompanying
application programs for office communications as well as providing you with
instructions that are important for installing the individual components.
6.9.1 ELSA LANCAPI
What are the advantages of LANCAPI ?
Above all, the use of LANCAPI offers you economic advantages. LANCAPI
provides all workstations integrated in the LAN (local-area network) with
unlimited access to office communications functions such as fax machines,
answering machines, online banking and eurofile transfer. All functions are
supplied via the network without the necessity of additional hardware at
each individual workstation, thus eliminating the costs of equipping the
workstations with ISDN adapters or modems. All you need do is install the
office communications software on the individual workstations.
For example, faxes are sent by simulating a fax machine at the workstation.
With
LANCAPI , the PC forwards the fax via the network to the router which
establishes the connection to the recipient.
Fax operation via hardware
The processing power required for fax operation via LANCAPI is provided by
the processor of the ELSA LANCOM Business . The device thus provides a
genuine hardware-based fax function via LANCAPI which significantly
reduces the processor loads of the faxing workstations.
During the installation of most fax programs that support CAPI operation, the
LANCAPI is identified as a Class II hardware fax and used automatically.
Installing the LANCAPI client
The LANCAPI is made up of two components, a server (in the ELSA LANCOM
Business ) and a client (on the PCs). The LANCAPI client must be installed on
those computers in the LAN that will be using the LANCAPI functions.