Re: Can a print server be hung right off of a router?

From: Net Resident (nospam_at_nospame.net)
Date: 01/12/04 

Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 07:54:06 GMT

Cameron Kerr wrote:

> Net Resident <none@nospame.net> wrote:
>> I'm thinking I many have to connect physically direct to my print server
>> first to make sure it's IP address is fixed/static (been a while since I
>> used my print server). I'm guessing this is a common practice thing but
>> I was looking for a confirmation.
>
> I'm having difficulty understanding what you're trying to say, so tell
> me if I'm on the right track.
>
> You have a router (I gathered that from your subject), and a printer.
>
> I shall make some assumptions (please indicate if they are wrong)
>
> * The printer is attached to a printer server (possibly embedded in the
> printer itself).
>
> * By attaching it to your router, you mean "can I hang an ethernet
> printer server on one interface of a router." In which case, the
> answer would be "Yes, certainly, but if you don't connect a switch,
> you need to use a crossover cable"

OK thanks, I'll be mindful of that when testing.
 
 
> If I have you right, you want to know how to query the printer so you
> can find out its configuration, correct?

Yep, just haven't used it in a while. I plan to set it up temporary to the
computer to check data settings and function.

 
> If that's the case, you've ommitted some important information.
>
> * What is the Make/Model of the printer

HP Laserjet 6MP

 
> * Does it have its embedded printer controller (does an ethernet cable
> plug straight into it.

Nope, thats why I already have a print server.

 
> If it's not embedded, what is the Make/Model of the print controller.

Netgear PS110 (handles two printers)

 
> Let's assume that its a Laser printer with an embedded printer
> controller, say an HP LaserJet 2100L, a particularly horrid piece of
> work because it doesn't have an LCD display.
>
> If that's the case, a test page may print out more information,
> otherwise, there are more possibilities.
>
> Some printers (the 2100L does) have an embedded web server. Surf to the
> address and you should be able to see the configuration.
>
> Many printers have SNMP capabilities, you could query those, but only if
> you know what you're looking for (you will need the correct MIB to find
> anything interesting, although a Linux program called npadmin is
> moderately useful).
>
>
> If you don't know what the IP address is, then that's a bit harder. You
> could try a broadcast ping, but most devices don't answer to those
> (actually, Linux is the only OS I've seen exhibit that behaivour (mind
> you, I've seen inside the guts of a very expensive printer controller
> that runs Linux ;^)
>
> ping -c 2 -b 255.255.255.255
> ping -c 2 -b <subnet_broadcast_address>
>
> If you start tcpdump and then restart the printer, you might see some
> bootp packets, which would indicate that its configuring via DHCP. You
> could write the packet capture to a file (tcpdump -w) and look at it
> more closely with ethereal (ethereal /path/to/capturefile) to see what
> address it was given.
>

Thanks for taking the time to reply. That is interesting info that may come
in handy in the future =)

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