printer dynamic address allocation problem
 

We have been having problems with our networked printer ever since we changed our ISP and changed our wireless modem/router. I think the issue is with dynamic address allocation changing the network address of the printer so that the driver fails to see it. If I re-install the printer driver everything is hunky dory until the printer is reset or the router is reset. As the printer is not used every day it is turned off until required ........

Is there a simple way to stop this?

If the addresses are stopped from changing regularly, are there any downsides? Security issues?

Thanks for your interest,

Rans6....

Your printer setup menu should have an option to pick a fixed IP address. Your router will have a menu showing what range of IP addresses it is able to hand out. Simply pick a number outside that range for the printer. So if the router is handing out numbers in the range, say, 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.64, choose something between 65 and 254. If the router is set to hand out all possible addresses, you can change one of the limits to give yourself a bit of space.

Some consumer-grade routers can be set up somewhat differently, but you get the idea.

Fixed IP addresses aren't a security risk.

+1 on the setting of the fixed address.

Using the printer menus, you should be able to get to the networking selection. Turn off the bit about acquire address automatically (DNS) and set the address you want in the range your network uses. 192.168.0.15 for example.

It may help if you post the printer type.

Nope. And it still puzzles me as to why printers manufacturers insist on shipping with DHCP enabled by default instead of forcing you to configure static ...... out of the box "experience" I guess.

None that were not there already.

Agree on all the above. In fact I have set up my home network so that every device has a fixed IP address. Being one who remembers numbers very easily it makes administration and ad-hoc connecting to file shares a lot easier as well as ensuring that when I'm abroad I don't have my wife complaining that her netbook has stopped talking to the printer or the backup NAS!

... or alternatively, each of the routers I've used (Netgear, Linksys and a nasty little Thomson) have somewhere a LAN IP setup page, where it is possible to reserve addresses. Once set up, I've never (well, hardly ever) had a glitch.

It's a godsend for people like me who have to support companies who go out on their own and buy a printer then plug it into the network. I can log into the DHCP server remotely, scan down the list of MAC addresses until I find one from the printer supplier, check the IP, log onto the embedded web browser to ensure it's the right printer, then set a static DHCP mapping for the printer and reboot the printer through the web interface - all without leaving my seat to drive to the site.

FWIW, with DHCP services provided by routers, I wouldn't be setting static IPs on devices sitting within the DHCP range if I wanted a trouble-free future.

Mike-Bracknell,

Well, yeah, there's the DHCP mapping option... but by the time you've determined the printer's MAC address and then configured your DHCP server accordingly, you might as well just give the thing a good old static IP in the traditional fashion. :cool:

...which then has the potential to cause you IP address conflicts on your shoddy DHCP server implementation built into your cheap router :ooh:

Well, you shouldn't sell your customers Belkin routers then Mr Bracknell... :p

On a more serious note. Yes, fine, fair enough. Point taken. etc.

Wash your mouth out with soap and say a thousand Hail Marys*.

I would NEVER deploy such tripe.
















(*This is an extract from the troubleshooting section of the manual)

Thanks to all respondees.

Can someone tell me a bit slower?

BushFiva "Your printer setup menu should have an option to pick a fixed IP address." Is this a menu in the printer or the printers menu in the PC (running windows xp) or in the printer driver installation utility?

I don't recall there being any menus on the printer itself, it doesn't have any form of display or menu buttons.

The printer is a Samsung CLP300N.

The Samsung support pages have the manual here to download. There is a Set IP program which seems to be what you need to set it up.

Support for CLP-300N SAMSUNG

Good luck

DHCP mapping works well.

On my basic router, in the IP address reservation list, it shows you the device name, ip address, and hardware address.

If you can tell which one is your printer by name, you can just hit a button such as "add reservation" to set it aside. That's how mine works, anyway.

I'm sure you're aware, but just for the benefit of others, DHCP Reservations are not the same thing as mapping.

Dependent upon *which* part of Berkshire, but buy me a pint and i'll do it for you :)