Network problem

kemi2078

Have got a network printer (HP 5500n) connected to a p.c. via an auto-negotiating Addon SW05/08P 5/8 port 10/100mbps ethernet switch (all connected using straight-through RJ45 cables). Was working fine until I tried to connect to the internet - used a 30 metre straight-through RJ45 to connect the switch to a LinkSys router (which is already connected to two other p.c.s). Internet now works fine but printer doesn't respond at all. Tried manually configuring IP address for printer (this worked previously with initial set-up problems - thanks to Hendersonb and Red Rose Exile for the advice) but device is not found. Any ideas anyone?

fwor

This is a bit of a wild guess, but is it possible that the PC is now getting an IP address automatically through it's new connection to the router (most routers incorporate a DHCP server by default) which is in a different subnet than the IP address that you've manually assigned to the printer?

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kemi2078

I'm not sure. I tried disconnecting the router and returning to the previous set-up but the printer still won't respond. What's the best way to check?

fwor

Disconnecting the router won't necessarily help, because a DHCP server assigns an IP address for a period of time, which can be days or more.

If you open a Command Prompt in XP (guessing here that's what you have) and type ipconfig it will tell you the IP address currently assigned to your computer. If it looks significantly different from the IP address assigned to your printer then you've probably found the problem.

kemi2078

ipconfig gave me only the ip address for the switch. I did ipconfig/all as well, that listed "ip routing enabled - no" for my pc - any relevance? Also DHCP enabled for the switch. IP addresses share the first six digits in common.

BillScarab

What is the subnet mask set to? You can check it with ipconfig /all on your PC.

An IP address is divided into four octets divided seperated by dots. Are the first three octets the same on the printer and computer?

kemi2078

subnet mask is set to 255.255.255.0
first two octets of the ip addresses are the same. On the third, the switch is a 1 whilst the printer is a 0.

kemi2078

Incidentally, the printer ip address doesn't list under ipconfig/all - the ip address is off a data sheet printed directly from the printer control panel. Don't know if this is relevant.

potsofmoney_(I_wish)

Hi there,

My assumptions are:

1. Printer is set to manually configured IP address.
2. PC is set to DHCP assigned IP address using the Linksys router as a DHCP server.
3. Your linksys router supports DHCP reservations.

Recommendation:

From the printer's front panel set IP address assignment to be DHCP (panel might also call this setting auto or bootp). Switch printer off and on again (to be on the safe side). Print printer's configuration using front panel on printer. Find the printer's IP address. Run the add printer wizard on the PC. Create a new local port of type tcp/ip. Enter printer's IP address and follow wizard through to completion. You should now be able to print.
This is the important bit - Now log on to your linksys router. Find the DHCP server
settings and make a reservation for your printer's IP address - now your printer will always get assigned the same IP address.

kemi2078

I can't find anything through the front panel for DHCP / manually configuring an ip address. I've always just got the printer to print out its "print configuration" which includes the ip address.

fwor

kemi2078 wrote: »

subnet mask is set to 255.255.255.0
first two octets of the ip addresses are the same. On the third, the switch is a 1 whilst the printer is a 0.

If I understand what you wrote correctly, that's your problem. If (say) your PC has IP address 192.168.1.x and your printer has IP address 192.168.0.y then, with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 they won't see each other - they are in different subnets.

As BillScarab has already implied, the first three octets must be the same for all devices on the subnet.