Brother MFC 8660DN /New details/

[cucuklotz]

Hi I m posting new post with new details and need some opinions(other than get a real tech).Went back to Brother MFC 8660 today and Toner message has disappeared,but as soon as you try to print from any one of 2 computers networked to this printer the yellow status light flashes and no print occurs, I can copy and fax on machine though.I checked error history log but there are no real errors other than tray empty errors(but again I can copy all day on machine)Sometimes just plugging network into printer trggers the flashing status light.I was about to puit new Main pwb(seems like pain to program) in machine when I remembered they had same model but with problems on it in storage area.I plugged it into network(Ip address is on auto and configuration printout Ip address was now present).I tried to print from same 2 computers to this printer ,it did not print ,but status lite didn't flash either as it did with other printer ,print jobs stayed in q). Do you think as I do that this must be network issue? THANKS ANDY

[blackcat4866]

Bring out your laptop, connect to the printer via crossover cable, and print directly from your laptop to the printer. If successful, you have a working printer, and some other kind of data is being sent to the printers IP address. =^..^=

[cucuklotz]

HI, Thank you.I will Andy

[cucuklotz]

Hi I have never used a crossover cable.I tried to do research on it last nite,bui still not sure how to use.Where do the two connections go?I know one is to my laptop,but where does the other connection go?Do I have to touch cutomers computer to set anything? THANKS ANDY

[Dickie]

Plug other end of crossover cable into the network port of the copier, and either change the i.p address of your laptop to match the current range on the machine or change the i.p address of the machine so that it matches the range of your laptop.

So If the machine has for example 192.168.20.55
Set your laptop i.p to 192.168.20.xx Where xx is anything other than 55

or

If your laptop has i.p 192.168.50.13
Set machine i.p at 192.168.50.xx Where xx is anything other than 13

Simple

[blackcat4866]

Plug other end of crossover cable into the network port of the copier, and either change the i.p address of your laptop to match the current range on the machine or change the i.p address of the machine so that it matches the range of your laptop.

So If the machine has for example 192.168.20.55
Set your laptop i.p to 192.168.20.xx Where xx is anything other than 55

or

If your laptop has i.p 192.168.50.13
Set machine i.p at 192.168.50.xx Where xx is anything other than 13

Simple

If you don't mind Dickie, I'll throw in a few pix.

cucuklotz:
The crossover cable is wired a little differently than a regular network cable. Many modern laptops can compensate all by themselves, but I don't know anything about your laptop. It's simple enough to make a crossover cable yourself, but for now it's probably best to just stop by the computer store and buy one.

Just plug one end of the cable into your laptop, and the other end into the MFP/printer.

I don't know what OS you've got ... these pix are from WinXP. Go to Start > My Network Places > right click to Properties:

crossover1.JPG

Right click your Local Area Connection > drop to Properties:

crossover2.JPG

Scroll down to Internet Protocol > Properties:

crossover3.JPG

select the radio button in front of "Use the following IP address" > enter an IP address with the first three octets the same, then the last octet Up one or two digits from the IP of the MFP > Enter the same Subnet Mask and Gateway as your MFP > OK:

crossover4.JPG

Now you can close out the remaining windows. You'll be able to do all the same things as if your laptop and the printer were on a network, except completely isolated from you customer's network (and any associated problems).

When you're done, you'll probably want to change back to "Obtain an IP address automatically". If you don't, your laptop won't automatically connect to other networks. Does that help? =^..^=

[cucuklotz]

HI THANK YOU for all the help.It is a big learning experience.The customer is away till Monday,Ill let you know how it turns out. I was about to tell them to contact their network guy,but I think with the very clear explanations I may be able to handle this. ANDY

[Kalamar]

I would suggest your Problem is "The Ip-Adress is on auto" as that could possibly mean every time you power cycle the machine it get´s another IP-Adress and that would mean your Computers would have to know that to send the data to the correct Adress ... so i would first go and change the IP Settings on the Brother to manual and set a static IP.
but the test with the crossover cable is a good way to see if the machine is working, of course!

[cucuklotz]

Hi So I went to machine with cross cable this A.M. ,and connected it.It did not try to set up new device.Apparently 8660 are set to auto IP address setting.When I plugged in Ethernet crosscable I was able to get IP address on network configuration printout page(*if unplugged printout IP address is all zeros)I tried to set IP by following advice ,although I don't know if I set up correctly.the 2 leds were on showing I had connection.As I tried to print the status lite on machine startred flashing and an error page printed out that said "unsupported protocol)and printer stayed in error state until I turned off and on.I plugged crosscable into a machine after this at another customer who had a Brother MFC 8480(Same machine virtually)with a few different bells and whistles,and a slightly later version.My laptop configured everything (machine had same type of configuration,auto IP ,all zeros when Ethernet not connected.When Ethernet had ip address on configuration printout.I was able to print witrhou any issues. Im starting to wonder if the MFC 8660 has a bad main pwb, Any futher input will be gladly accepted THANKS ANDY

[cucuklotz]

HI I never touch a customers computer,ever.I have enough problems as It is. On the first day I went to customer to service machine, I told customer to delete the printer from his computer and download new software (he didn't have disk).He called me later in day and said he did and that the problem was still there.Fastforward to yesterday,I told him have their IT guy take a look at network since I used crosscable and didn't get print,I tested crosscable on similar machine which has auto setup and I was able to print(his machine an earlier version did not set up automatically,im not sure if I set up correctly,but I did get his machine to print page that said unsupported protocol,.His IT guy shows up and deletes machine from his computer and downloads new software and machine now works,I told IT guy that I told customer to delete machine from his computer,It guy said he had another brother 8660 at one time and customer did not delete this one when I told him to delete machine from his computer.IT guy said not exactly sure what problem was but now OK.MY QUESTION I FeEL I SHOULD be paid FROM CUSTOMER FOR SOME OF MY MUCH SPENT TIME ON MACHINE