Static IP address on controllers changing

[seniortech]

I am investigating a very strange problem at a customer site where the static IP addresses assigned to the individual printers are randomly changing on the individual controllers but can see no technical reason why. There are various different printers at this customer, Sharp/Canon/Oce and KM The machines use both standalone (Fiery) and the machines own embedded controllers.

The customer will complain that they cannot print to a specific printer, when looking in the machine or Fiery setup I will see that the static IP address has changed from the correct address originally assigned to it, to something that appears random and completely different. Putting in the correct address resolves the problem until it happens again on the same or another printer, this can be days or weeks later.The printers are definately not on DHCP. customer workstations are unaffected. The network is protected against and has been scanned for viruses and malware.

On ALL the controllers and machines you have to login to the machine or Fiery via a password and then go into a setup menu to change the IP address. so I simply cannot understand how the static IP addresses assigned to the controller/machine is possibly changing, but clearly it is.

Anyone any ideas what may possibly be happening

Many thanks

[copier tech]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

Is it possible customers IT have mac address or DHCP reservations set?
Also being fierys Canon for example have an "auto ip" setting maybe this is set to on?

[NeoMatrix]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

Post some examples of the IP address changing from X numbers to Y numbers.
Do the changed IP address always have the same subnet range or is it totally random?Is it Cat 5 cabling or Cat 6 cabling through the network or WIFI?

Is there any totally different network bridging setup between routers or switchs?

The fact that the machines are fix IP lends me to believe in power outage problems,or anwanted voltage going down the CAT5/6 cables causing the NIC to reset.
Are the customer using ethernet over powerline cabling wall socket adaptors?

How is the server/router/switch network setup. Have the fixed IP's for the printers all been reserved at the DHCP server. If the MFD IP's have not been reserved, all the PC's sitting on the DHCP network can be allocated the MFD fixed IP's and there will be a general IP conflict. Which means no printer comms.

It won't explain why the MFD's change IP, unless the undetected IP conflict motivates the local staff to go into settings of the MFD and change the MFD IP which was caused by the DHCP server reserved IP conflict in the first instance.

In concluding the above:
Assuming DHCP network is active for all PC's on the network accept
MFD's, check that I.T. have reserved the network IP's for the printers. This should stop staff from needing to access the MFD network settings.

HTH

[Santander]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

I agree with Copier Tech, even if a reservation has been made in DHCP by the IT dept. with Auto IP turned on any interruption in the network for an extended period of time, the unit will assign itself an IP address. Turn off the auto IP and you should resolve your problem as it will keep the manually entered IP address and come back on line when the network is re-established.

[slimslob]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

I tend to agree with Neo. You either have power problems causing memory corruption or you have little hands changing things. If you are on good speaking terms with one of the receptionists, after a change ask if anyone from a competitor was recently there.

I don't know about Sharp/Canon/Oce and KM but with Ricoh models I can configure to print using netbios name. I have used this when I have a customer who likes to change his ISP frequently which results in a totally different subnet.

[techsass]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

Interesting problem, well only in that it's you & not me having it. Let us know what it is once you get it figured out.

I've only run into the opposite issue where Windows decides to switch to a WSD port instead of the IP.

[Konica John]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

Try changing the passwords. If it's set to a static IP they will default back to DHCP with power outage, highly unlikely it's staying static and changing to a valid IP, even if it's not under a MAC reservation, you'd only get an IP conflict, not a changed static IP. What you are describing is virtually impossible without some outside "help" changing the IP addresses. unless they are defaulting back to DHCP (which would be power outages most likely) you have someone messing with them.

[MattL]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

I'd set static, change admin password to something else, suspect someone could be logging in and setting it to something else.

[habik]

Re: Static IP address on controllers changing

As above and run the latest software on all Fierys and for sure change ALL service & Admin & Fiery passwords to something...rather lengthy.