Scan to Folder Weirdness

[unisys12]

Right! So I have ran into two of these since the beginning of the month and for some reason I can't figure out why it's happening!!

So I have a fairly old machine. Say, two generations old, but it does support SMB. When setting up scan to folder, in the address book, I find that I cannot browse the network. I double checked the workgroup name to make sure it is correct in spelling and case. Spot on! But I can't browse! So like any good tech, I start goofing around but nothing seem out of place nor seems to work. Perform a packet capture and find nothing. Running out of ideas, I input the IP of the PC I am going to scan to in the path. Then back out and try to browse again.

I can browse!!

But knowing that this is not the best way to leave things, I change the IP, in the path, to the name of the PC and find that it doesn't work. I even input the path exactly as you would see it when browsing through Network Neighborhood and it still would not work. Change it back to the IP and you can scan all day.

So, I'm thinking that it's a DNS issue and check to make sure the DNS ip's are correct and they are. Connection tests to the DNS comes back fine. In both cases the DNS is located in a router for the office. And Email is working fine since the SMTP server is using a name and not an IP.

I know I'm missing something here guys and gals. So, what the heck is it?

[TheOwl]

Just a couple of questions to see if I can help you out.

1. What sort of machines are you having the issues with?
2. Do you know of any network / server changes recently?
3. Do the machines in question have a static IP or DHCP assigned?

[unisys12]

Just a couple of questions to see if I can help you out.

1. What sort of machines are you having the issues with?
2. Do you know of any network / server changes recently?
3. Do the machines in question have a static IP or DHCP assigned?

1. First one was a Savin 3224 and the other is a Savin 4045e
2. One yes, customer added a second ISP. The other, no changes.
3. MFP are programmed with Static IP's.

[Fearless V K]

Are you using the correct network authentication? If the customer is on a server, you will probably need to use the server authentication info to get into the network. If no server, make sure you are using the login username and password for the computer you are trying to scan to. Could be DNS problem, but that is more common with the SMTP server name for scan to email. The machine likes the IP address rather than the name there. Also make sure there are no firewalls or antivirus programs blocking the machine access.

[TheOwl]

Just a stab in the dark here cause I don't know the Savins, but try setting one of the machines to DHCP so that all the IP, DNS and WINS (if WINS is running) is auto populated by the customers server.

Are the Savins capable of running DDNS? If so, try turning this on so that DNS changes are dynamically updated.

[schooltech]

Is this on a pretty simple network? Usually, I didn't run into problems like this when the network actually has a DNS server. But, when they're just using a router for their "dns" sometimes trying to chase the hostname doesn't work, but inputting the ip addy does. Of course, with DHCP, that COULD change, but usually, within a small network, it won't change that often.

You could try a \\hostname\workgroup type setup, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Play with the settings a bit and see what you come up with.

On some of these networks, I've just static'd the addy's, with no problems, as long as the network is small enough <10 or so machines.

[unisys12]

Are the Savins capable of running DDNS? If so, try turning this on so that DNS changes are dynamically updated.

Good idea... didn't think of that. I know all of our newer machines do. Never checked on the older stuff though. I found that our network does the same thing with an older 4045e we have at the shop. I set it up this morning just to see if I could replicate the issue. Here's what i found...

Same thing! If I input the "\\HOSTNAME\WORKGROUP" in, it will not browse. Gives me a "Failed to connect to PC" message. If I input the IP address of the PC, it will browse straight to the PC. It then of course asks me for login info as it should. After logging in, I can then back down the tree to find other PC's. Keep in mind that I have set up several different machines at the shop, just to test out, demo or perform tasks for the office.

Now here's were things get a bit freaky, for me anyway. I set up my laptop with my Dynax hub so that I could do a packet capture and take a closer look at what was going on. When I put the hub between the MFP and the network, I could browse with no problems. Like nothing was wrong. If I unplugged the hub and plugged the network cable back into the wall, I could no longer browse without first putting in the IP.

What's up with that?

[TheOwl]

Here is a bit of background info on hubs and switches that might help you out, in the case that you didn't already know.

Hubs
When you have multiple connections through a hub, the transmitted data has to search through each connection to find the IP / Hostname before it can send through the data to the destination.

Switches
Switches hold an ARP table which ensures tranmitted data goes through directly to the destination, bypassing all other ports on the switch. This means that all other connections are ignored. This is also why networks running switches make connections quicker.

What could be possibly happening is that when you are using the hub, the hub is broadcasting the packets everywhere until the destination is found. On the way through, you might be hitting up the DNS server which resolves the IP.

This is only a guess, but hopefully this info helps you out.

[Josh Moody]

are you scanning to a server? if you are check the local policies for digital packet signing.

[schooltech]

When you replicate the 4035e problem in your shop, with a hostname, is it pointing to a server on a network that also has a dedicated DNS server on the network as well?

I think that networks that don't have dedicated DNS servers can have difficulty resolving hostnames, depending on what type of router and settings within their router are doing the work.

On the 4035e, what settings are you pointing it to in your shop? I'm assuming that you are pointing it to the DNS addy, and in the business, is the 4035e pointing to a DNS server or the gateway router addy?

The DDNS settings are a good idea to check. Most home routers will have the feature turned on automatically, although it won't work on XP Home machines, for example. The DDNS settings in the router will affect browsing, if you don't go into the DNS tables and manually add your hostname/addy.

[cyclops]

Hope this might help

I had a similar problem and it was resolved by plugging the domain name in on the machine.

[unisys12]

I'm glad you brought this back up, because I've forgot all about it.

I was able to resolve the above issues by turning on WINS on the MFP's.