Need some advice on learning networking

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I'm done with protocols and finally something I can use for copiers.

Protocols are simply a set of rules that each computer agree to in order to communicate with one another and every protocol has a specified port. Sometimes more than one.

HTTP (port 443) is used to pull up a webpage. But if you're on Amazon and it asks you for your credit card information, it will switch over to HTTPS because it is secure, or encrypted.

There are many protocols used for different purposes. The ones that relate to copiers are SMTP (port 25), TLS/SSL (port 465). Of course TTL/SSL adds a layer of security.

StartTLS (port 587) is a protocol command used to inform the email server that the email client wants to upgrade from an insecure connection to a secure one using TLS or SSL. StartTLS is used with SMTP and IMAP, while POP3 uses the slightly different command for encryption, STLS.

To date, I had no idea how any of that worked, I just typed the port number in the correct box and it was magic as far as I was concerned.

PS - Those aren't the only protocols used for copiers. You also have FTP (port 21). I'm sure there are others (TCP).

PSS - Protocols reside on the Transport Layer of the OSI model.

If I got any of that wrong, feel free to correct me.


Edit: I did have something wrong. Different protocols reside in different layers of the OSI models. SMTP, TLS/SSL, for example, reside in Layer 7...the application layer. TCP protocol is in the transport layer. Other protocols are in other layers.

[bsm2]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Smb scanning is on port 445 or 139

Port 80 and 443 are ports generally associated with "the Internet". Port 443/HTTPS is the HTTP protocol over TLS/SSL. Port 80/HTTP is the World Wide Web. ... If web servers are being hosted, connections will be allowed inbound to those web servers.

[DFM914]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Reading this thread reminded me of a geek joke I thought I would share.
0.jpg

[KenB]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I found a few useful YouTube videos on the OSI model. I realize there are tons of 'em.

Not super detailed, so it's a bit easier on the brain, but still quite informative:

OSI Model Explained | OSI Animation | Open System Interconnection Model | OSI 7 layers | TechTerms - YouTube

The one below is a bit older, but still true (the OSI model has been around since the '80s). I don't like how he somewhat glosses over Layer 4, the Transport Layer, but it's otherwise pretty accurate.

The OSI Model Demystified - YouTube

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I found a few useful YouTube videos on the OSI model. I realize there are tons of 'em.

Not super detailed, so it's a bit easier on the brain, but still quite informative:

OSI Model Explained | OSI Animation | Open System Interconnection Model | OSI 7 layers | TechTerms - YouTube

The one below is a bit older, but still true (the OSI model has been around since the '80s). I don't like how he somewhat glosses over Layer 4, the Transport Layer, but it's otherwise pretty accurate.

The OSI Model Demystified - YouTube

I had already watched the one with Eli the Computer Guy. It does help when someone breaks it down in layman's terms. Hopefully, I'll get started on learning wireshark soon. I want to learn a little more before getting started so that it makes some kind of sense.

[bsm2]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Ping command and link lights on the nic card if the copier has them are your best friends
Also carry a 5 port switch some cables to make your own little network to check the copier

[KenB]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I had already watched the one with Eli the Computer Guy. It does help when someone breaks it down in layman's terms. Hopefully, I'll get started on learning wireshark soon. I want to learn a little more before getting started so that it makes some kind of sense.

It does.

I like Eli’s videos; I’ve seen most all of them.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I've watched a lot of his videos myself. Man, I have mad respect for you guys who really know networking. I couldn't fully appreciated it until I learned a little about it. And I'm still early on in the learning process. This shit is addictive.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Ping command and link lights on the nic card if the copier has them are your best friends
Also carry a 5 port switch some cables to make your own little network to check the copier

I'm gonna be hitting you up with a lot of questions before all is said and done.

[bsm2]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Ipconfig and ipconfig /all
Will give you the current ip address of the PC subnet and gateway
the all command will give you all current setting plus dns
domain name

PS if the gateway is not entered or incorrect you can't scan to email.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Ipconfig and ipconfig /all
Will give you the current ip address of the PC subnet and gateway
the all command will give you all current setting plus dns
domain name

PS if the gateway is not entered or incorrect you can't scan to email.

I've known how to do all of that for a while...along with a few other things. My problem has been that's about all I knew. I know how to find all that information and plug it in, but if a problem popped up, I was mostly at a loss.

[bsm2]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I've known how to do all of that for a while...along with a few other things. My problem has been that's about all I knew. I know how to find all that information and plug it in, but if a problem popped up, I was mostly at a loss.

No worries I've gone from working on main body into IT side since 1980. Rare to find tech's that can do both. I can still turn a screwdriver and troubleshoot main body but I prefer IT and keeps me busy enough. Doing everything via remote since March even installs and don't plan on changing for some time.

[copiertec]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

This is a great thread you started, Billy. I know a few old school techs, like myself, and they decided to stop learning and have little if no IT experience...they are now in other lines of work, bar tending, waiting tables or delivering pizzas as they are not desirable in our field anymore because so much is IT related. Keep up with the great questions as I am learning new stuff here, too.

[Gift]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

If you're mostly a hardware/maintanance guy but interested and open to new fields of expertise you probably find it less hard to learn if you gain that knowledge during practical work. I have different departments with IT specialists and hardware-techs but do encourage our hardware guys to maintain a certain level of connectivity knowledge so basicly everyone is capable to set up a new MFP with the basic stuff. Techs and trainees are welcome to accompany our IT guys when there's a new MFP set up in our showroom or help them out during rollouts omn customers sites. Unfortunately this won't work vice versa - once a tech dig in IT too deep I feel they don't like dirty hands anymore so I never had an IT guys asking to help out in the repair shop^^

It's true that most customers have own IT departments but I regulary encounter them as pretty incompetent when it comes to printer administrations. Like they are using windows 10 defaults "craptastic" drivers, low performance WSD port instead of TCP/IP port. Some even don't know to set up DNS properly in order to work with smtp URLs and so on...

[n25an]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

scan to email protocol for IT tech

regular account or gmail account...?
ssl or tls?
will the customer supply an email address or will you be required to generate your own?
if it is an email service like aol/aim or one provided by their internet provider inform the customer that they may view scanning as spamming and block the account...
best for this purpose is gmail but turn on less secure app settings...
(note if you create the gmail account and do scan without turning on the less secure app settings you may brick the gmail account for scanning and have to create another one)

also keep in mind that not all copiers support ssl from gmail... sometimes you might need to use tls the 587 port but there are days when that does not work... for that you might need stunnel... to act as a go between if stunnel is not working email is dead...

now if everything works and one day scanning stops
possiblities...
1. email account deleted...
2. email account is full...
3. the scanned document is too large
4. email no longer supports scanning
5. internet connection dead
6. scanning blocked by firewall
7. my favorite... password changed on the email account used for sending scans... generally thats the case...
8. sometimes you get dns issues... which means dns has changed for some odd reasons... power outage... new internet service provider... they changed the network from a 10.x.x.x to 198.x.x.x or something like that and all settings have to be reentered on the copier...

Ipconfig and ipconfig /all
Will give you the current ip address of the PC subnet and gateway
the all command will give you all current setting plus dns
domain name

PS if the gateway is not entered or incorrect you can't scan to email.