USB based utility to set static IP address

[blackcat4866]

Until last week I had never heard of this. One of my customers is an IT firm, and they told me that they were able to set the static IP on this Samsung printer with a USB based utility, but could not access the web interface.

On consumer models of desktop printers that have no display and very limited buttons, I print the config page to see the current IP (default is 192.0.0.192, 255.255.255.0, 192.0.0.192). Then I'll set my laptop to an IP in a similar range, and access the web interface to change the printers IP to whatever I want. When the address changes I'll lose the connection. Then I can set the laptop to the new IP range, and regain access to the web interface.

There have been times when I could not print a config page, or could not access the web interface, and it would have been really handy to set a new IP.

After an extended Google search I found Intravue's Auto-IP, but even the lite version is overkill just to set an occasional IP. Does anyone here know of a USB based utility to set static IP addresses on a wide variety of printers? If so do you know how it works? =^..^=

[unisys12]

You could try one of the IP Scanners (AngryIP for example), from Portable Network Tools | Portable USB Pen Drive Applications . Us it to find the printer in questions IP and go from there. Nothing I could find though like what you found with Auto-IP.

How an auto-ip utility would work? Well, I'm no programmer, but I would assume it would have to start with an IP Scan. Then, after the device in question was found, there would have to be a tel-net utility that would log into the device and made the necessary changes. Give a reboot command to the device, if needed, then log out.

Sounds simple enough! You could even have a small database that would store all known devices. Then when something new pops up, it would automatically connect with it and configure it. Basically, just like a DHCP server would. But how to program something like that, I have no clue!!

[blackcat4866]

Thanks Unisys. I was hoping you'd weigh in on this subject. I'll check out this AngryIP. =^..^=

PS: I also came across CentreWare IS, which appears to be a Xerox branded utility. To the Xerox guys: Will this do what I want?

[blackcat4866]

AngryIP looks like it may be useful for identifying dupes, or picking up the IP of the connected printer.

I got mixed results from my experiments. Maybe it's just our network, but I got ping times exceeding 2000ms on known good addresses, and only got hostnames from about half of the good addresses. There are plenty of places to tweak it in. Perhaps it's just my ignorance of the intricacies of this tool.

It will definitely help on setup when checking for open IPs. Thanks. =^..^=

[Hansoon]

Used Angry IP myself for years but found in the mean time a much better and faster scanner. Take your time to get used to the many possible settings and extra features:

SoftPerfect Network Scanner: fast and free network scanner

Hans

[KenB]

Just a thought... put Wireshark on your notebook, and connect with a crossover cable. Then start a capture, and power cycle the printer. You should see the printer attempting to send at least a few packets out. You'll then see the IP of the pesky printer.

The IP address of your notebook is immaterial.

This works because Wireshark sees ALL packets, regardless of their address.

I tried this as a favor for a customer on a used Infoprinter, for which I had no info. After it sputtered a few packets out, I saw its address.

[blackcat4866]

Thanks Hans, I'll take a look at this "SoftPerfect..."

I've never used WireShark, but read a few posts here about it's use. I'll give it a try. Thanks Ken.

[D_L_P]

You should be able to just use the ARP command. As long as you have it's MAC address just go to a command prompt, type arp -s 192.168.xxx.xxx 00-00-00-00-00-00. x= the ip you want to give it, and 00= it's MAC address.

The computer you are at will now see that mac address as the ip you just gave it. You should be able to get the web interface from there.

[blackcat4866]

This arp -s command sounds like just the ticket. I can't wait to try it on the next walk-in. Thanks DLP.

[Hansoon]

Here's an utility from KonicaMinolta doing the same. It works also for other brands ofcourse. I had only once that it didn't work. This was a stupid "Printserver" from Netgear Type PS101. All others cases I've used it with success although sometimes you have to reset the device to its factory settings before to make BootP function. This is the case with very old Minolta controllers such as the Pi-3500.

Konica Minolta Knowlegebase

To download click on the "Floppy" icon.

Hans

[blackcat4866]

Thanks Hans. I'll give this BootP Utility a try out.

[blackcat4866]

I haven't had much time to experiment, but so far limited success.

The BootP utility did not change the IP address on my test machine (Copystar CS-8030). BootP was enabled on the web interface. I'm assuming that hardware address indicates MAC address of the printer, which I entered as it appeared on the ser# plate 00:C0:12... etc. Several tries with the 32 bit version and then the 16 bit version, no luck. (XP 32-bit server)

Wireshark captured all kinds of data. Too much data. I suspect that my mistake is that left the printer on the network, and that I was gathering all the network traffic. Next time I'll connect with a crossover directly to the printer. That should cut down on the extranneous data.

More later. =^..^=

[TheOwl]

Something I do to over come this sort of problem from the get go is to use DHCP on all copier / printers and then set a DHCP reservation on their DHCP server.

All that is required is the DHCP is enabled on the device and the MAC address. From there, set a reservation and then turn the device off / on.

If you then ever need to change the IP address of the device, you just change the reservation and power cycle the equipment.

This might not help your current situation (or maybe it will) but it is handy to know.

[Hansoon]

Next time I'll connect with a crossover directly to the printer. That should cut down on the extranneous data.

Forgot to tell you: I exclusively use the cross-over cable with my laptop for setting up IP adresses and/or firmware loading of equipment. Too often found that the LAN with its switches, routers and the Lord knows what else is causing problems. I prefer the direct way, Laptop-MFP, nothing else inbetween. Before using BootP try resetting the MFP's NIC to factory defaults first.

Here's a good description one of our colleagues once wrote for using the arp-command as an alternative:

"You may be able to use the ARP command to manually assign an address to the controller. Make sure the controller is physically connected to the network, and then at a Windows command prompt, type:

arp -s 157.55.85.212 00-aa-00-62-c6-09

(Assuming the IP address you want to program is 157.55.85.212, and that the MAC address of the controller is 00:AA:00:62:C6:09.)

Replace the example entry with whatever the controller's MAC address is, but note that you should separate the octets with hyphens ( - ) instead of colons ( : ).

The command will complete silently, you will not get a report or anything. Wait at least a minute, then reboot the controller. The new address should stick. "

Also here I think its crucial to use the cross-over cable.

Hans

[blackcat4866]

I did not re-try BootP today. But better luck with Wireshark. With the crossover cable, on printer powerup I got four entries in red identifying the IP and the printer model (in this case CLX-3160). I expected to see a MAC address but none recorded.

Thanks for the details on the arp -s command. More experimentation later. =^..^=