connecting laptop to MFP problems

[Blazer1087]

Hi All, I am a copier tech with 40 years experience. I dont get a lot of training anymore except to be given the service manuels to read. Im ok with that, I can work it out. My weakest area is networking stuff. I cant seem to pick it up just by reading about it. My issue right now is I bought a laptop w/ win 7 to hold my manuels. Its handy to hook up to copiers( usually a ricoh) in the field to use web image moniter or print pages off. Sometimes the unit will hook itself up and I'm good to go. More often than not however I get a message" no printer detected" or "no response from printer". Is there a setting on the copier I need to change so it can be found by my computer? I use a crossever cable to make the connection. Thanks for any help you can offer.

[rthonpm]

Make sure the copier isn't set to DHCP on the customer network, otherwise the copier won't be able to pull an address when you plug in the crossover. Secondly, make sure you set up your laptop NIC to use a static IP in the same range of the copier (if the copier is 10.123.45.6, the set the laptop to 10.123.45.7) and use the same default gateway. DNS won't matter because you're not connecting to a real network). Also set the Network type to Work or Home, anything but public.

Networking is often easier than it seems in documentation. It's just separating the terminology from what is really going on.

[Blazer1087]

If DHCP is enabled on cust copier should I turn it off only when I hook up and than back on when I rehook them up?

[iMind]

NOT

[spectraindo]

DHCP is important if the machine is connected to a router to access the Internet, so please turn the settings back as before otherwise the customer will call you again.

[jummamaster]

IMIND gave a good explanation. You can also use "PING" command to test the connection.

[Blazer1087]

Thanks to all of you. One more question, I hope its not a dumb one. After a port is configured for a certian model, can I use the same port at a differant location but on the same model or do I just keep adding new ports every time I connect?

[spectraindo]

You can configure either your notebook or the machine, which one is easier for you. Since IP addresses on different networks may differ you better printout a Configuration page or report page of the machine before you alter the IP addresses. Forgetting an IP address wastes time, so maybe its better to configure your notebook's IP address.

[ddude]

printout a Configuration page or report page of the machine before you alter the IP addresses. Forgetting an IP address wastes time, so maybe its better to configure your notebook's IP address.

Both good points- print a config page first, look at the copier settings, then alter your laptop to fit the copier-this way, you never change any copier settings, so it's ready to return to the network.
(of course, if the copier network settings were not set correctly in the first place, this may be the reason you were called out there!)

[mikadonovan]

This may help.

[Blazer1087]

Seems simple enough, cant wait to try it. thanks

[Blazer1087]

I read the attachment from mikadonovan and went to try it but on windows 7 there isnt a "my network places" ikon. I looked in control panel and network set up areas and cant find a simular page like the " local area connection properties" the doc. mentions. Where else should I look to find this?