Unable to connect to MFP without static arp entry??

[mungooz]

We occasionally rent out copiers and at this one particular venue, and their network is running Cisco unmanaged switches. On two different occasions, I've had an incident where I was unable to establish connectivity with the copier and this venue's network unless I set a static arp entry on the laptops that are trying to print to the copier.
We've rented network printers at this venue and they've had no problems, only the 2 copiers at different occasions have had this problem. The copier were the Konica Bizhub 250 and the Bizhub C350.
Our customers at both times, were connecting via wireless laptops to the cisco switch and only the copier was wired.
Setting a static arp entry is not very practical, since if there is a dropout of signal or computer shutdown, the arp entries are cleared.
I've never had this problem with these machines at any other facility except for this place.
This one is stumping me, does anyone have any ideas of what might be going on?

[Nathaniel]

Was the IP the device given static or from a DHCP server? If it was the latter and they disabled DDNS you would have to setup an A DNS record for the device. If it was static they also would have had to setup a dns A record for the device

[mungooz]

The IP of the MFP was assigned statically. I'll question them on the DNS A record.
But I mean, isn't the switch suppose to have added the mac address to its table if pings or any other packets were sent through it to the MFP after being arp-ed? I shouldn't have to keep a static arp entry on the laptops in order to be connected to the MFP, right?

[Nathaniel]

Unmanaged switchs only work at the MAC address or Layer 2 of the IP stack. If they are managed Layer 3 managed switch then they can have ARP tables for VLAN routing. Here is a quick conversation regarding switchs and ARP tables: MAC to IP mapping

If the customer had a WINS server and you were connecting to the printer via SMB then after a few moments it will be picked up by the WINS server and anyone pinging or browsing for it's name will be picked up. That's why for sanity it's always best to have DDNS setup in a network like an office.

[blackcat4866]

Thanks Nathaniel. I appreciate the explanation.

=^..^=

[mungooz]

Still trying to wrap my brain around this and I appreciate your insights. The only reason customers at these rentals need the copier networked is to be able to print.
I do understand that switches are only operating at layer 2, but they do hold their own MAC address tables right? Thats what it uses to forward data out which port so it doesn't broadcast everything like a hub does. Am I correct on this?
So I'm still questioning why this switch is not discovering the MAC address yet of the MFP.
Or maybe its not the switch thats the problem, its possible that because IP is involved, the trouble is occuring at layer 3 therefore, possibly the router is the culprit?
I don't think that the company that handles the network at the venue has a WINS server since they provide just infrastructure and network leasing, which is very temporary and dynamic based on various customer needs.

[Nathaniel]

Still trying to wrap my brain around this and I appreciate your insights. The only reason customers at these rentals need the copier networked is to be able to print.
I do understand that switches are only operating at layer 2, but they do hold their own MAC address tables right? Thats what it uses to forward data out which port so it doesn't broadcast everything like a hub does. Am I correct on this?

Yes all switches hold even ARP tables. I am also wondering why the cisco switch isn't catching the MAC in the packets from the device. Managed switchs like a Cisco 3550 have support for Spanning Tree Protocol which prevents loops from being created on a network which can cause ARP storms. The port for the device is not accessable to the network for 45 seconds while the switch is discoverying what is attached to it.

Can you give me a layout of this environment. Is it a Cisco switch and a wireless access point or is it a wireless router? How long do you wait before you check connectivity? Do you ping the device or try and just access it via http/smb? With what I know I'd like to place blame on that wireless router/WAP device. Perhaps a firmware update would cure this issue you have.

[mungooz]

Can you give me a layout of this environment. Is it a Cisco switch and a wireless access point or is it a wireless router? How long do you wait before you check connectivity? Do you ping the device or try and just access it via http/smb? With what I know I'd like to place blame on that wireless router/WAP device. Perhaps a firmware update would cure this issue you have.

I did a continuous ping from one of the workstations to the copier and still could connect.
Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what hardware they are using because we aren't the company handling the network. I was just told that they have unmanaged cisco switches and routers. They basically lease out temporary internet and wired/wireless network access to customers who use the venue. We just rent computer equipment and copiers so we use whatever network set up the customer leased from this other company. I can try and find out more detail on the hardware.