Two networks, One copier

[RHodg57]

A customer wants to connect 2 separate networks to a single copier. In this case an IRADVC5051.

You cannot add another Ethernet card to one of these machines as far as I know.

Any suggestions on how to make this happen?

[Frostwolf]

Re: Two networks, One copier

The only way I could see this working was to have the network adapter go to a primary network, then a usb-network print adapter to provide printing from second network.
Like this unit here

Or if this is a corporation, with the right switches, they could do some vlan routing on the network... beyond what I know how to do. Link to someone else's solution

I'll add, They could do IPP printing from second network into first network. If they would allow the routing into the machine. Be careful, opening up the port for IPP printing, it could allow web access from the outside, change password at least.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Two networks, One copier

The only way I could see this working was to have the network adapter go to a primary network, then a usb-network print adapter to provide printing from second network.
Like this unit here

...

I've done this one before. The first time I saw it was on an Okidata printer with another brand scanner mounted on a stand overhead. The scanner connected directly to the USB connection for copies, and printed via the TCP/IP connection. =^..^=

[MFPTech]

Re: Two networks, One copier

I have a machine in exactly the same scenario, Two Law firms in one location but on separate networks sharing one Taskalfa. It's done using the IOGEAR print server the same as in the picture of Frostwolf's post.

[CoreyMac]

Re: Two networks, One copier

A customer wants to connect 2 separate networks to a single copier. In this case an IRADVC5051.

You cannot add another Ethernet card to one of these machines as far as I know.

Any suggestions on how to make this happen?

Without a great deal more detail, here is a suggestion (and there are MANY variations for this that will all work). This sounds really complicated, but not so bad once you get started.

Network #1 HAS the printer
Network #2 want to USE the printer in network #1.

You could take an inexpensive router (Linksys/Netgear/etc...) and put it between the two networks. The normal Internet facing side of the router would be in the network where the printer is connected to network #1. The other interface in the router is connected to network #2.

Turn off DHCP (both client and server on the router) and set the router up with static IP addresses on both interfaces for networks #1 and #2. The router will do something called NAT (Network Address Translation) and each network will think there is one new member involved.

You need to tell things in network #2 that need to speak to the printer in network #1 how to get there. i.e. they need to use the new router

Set up either:

the default router in Network #2 so that there is a static route to the printer IP in network #1 that uses the static IP you set up for the new router.

Or setup the print server so it knows the new route to the printer (Windows command line uses "route add ...." syntax.

I am not sure how much detail you need in this. Basically you build a path from #1 to #1 and then tell the printer queue machine(s) in #2 to use the path to get to #1...


Does this help?

[CoreyMac]

Re: Two networks, One copier

I have a machine in exactly the same scenario, Two Law firms in one location but on separate networks sharing one Taskalfa. It's done using the IOGEAR print server the same as in the picture of Frostwolf's post.

This approach has the advantage of never allowing the two networks to touch each other. If there were two networks (like law firms) that REALLY needed to be separated, this is pretty straight forward and neither network is aware of the others existence.

I have generally had good success with the bidirectional communication of some printer server boxes like this and the printer for retrieving settings and configuration/status information. I do not have any experience with this specific one, but with some others (Netgear, HP, etc...) It has not always been perfect though.

Since I have deep network experience, I am more confident in my ability to install and support those types of solutions to problems. (At least when compared to the bidirectional printing protocols and printer drivers with USB-slave printer servers.)

I do support them both all over the place and both solutions certainly work and work well eventually. To me though, print driver issues and their support are more like black boxes and I have less control over them. When they don't work, they are harder for me to troubleshoot in non-standard configurations. Also, I find the printer vendors tech support for communication/networking things to be quite lacking across the board... That ultimately leaves it up to me, so I end up picking what I know I and those who follow after me can support reliably and make work best for the customer... In the end customers do not really care how, just that it meets their requirements...

I would think that since both would work fine, you should pick the solution you are more confident in your ability to make work for the customer. I do not think there is a right/wrong answer really...

As a side note, be sure you document both your overall plan and theory, plus the actual configurations thoroughly so in the future either you (We never forget do we? Forget what? :-) ) or the person who follows you knows exactly what you were expecting and how it should work.

More professional and makes your return visit in 18 months to replace a failed component MUCH faster and reliable.


Just my $0.02

-CM

[ptrflrs]

Re: Two networks, One copier

A bridge with a usb for printer? Or if its like a ricoh that will allow printing through usb and lan simultaneously?

[Doug Money]

Re: Two networks, One copier

What about using a class B address scheme? i.e. 192.168.1.XXX and 192.168.2.XXX and use the subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 on the printer? As long as the first two octets are the same, the two networks should be able to use the same printer if physically connected.

[MFPTech]

Re: Two networks, One copier

192.168.xxx.xxx is not a Class B

[CoreyMac]

Re: Two networks, One copier

192.168.xxx.xxx is not a Class B

That is very true but if all the devices have that same subnet mask, then they will still be able to communicate. In reality there would be little difference though to just letting all of them share the same network. The concept of strict classes is still valid in many cases, but most of the time the IP stacks in most devices do not enforce it. (some do though, especially low-end broadband routers)

Combining subnets like that is called supernetting or Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR). This was a change from the strict classes that we were all taught in the beginning. All of the devices in a subnet should normally have the same mask in any case, otherwise you can end up with some very unexpected behavior...

This is really dry, but detailed...
Classless Inter-Domain Routing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is less dry but ad-heavy... :-)
What is supernetting or Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR)? - Definition from WhatIs.com

You can sometimes get all sorts of odd configurations to work, just be sure you document them well so that if/when they stop for some reason, they are more readily repairable...

[RHodg57]

Re: Two networks, One copier

We found out that the ethernet to usb device mentioned is not compatible with multifunction copiers. Namely a Canon IRADVC5250.

I keep hearing about VLAN devices that they say can allow the two networks to communicate with a printer. This goes way

beyond my IT skills. Has anyone heard of doing this? A couple of other brand names have available a dual nic card for their machines.

Not sure what the set up is for those. Canon does not have that available apparently.

[MFPTech]

Re: Two networks, One copier

New Kyocera machines also offer NICs that support two wired networks or one wired and one wireless network. Depending on the situation you order one or the other. Will check for Canon and get back. I know that you can order a wireless kit for iRA C5250 but haven't connected any Canon yet on 2 wired networks simultaneously.