Collecting Device Counters from USB connected Printers

[keithxxiii]

Hi everyone,

We have a client with more than 400 devices on their fleet. We use @remote to send out counters for billing and supplies replenishment. Unfortunately for us, we also have more than 100 devices connected on USB cable without network connectivity. Getting the counters and supply status has been a challenge for us.
I would like to know what software are you using in collecting the meter readings?

TIA

[BaconSteve]

FM Audit: same usb meter and supply level collection limitation.

[diedux]

Hi. In general USB connected printers are not tracked, that's my attitude toward this matter. All software, agents, print monitors, etc. are just workaround to this problem. Don't want to go deep into it, just saying from personal experience.
Yet, you can get some insight into your fleet using one of these:
Infinite Device Management
PrintFleet
Print Fleet Management software - PrintAlerts from ITS


Good luck.

[bsm2]

Print tracker will work but only on mono machines not color

[Bix]

It happened to me once that I had a multifunction printer without internet. But I was also lucky and now I'll explain why:


the computer is connected via the wireless network. If the ethernet port is free, in the Windows settings you can create a point between the ethernet port and the wireless card.


The printer connects it to the Ethernet port while the PC continues to work with its wireless module. In other cases we have bought a wireless repeater with an Ethernet port. It costs less than 30$

[KenB]

Hi. In general USB connected printers are not tracked, that's my attitude toward this matter. All software, agents, print monitors, etc. are just workaround to this problem. Don't want to go deep into it, just saying from personal experience.
Yet, you can get some insight into your fleet using one of these:
Infinite Device Management
PrintFleet
Print Fleet Management software - PrintAlerts from ITS


Good luck.

If there are only a small handful of USB devices, it’s not normally much of a concern.

If there are a number of them, it is absolutely a huge issue.

Since most printers that are connected USB are typically very small, their cost per print are waaay higher than larger machines.

Frequently, the supplies are paid for by the company by the user simply expensing them. These expenses normally aren’t tracked very well, if at all. The company has no idea of what they are actually spending.

I’ve done a ton of print studies using various methods to get meters (including going printer to printer) over the years. Then work with the customer to find out what they have paid for supplies, which is by far the harder part.

All that work is almost always worth it. Let’s just say the results are quite eye-opening.

[Kimi]

I posted about Netaphor Site Audit in this thread, it supports usb connections apparently

print volume reporting solution for USB connected Ricoh printers

[keithxxiii]

let me try this as I totally gave up on Web JetAdmin and FMAudit

[keithxxiii]

can't get pass through the license page, and none on the website shows if we can use a trial or POC