Server 2008 Print Server Offline DNS IP address strange behaviour

[woter324]

Hi All,

We have recently deployed a new print server running Win2k8 std 32-bit SP1 on an HP DL360 G4 Everything was fine for a few weeks, but now we get very strange behaviour.

Some of the printers in the device list show as offline and I cannot ping the printer from the print server, however, I can ping the printer from other servers and computers on the same or different subnets.

The fix at the moment is connect to the printing device's web page, change the IP address, then change the DNS record. The printer comes online. I then set it back to the old IP address and all is good.

This has now happened to 8 printers. Some are HP LaserJet’s and other are Ricoh Aficio MP4500.

We have a Cisco based MPLS network with 100+ remote sites. All these printers are on different subnets. The routing table is correct and no network settings have changes. All worked fine under windows Server 2003.

I am wondering if it is something to do with the built-in firewall that I understand one has to have running for RDP to work. I have created allow all rules on both inbound and outbound. Watching the logs, no packets are getting dropped.

I am at a loss. If anybody has any ideas or solutions, they'd be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Woter.

 

[technome]

Curious, have you rebooted the server, resulting in a temporary fix to the situation?


........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[woter324]

As it's a production box with 200 printers attached, rebooting isn't something we can do easily. Like most users they want it fixed yesturday so I have to do the manual fix I described. If it does it again on a Friday afternoon, it's something I could consider doing on the Saturday. I wouldn't like to hypothersise on the results of a reboot.

When it first did it, I thought it was a cisco switch at the particular site at fault. We cleared the ARP cache but it didn't help.

It will be interesting to see if people come across this post with the same problem. Maybe there is a MS bug somewhere....

 

[technome]

Quick reply running out the door...
With my first Win 2008 install I had similar issue due to SMB signing being enabled, a reboot would correct for 1-4 hours.

........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[spewny]

I had this same error. Corrected it by disabling SNMP on the printer ports. Hope that helps.

-Mark

 

[woter324]

Thanks Mark. I'll look into it. Haven't had it happen for a while. Probably just tempted fate!

We were wondering if it was something strange happening with the ARP cache on the Cisco switches.