TCP/IP Printer and DNS?

[35mph]

Sorry about the perhaps elementary nature of this question, but I'm no DNS expert.

Our new HP printer takes a long time to be "found" on our network... even though we have assigned it a static IP. Here are the particulars:

Our LinkSys router is set up as follows:

IP: 64.xxx.xxx.236
Mask: 255.255.255.128
Gateway: 64.xxx.xxx.129
Static DNS1: 206.xxx.xxx.11
Static DNS2: 206.xxx.xxx.12
Static DNS3: 199.xxx.xxx.10
Local IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Local Mask: 255.255.255.0
Local DHCP Server: Yes, starting at 192.168.1.100

The printer is attached to a hub, which is attached to the router. Eventually, the network will find it, but if the printer has been turned off, it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to be found.

We have set the printer up with a static IP of 192.168.1.104, and mask of 255.255.255.0, and default gateway of 192.168.1.1.

Since we have a static IP address defined for the printer, we are only given the option to define a "manual" preferred and alternate DNS server. In those fields, we have 206.xxx.xxx.11 and 192.168.1.110 (the address of our file server). (The reason I have the 192.168.1.110 there is because when we put that in some XP workstations, they find the LAN very quickly...)

Net, Net, Net: Is the printer taking a long time to be found because of the DNS setting, or do you think there is another reason? (We have tried both automatic and manual setting of the NIC speed..)

Thanks for your advice... I'll be glad to answer any follow-up questions you may have.

 

[GlenJohnson]

IP: 64.xxx.xxx.236
Mask: 255.255.255.128
Gateway: 64.xxx.xxx.129
Static DNS1: 206.xxx.xxx.11
Static DNS2: 206.xxx.xxx.12
Static DNS3: 199.xxx.xxx.10
Local IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Local Mask: 255.255.255.0
Local DHCP Server: Yes, starting at 192.168.1.100

The printer is attached to a hub, which is attached to the router. Eventually, the network will find it, but if the printer has been turned off, it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to be found.

We have set the printer up with a static IP of 192.168.1.104, and mask of 255.255.255.0, and default gateway of 192.168.1.1

Why are you using different subnets and ranges?

Glen A. Johnson
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[SimonDavies]

Also why are you using DHCP from .100 when your file servers and printers are all in the 100 range?? Are you sure you aren't issuing the .104 address to users via dhcp and then it's causing a conflict when you turn the printer back on??

I would have a closer look at your setup and maybe rethink your addressing.

 

[bcastner]

Hopefully, most of this is coming from your ISP:

IP: 64.xxx.xxx.236
Mask: 255.255.255.128
Gateway: 64.xxx.xxx.129
Static DNS1: 206.xxx.xxx.11
Static DNS2: 206.xxx.xxx.12
Static DNS3: 199.xxx.xxx.10

"The printer is attached to a hub, which is attached to the router. Eventually, the network will find it, but if the printer has been turned off, it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to be found."

This under older redirectors (Win9x, Win2k, Windows XP-Pre Service Pack 2) would not be a particulary surprising result. This you could likely improve a WINS server, LMHOST entries, or carefull control of your local Workstation Browsers. But my biggest worry is a firewall setting. They can come "hidden" in Anti-viral software, or "hidden" in a VPN client. The HP software assumes straight port level UDP TCP/IP communications that your firewall or "hidden" software is barring.

Now this should be adjusted: "We have set the printer up with a static IP of 192.168.1.104, and mask of 255.255.255.0, and default gateway of 192.168.1.1"

I believe Forum member Glenjohnson above was trying to tell you that the printer is in a different subnet:

Set the printer up with a static IP of 192.168.1.4, and mask of 255.255.255.0, and default gateway of 192.168.1.1

 

[MarkhP]

I think you are confusing yourselves a bit guys. 35mph shows his local subnet is 255.255.255.0 and his public mask is 255.255.255.128 (from ISP?).

The printer shouldn't be assigned a static IP from the same range as the DHCP server has setup (unless reserved). You might also want to try it without any external DNS servers defined on the printer as I dont think there is any need for it to goto the Internet for name resolution is there?

 

[bcastner]

? MarkhP, I believe you are the one confused.

His public IP address and subnet has nothing to do with his printer issues.

As stated by the original poster:

Local IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Local Mask: 255.255.255.0
Local DHCP Server: Yes, starting at 192.168.1.100"

It certainly is not going out to the Net as you suggested for name resolution.

Having multiple DHCP servers is not good. But not an issue here. (And that I would immediately eliminate.)

While you can with third-pary firmware do a reservation of a DHCP address as you suggested, the simpler thing:

The router is reserving 192.168.1.100 -- 192.168.1.149

For these residential class routers just give the device a static IP below that DHCP scope.

Again, I believe there is a Master Browser issue. Not a DNS issue, per se; nor a DHCP server issue, per se. But as Glen Johnson suggested earlier the user start by giving the device an address of 192.168.1.4 instead of something inside the DHCP scope of the router I suspect it would help a great deal.

 

[bcastner]

Something I forgot to mention earlier. In the original post 35mph notes: ""The printer is attached to a hub, which is attached to the router. Eventually, the network will find it, but if the printer has been turned off, it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to be found.""

This could well be a physical negotiation issue. Linksys is not famous for doing this well. Your issue could well be that the "Hub" and your Linksys router are miss negotiation that physical connection.

I still would like you to stay outside the DHCP scope you have defined on your router for this printer, but if no joy this could easily be a hardware problem. My personal choice would be to replace the switch.

 

[MarkhP]

I was just pointing out that Glen had mentioned the subnets as a possible issue earlier. I know it isnt relevant to the problem and was merely aiming to eliminate a red herring. "...The printer shouldn't be assigned a static IP from the same range as the DHCP server has setup ..." - I was agreeing with the point of not allocating the printer an IP from the DHCP scope of the router.

Badly worded maybe, so sorry for that.

 

[bcastner]

MarkhP,

No big deal, believe me.
Thanks for the clarification.

Best,
Bill

 

[35mph]

Thanks for the info, friends...

Re Master Browser: Would I have Master Browser issues if all workstations on the LAN are able to connect to networkwork resources consistently and quickly?

Otherwise, here is what I have done:

Moved the printer's IP address out of the DHCP range... down to 192.168.1.11... still on 255.255.255.0.

Moved the LAN cable from the hub, directly into the router.

One pattern seems to be consistent: if I simply wait long enough, the LAN will find the printer. If I get impatient after about 30 minutes, then turn off the printer... then turn it back on again, it will be found right away... but only if I had left it on "searching" for those 30 minutes.

Still no joy.

 

[bcastner]

Your description is of a network with multiple DHCP servers. (Count your router now as one).

I still suspect a hardware issue, but that is just me. Clean up the DHCP servers and my personal guess, replace the "Hub".

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;167014&Product=win2000

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;244978

 

[35mph]

Way to go, bcastner... but thanks to you others as well.

We DID have DHCP enabled on our file server AND on our router. I think you all suspected that we had a DHCP conflict.

We disabled DHCP on the file server (on the general theory that we might from time to time opt to down that machine, but the router will almost certainly be on all the time).

As soon as we straightened out that little conflict, the printer started connecting right away... AND we were able to choose all the default settings for the printer, too (DHCP IP address, default DNS, auto-negotiate LAN speed).

Thanks for helping clean up the muck.