Netowkred Laser Printer

[steve743]

Hi,
I have a Xerox Phaser 6100.
It works great over parallel or usb connection, but I can't get it to work over ethernet.
When I plug it into my router, lights flash slowly on the printer but nothing on the router, as it would for every other device.

The connection page settings seem fine and I've tried to use to MAC address to locate and set up the printer, but still no good.

It's as though the network card in the printer is not doing anything.
Or should I be trying something else?

Anyone got any ideas???
Thanks for your help

[dl65]

 steve743........ Excuse me if I sound a little stupid.........but why are you plugging the printer into your router ? Usually the printer is plugged into the computer ...or am I really just having a moment .......LOL

dl65  

[Rob Pomeroy]

This is a printer with an ethernet port - designed for plugging into an intranet, for workgroup printing.

Do you happen to know what the IP address is for the printer?  Or does it use DHCP?  Are you able to list the DHCP addresses assigned by your router?

[steve743]

Hi yes it is a networkable workgroup printer.  It has parallel, usb, and ethernet ports.
I've followed all the instructions and settings but nothing seems to even be aware of it existing when
using the ethernet port.

The printer can be set to use DHCP or manual IP.  I have tried both.
There is a software utility which is supposed to set it all up if you type in the MAC address, but that can't find it either.

It probably means the ethernet port/card in the printer is broken, but how can I tell, is there a way to test its ethernet connection?

I bought it second hand but its only 18 months old and been well looked after.

[Rob Pomeroy]

The first thing I would try is setting the printer to an IP address within your subnet.  Then see if you can ping it from one of the other PCs.  Do you have a crossover cable handy?  You could directly connect it to a PC's ethernet port.

[steve743]

Hi
Thanks for the advice on the cross-over cable, I'll give it a try.
I've tried manually setting the IP to a local one, but still can't ping it.

Also, the green led by the ethernet port on the printer blinks at a steady rate of twice per second.
No lights flashing on the router for the port.

My router gives the following details about my network:

Router
---------
LAN IP Address:       192.168.1.1  
Default Gateway:      195.166.128.53  
Primary DNS Server:   212.159.6.10  
Secondary DNS Server: 212.159.6.9

Network
----------
Subnet Mask:      255.255.255.0
Default Gateway:  192.168.1.1
DHCP Server:      192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.254


I have just reset the network settings on the printer to factory default.
Then selected DHCP and printed a connection page, it reads:

IP Stack
--------
Status: On
Source: DHCP
IP: 169.254.45.202   (I can't ping this)
Mask: 255.255.0.0
Gateway: 169.254.1.1
DNS: 0.0.0.0
URL: http://169.254.45.202:631
MAC: 00:00:f0:ae:57:e0
WINS Name: XRX0000f0ae57e0
WINS Server: 0.0.0.0

UPNP
----
Auto IP: On
Multicast DNS: On
SSDP: On
SSDL TTL: 1

Port 9100: On
LPR: On
EtherTalk Stack Details: Off

[lex]

 --------------------
Source: DHCP
IP: 169.254.45.202   (I can't ping this)
Mask: 255.255.0.0
Gateway: 169.254.1.1
-----------------------

With a 169.x.x.x ip it is not seeing the router/DHCP server at all.  I would sugest setting it manually tp 192.168.1.99 and set the gateway to 192.168.1.1 and see if that helps.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Aye, do what lex says.  And ensure you're using a known good cable between the printer and anything you're connecting to the printer.

The people you bought this printer from - did they have it working over the network?

[steve743]

Thanks for all your tips.
I have tried everything and have concluded that it is probably the printer's network card that is at fault.

I have just noticed that the ethernet cable I got with my ADSL router is a cross over and the one I got with the printer is a straight cable.
I have tried both cables with no success.
Could it be that using the cross over cable has damaged the printer?