gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
1 edit | SOLVED!! Why Can't I Ping My Wired Printer Across The GT701
We bought a Canon MX700 printer (with wired Ethernet networking). It works great with the computer connected via wire - but not with the other two computers having wireless.
The setup:
ActionTec GT701-WG (ip: 192.168.0.1)
connected to:
...Linksys 5-port hub
...connected to:
......Dell Desktop (ip: 192.168.0.6)
......Canon MX700 Printer (ip: 192.168.0.15)
Wireless Connected Computers
...Dell Notebook (ip: 192.168.0.2)
...Home build desktop (ip: 192.168.0.4)
The MX700 setup CD worked flawlessly on the Dell Desktop (wired lan). For the other two computers (wireless lan) the Canon setup process fails to find the printer.
The Dell Desktop (wired) can ping the wireless computers *and* the printer.
The other two computers (wireless) can ping the Dell Desktop (wired) just fine, but *not* the printer.
Can anyone tell me why? Or what to try?
ActionTec Settings:
DHCP Server = On
DNS = Dynamic
Firewall = Basic
Dynamic Routing = Off
NAT = On
Static Routing = none
All computers are Win XP
IP range 192.168.0.1 thru 20 added to the Zone Alarm trusted zone
Thanks for your help!
- Eric |
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msj
Premium
join:2004-05-21
Fort Collins, CO
 ·Qwest.net
| Re: Why Can't I Ping My Wired Network Printer Across The GT701
Hmm, can't see anything obviously wrong. Can each of the wireless computers ping the other? Did you check the netmask on each of the devices? Try disabling all your firewalls on one of the wireless computers (i.e. zone alarm, windows firewall, etc.) and see if one of the firewalls are responsible.
Do you have any VPN software installed on the wireless computers? Some VPN packages install a firewall that is active even when you are not using the VPN. |
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no_one
@QWEST.NET | reply to gensysuswest
Does the actiontec see the hub?
Yes dumb Question as it has an IP address. Just want to clarify the IP came from the router and not a setup disk on the wired computer making some choice. |
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AthlGrond
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-25
Aurora, CO | reply to gensysuswest
In addition to trying the above I would also try turning off the firewall on the Actiontec.
--
Embrace diversity with enforced conformity. |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to msj
Hi MSJ,
Thanks for your ideas! Here are some answers.
Can each of the wireless computers ping the other? Yes
Did you check the netmask on each of the devices? The Subnet Masks are all 255.255.255.0 (if that's what you are asking)
Try disabling all your firewalls on one of the wireless computers (i.e. zone alarm, windows firewall, etc.) and see if one of the firewalls are responsible. I should have mentioned this as I've tried this on both of the wireless computers
Do you have any VPN software installed on the wireless computers? Some VPN packages install a firewall that is active even when you are not using the VPN. No VPNs as I understand them - My wife has used both of the wireless computers for Remote Desktop access to her computer at work. I don't think that should matter though.
Any other thoughts or ideas?? |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to no_one
said by no_one :
Does the actiontec see the hub?
Yes dumb Question as it has an IP address. Just want to clarify the IP came from the router and not a setup disk on the wired computer making some choice.
OK, you've got me there. I had no clue hubs had an IP address. FWIW, this is just a dumb (and old) 10mbs hub. Not a switch, router or repeater. How would I go about finding the IP address of the hub and pinging it from the ActionTec?
Initially the IP address on the printer was the next in the sequence (i.e., from DHCP) for the ActionTec so I assumed that is where it came from.
Currently, the printer IP address is static 192.168.0.15, set by me in an attempt to fix this mess. Doing so made no difference - nothing better, nothing worse - still can't ping the printer from the wireless computers.
Thanks for your reply, and any other ideas you have.
Eric |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to AthlGrond
said by AthlGrond  :In addition to trying the above I would also try turning off the firewall on the Actiontec. Hmmm, I didn't see an "OFF" setting. The lowest it goes is "Basic", which the documentation says provides NAT protection only.
I'll check to see if a firmware update is available.
Could NAT cause such a problem?
Thanks for your help! |
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phonedaddy
join:2003-12-18
| Try disconnecting the desktop PC from the hub, leave the printer connected to the hub, then power cycle the hub. When the hub is online again try pinging the printer's new ip address from the wireless devices. Out of curiosity, what OS and service pack (if applicable)is installed in each of the PC's? |
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no_one
@QWEST.NET | reply to gensysuswest
sorry and I think you answered printer not hub. Does the modem have the printer in its records. believe you may have answered that. |
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msj
Premium
join:2004-05-21
Fort Collins, CO
·Qwest.net
| reply to gensysuswest
said by gensysuswest :said by AthlGrond :In addition to trying the above I would also try turning off the firewall on the Actiontec. Hmmm, I didn't see an "OFF" setting. The lowest it goes is "Basic", which the documentation says provides NAT protection only. I'll check to see if a firmware update is available. Could NAT cause such a problem? Thanks for your help! No, the "basic" setting just means the firewall is disabled, but you still have the protection that NAT offers. But this is all moot, since the firewall/NAT in the Actiontec is not involved in this case. The builtin wireless AP is bridged with the local network interface, so the router functionality does not get involved in packets going from the wireless to your local lan.
So, I suspect there is still some kind of firewall in your wireless computers that is causing the problem, but that is just a guess. What type of antivirus software are you running? Some antivirus packages also have a firewall built in.
Anyway, the first step I would take in diagnosing this problem is determining if the problem is at the ethernet level or the IP level. Try the following: first get a command prompt on one of your wireless computers. Then try pinging the printer using its IP address (which of course will fail). Now type "arp -a". This will give you a list of IP addresses with their associated ethernet (physical) addresses. This is your arp cache, i.e. it will be a list of any recent local machines that you have tried to contact. Check to see if the IP of your printer is listed. If not then something is wrong at the ethernet level. If it is listed, check to see if the physical (mac) address is correct, i.e. it is the mac address of your printer (you can usually find this on a label on the printer, or via a self-test printout, or something else along those lines). If you can't find the printers mac address then try the above steps from your wired computer and at least verify that the physical addresses are the same.
If the above works then your problem is almost certainly at the IP level, and as I said above, there is probably some software on your computer that is blocking packets. |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to phonedaddy
said by phonedaddy :Try disconnecting the desktop PC from the hub, leave the printer connected to the hub, then power cycle the hub. When the hub is online again try pinging the printer's new ip address from the wireless devices. Out of curiosity, what OS and service pack (if applicable)is installed in each of the PC's? All 3 computers are Win XP SP 2
Hmmm, I can try your idea - but, the hub is dumb (no brains for stuff like DHCP) so I don't think power cycling the hub will cause a new IP address to be generated for the printer. Am I missing something here? |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to msj
said by msj :So, I suspect there is still some kind of firewall in your wireless computers that is causing the problem, but that is just a guess. What type of antivirus software are you running? Some antivirus packages also have a firewall built in. The notebook (wireless) is running free AVG & Zone Alarm. The two desktops (wired & wireless) are running free Avira & Zone Alarm.
I've checked the Zone Alarm settings twice to try and make sure all of the machines are configured the same.
I'll do your "arp -a", etc. steps tonight and post the results.
Also, last night I did another test. Please see the next post.
Thanks for your help MSJ! |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to gensysuswest
New Update!
A friend had a good suggestion which I tried last night.
On the notebook I disabled the wireless network connection and connected it to the hub with a wire.
The notebook *could* then ping the wired printer just fine!? (and could still ping the other computers as well)
When switched back to wireless, the notebook once again *could not* ping the wired printer (but still the other computers, including the wired one).
Based on this, my conclusion is to lay blame on the ActionTec rather than PC configuration (firewall, etc.) or the hub. Maybe for some reason or another the bridging MSJ spoke of in his post above is not functioning correctly.
On the other hand, while the wireless computers cannot ping the wired printer (connected via hub), they can ping the wired computer (via same hub). This makes me second guess my above conclusion.
I get the basic concept of what ethernet & TCP/IP do, but have never had need to understand any details of such.
Thus, I just don't get how the same computer:
- can ping the printer when connect via wire
- but cannot do so when connected via wireless
- yet can, when connected wirelessly, ping a wired computer (which is connected via same hub as printer)
Which leaves me clueless (other than MSJ's most recent suggestion) as to where to go next.
Hopefully you guys who do know this stuff can/will help further. It's *really* appreciated!
Eric |
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smithduluth
join:2006-10-26
Duluth, MN | I looked up the network configuration manual for your printer and at the top of the setup page it specifically says "Wired LAN". Maybe it's not a true ethernet connection that can travel over wireless. |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to gensysuswest
OK, thanks everyone. It's working now!
Especially thanks to you MSJ.
I opened a command window, tried pinging the printer again, and then ran "ARP -a" as you suggested in your post above. The printer IP address wasn't in the list. Then I repeated the process on the wired computer that was able to print and found the printer IP address was in the list.
So, based on your post, it was an Ethernet issue, not TCP/IP - and thus I should stop messing with firewalls, computer configurations, and the like. So I shifted focus to troubleshooting the physical layer.
Our LAN has been stable for years, so it seemed best to start with a review of the hardware I had added - printer, cable, hub. I started thinking cable (esp. since I didn't have another printer to swap out with). Not being in the least bit optimistic I grabbed a brand new cable and went about swapping out the cable I had added.
Just as I was unplugging it I decided, what the heck, and moved both cables from the first two ports on the hub to the last two ports. I pinged, it worked, and I about fell out of my chair!
A bad port on the hub I guess (it is stinkin old). I have no clue why it wasn't working right, how it could be failing seeming selectively.
Another Broadband Reports success story!
Thanks again!
Eric |
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msj
Premium
join:2004-05-21
Fort Collins, CO
·Qwest.net
| said by gensysuswest :OK, thanks everyone. It's working now! Especially thanks to you MSJ. Glad to see you got it working. I was thinking that if the problem was at the ethernet level it was a layer 2 problem, not a layer 1 (physical) problem. so I'm glad you discovered the hardware issue before spending too much time on other possibilities.
Anyway, you might want to consider spending $20-$30 and buying an ethernet switch to replace your hub. They are more reliable (in general) and more efficient. |
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Bronnster
join:2007-12-05
Hazelton, ID |  reply to gensysuswest
Re: SOLVED!! Why Can't I Ping My Wired Printer Across The GT701
I wanted to thank you for updating the subject line with SOLVED! I was interested in the outcome and I am glad it was a positive one. I wish everyone would do the same when issues arise and are solved amongst the community here. |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to msj
Re: Why Can't I Ping My Wired Network Printer Across The GT701
said by msj :Anyway, you might want to consider spending $20-$30 and buying an ethernet switch to replace your hub. They are more reliable (in general) and more efficient. OK, I'll see if I can bum an extra switch from work first, before spending the (it's really tight right now) money.
You have to wait a bit after clicking print, with the printer display showing data transfer, and then the printer spits the page out fast. So I assume a switch 100mbps switch would also serve to speed this up.
Thanks again for your help! |
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gensysuswest
join:2001-05-24
Issaquah, WA
| reply to Bronnster
Re: SOLVED!! Why Can't I Ping My Wired Printer Across The GT701
said by Bronnster :I wanted to thank you for updating the subject line with SOLVED! I was interested in the outcome and I am glad it was a positive one. I wish everyone would do the same when issues arise and are solved amongst the community here. Yes, that drives me nuts too. So I try to not be a hypicrite! |
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