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Forum Discussion
Solved
Printer Won't Connect to Network
I am trying to install a printer on a new router (netgear 6400v2). the printer is the old Ricoh Aficio AP600N which has a network inside and is connected by wire to the router.
I turned off the DHCP (rather left it as it was w/ the old router). Copied the IP address from the setup menu and managed to print a Configuration page which shows the MAC address as 00.00.74.7f.cc.04. I have turned the DHCP off on the router and proceeded to the Reservation Table where I can add a new device "manually" by entering its IP address, 192.168.1.55 and the above MAC address and the name of the printer (simply typed in). However, I keep getting the message "Invalid MAC Address" from the router website.
Any idea what's wrong? I must add that I am NOT a network setup savy person who does this on regular basis. So, any insights will be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Kam
> I turned off the DHCP (rather left it as it was w/ the old router).
You're talking here about the printer?
> Copied the IP address from the setup menu and managed to print a
> Configuration page which shows the MAC address as 00.00.74.7f.cc.04.
Again, this is on the printer?
> I have turned the DHCP off on the router [...]
How, exactly? Why? I don't see why you would want to disable the
router's DHCP server.
> [...] and proceeded to the Reservation Table where I can add a new
> device "manually" by entering its IP address, 192.168.1.55 [...]
And that "192.168.1.55" is consistent with the router's LAN address?
> [...] and the above MAC address and the name of the printer (simply
> typed in). However, I keep getting the message "Invalid MAC Address"
> from the router website.
If you actually put in "00.00.74.7f.cc.04", then I'd try
"00:00:74:7f:cc:04".
> Any idea what's wrong? [...]
I'm betting on punctuation. But disabling the router's DHCP server
may cause more trouble than a lost printer.
If you manually configure the IP address (and subnet mask, and
anything else, like a gateway address, et c.) on the printer, then the
printer has a static address, and doesn't need a reserved (dynamic)
address. But other devices on your network might need dynamic
addresses, so disabling the router's DHCP server can cause many
problems.
Reserved addresses are dynamic addresses, which are configured on the
router, for use by its DHCP server. If you configure a reserved address
on the router for the printer, then you'd want the printer to be
configured to use DHCP, and you'd need to have the router's DHCP server
working.
For the printer, you can use either a static address or a dynamic
address. I don't care. And if you choose "dynamic", then you can make
it a reserved (dynamic) address. But dynamic addresses work only if the
router's (or somebody's) DHCP server is working. For many/most home
networking environments, it's easier to use DHCP for everything, and
configure reserved adddresses on the router for any devices whose
address needs to be fixed/known.
3 Replies
> I turned off the DHCP (rather left it as it was w/ the old router).
You're talking here about the printer?
> Copied the IP address from the setup menu and managed to print a
> Configuration page which shows the MAC address as 00.00.74.7f.cc.04.
Again, this is on the printer?
> I have turned the DHCP off on the router [...]
How, exactly? Why? I don't see why you would want to disable the
router's DHCP server.
> [...] and proceeded to the Reservation Table where I can add a new
> device "manually" by entering its IP address, 192.168.1.55 [...]
And that "192.168.1.55" is consistent with the router's LAN address?
> [...] and the above MAC address and the name of the printer (simply
> typed in). However, I keep getting the message "Invalid MAC Address"
> from the router website.
If you actually put in "00.00.74.7f.cc.04", then I'd try
"00:00:74:7f:cc:04".
> Any idea what's wrong? [...]
I'm betting on punctuation. But disabling the router's DHCP server
may cause more trouble than a lost printer.
If you manually configure the IP address (and subnet mask, and
anything else, like a gateway address, et c.) on the printer, then the
printer has a static address, and doesn't need a reserved (dynamic)
address. But other devices on your network might need dynamic
addresses, so disabling the router's DHCP server can cause many
problems.
Reserved addresses are dynamic addresses, which are configured on the
router, for use by its DHCP server. If you configure a reserved address
on the router for the printer, then you'd want the printer to be
configured to use DHCP, and you'd need to have the router's DHCP server
working.
For the printer, you can use either a static address or a dynamic
address. I don't care. And if you choose "dynamic", then you can make
it a reserved (dynamic) address. But dynamic addresses work only if the
router's (or somebody's) DHCP server is working. For many/most home
networking environments, it's easier to use DHCP for everything, and
configure reserved adddresses on the router for any devices whose
address needs to be fixed/known.All suggestions RIGHT ON!
Hard to believe the config. page from the printer manuf. (Ricoh) would have the puncutations for the MAC address wrong. Changd . per your suggestion to : and it was accepted.
I also corrected the router setting per your suggestion back to DHCP and also turned it back on (DHCP) at the printer. Went through adding it in Windows and it works!
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and providing a precise and articulated solution. Much appreciated. Kam
> Hard to believe the config. page from the printer manuf. (Ricoh) would
> have the puncutations for the MAC address wrong. [...]
There may be no real standard for MAC address notation. I have
equipment which is labeled with a hyphen-separated MAC address. Rather
than Ricoh, I'd blame Netgear firmware for not ignoring any punctuation
in a user-specified MAC address. Only the (hexadecimal) digits are
significant. (Although an argument could be made that a one-digit
group, like ":h:" (or "-h-" or ".h.", and so on), should be treated as
"0h".) Too much trouble to deal with, apparently. And a useful error
message would have provided a more detailed complaint than "Invalid";
even an example of a "valid" one would be better. (Of course, this is
not the biggest problem with Netgear router firmware.) As usual, when
in Rome, do things the only way the Romans will accept.
> Thank you [...]
Glad to hear that you got it straightened out.