A Hardware. Technicians Guide. Network. Troubleshooting.

Transcription

1 A Hardware Technicians Guide To Network Troubleshooting. 1

2 Chapter 1 (The Basics) As you know troubleshooting is a form of problem solving. It is the systematic search for the source of a problem so that it can be solved. Network printer troubleshooting is the same as hardware troubleshooting, a process of elimination - eliminating potential causes of a problem. A basic principle in troubleshooting is to start from the simplest and most probable possible problems first. This is illustrated by the old saying "When you see hoof prints, look for horses, not zebras", or the KISS principle (Keep it simple stupid). Network Printer troubleshooting uses the same approach. Start with the simplest and work toward the hardest. The following will illustrate the approach a hardware technician should take when involved with a network printing issue. Step 1 Have the proper tools for the job The tools needed to troubleshoot printing issues are: Laptop Computer (Windows XP Operating System preferred) Crossover cable (minimum 6 feet in length) Print drivers (PostScript and PCL) loaded on laptop for the models serviced Fiery Command Workstation loaded on the laptop Step 2 Always print out the printer configuration page prior to any work performed. This will give you vital information such as the printer IP address, etc. Familiarize yourself with this document. It is good practice to print out the configuration page on each service visit and place it in a secure area on or around the printer for reference. This will give you a comparison sheet to see if any parameters have changed since the last visit. Step 3 Establishing a communication link from the printer to your Laptop. The following will detail how to connect your laptop to the printer using a cross-over cable, setup an IP address in your laptop, Setting the print driver, Selecting the printer port, Using the ping command, and printing a test page. A. A crossover cable is a cable that maps all output signals on one electrical connector to the input signals on the other connector, allowing two electronic devices to perform full-duplex communication. It also allows devices to communicate without a switch, hub, or router. Cross-Over cables are used to connect two computers directly through NICs (Network Interface Cards) without the use of a Hub or Switch. To establish a communication link from your laptop to the printer simply connect the crossover cable from the Ethernet Port on your laptop to the Ethernet Port on the printer. Crossover Cable Ethernet Port 2

3 B. Setting up the IP Address in Your Laptop Select Start, Settings, Network Connections, Local Area Connection The following screen will appear. Scroll to Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and select OK 3

4 The following screen will appear. Select Use the following IP address Input an IP address where the last 3 digits are different than the printer IP Address. Example: The printers IP address is: Input an IP address such as: Input the Subnet Mask as Select OK. 4

5 C. Selecting the Print Driver Select Start, Settings, Printers and Faxes Right click on the desired Print Driver 5

6 Select Set as Default Printer 6

7 D. Selecting the Printer Port Select Start, Settings, Printers and Faxes Right click on the desired Print Driver 7

8 Select Properties The following window will appear. Select Ports 8

9 Select Add Port Select Standard TCP/IP Port, then Select New Port 9

10 Select Next The following window will appear. Select Next Enter the Printer IP Address then Select Next 10

11 The following window will appear. Select Next Select Finish 11

12 Select Close Verify that the new port (printer IP Address appears and is checked) then select Apply then OK 12

13 Step 4 Determine if it is the printer/mfp that is causing the issue. Disconnect the printer from the network and connect your laptop to the printer using a cross-over cable and ping the unit. A. Using the Ping command Ping is the single most powerful troubleshooting tool for networked computers. The ping tool can at different times verify that TCP/IP is installed correctly on a computer, that a computer has joined the network successfully, that a computer can reach the Internet and the print devices, that a remote Web site or computer is responding, and that computer name resolution is working. Using the ping command will allow you to isolate the printer from the network and verify if the printer is the issue or that a network connection or network issue is responsible. Using the ping command from your Laptop to verify printer operation Disconnect the printer from the network and connect your laptop to the printer using a cross-over cable and ping the unit. Select Start, Run Type in: cmd, OK 13

14 The Command Prompt window opens Type in ping space and the IP address of the printer (obtained from the configuration sheet) Enter 14

15 Screen showing Successful ping. Screen showing Unsuccessful ping. Screen showing Unsuccessful ping. 15

16 B. If your ping is Successful If your ping is successful the next step is to print a test page to the printer. You can accomplish this directly from your Laptop. (See Step 5, Printing a Test Page directly from your Laptop) C. If your ping is Unsuccessful If your ping is unsuccessful, verify items A thru D in Step 3 to ensure that IP Address, Print Driver, and Port Settings are correct. If the settings are correct disable your anti-virus software. Perform the ping command again. If the same result is obtained the following components may be defective: NIC Card Fiery Controller PCB Hard Drive Contact OKI Printing Solutions Technical Support Center at: for further technical troubleshooting assistance on this issue. 16

17 Step 5 Printing a Test Page directly from your Laptop The following will detail how to generate a Test Page from your Laptop Computer directly to the printer. Be sure to have the configuration page you generated in step 2. You will need the IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway Address as shown on the next page. You will also need the print driver for the printer installed as detailed in step 1. IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway address location ES3640 MFP Configuration Sheet 17

18 A. Printing the Test Page Right Click on the printer driver and Select Properties Select Print Test Page 18

19 B. If you have successfully generated a Test Page. Upon successfully generating a Test Page, discuss the following options with your customer. If your dealership offers network troubleshooting assistance to your customer, you should instruct the customer that you have determined that the issue is not with the printer hardware and may be a network issue. At this point, follow your normal dealership procedure for resolving the customer issue. If your dealership does not offer network troubleshooting assistance to your customer, you should instruct the customer that you have determined that the issue is not with the printer hardware and may be a network issue. Be sure to demonstrate your Laptop printing to the printer to confirm your diagnosis in the customers mind. Instruct the customer that they should contact their network support provider to address the network issue. C. If you can not successfully generated a Test Page. Verify that the IP address and Gateway of your laptop and the printer have been input correctly. From ES3640 MFP Configuration Sheet If you still can not print a test page contact Oki Technical Support at: for additional troubleshooting assistance. 19