Topic: Rebooting SME Stops HP4100N Dead!

[Cyrus Bharda]

Hello,

This is a very annoying problem, I have this setup:

1. Windows 2000 Server acting as PDC
2. SME 5.6u5 (was 5.5u6 and had same problem) acting as gateway.

We have about 10 HP LaserJet 4100N's and an assortment of other networked printers, HP8000N's, Kyocera's, Brother's, etc.

Now whenever I reboot the SME machine, for some reason all the 4100N's freeze, its like they crash for some reason? They just stop printing and do not do anything until they are power cycled. I have asked HP what the problem is and they said it must be the SME doing something and to figure out what it is and stop it, great help they were!

So has anyone had this type of problem with HP4100N's before?

Thanks,

Cyrus Bharda

[Bob Todd]

are you using DHCP to hand out IP addresses? If the SME is handing them their IP addresses I suppose that could be an area to investigate.

[Cyrus Bharda]

Bob,

Nope the Windows 2000 server does the dhcp, but I have set it to hand out the SME IP as the gateway, does it matter?

I have set the ip's of the printers to be static and not get an IP from the dhcp and the gateway set on them was the SME, and then tried changing it, but it does not make a difference.

It's like when the SME reboots it sends a broadcast network message to all network cards, and that message must affect the HPJetDirect cards in this model, because it does not affect any of the other HPJetDirect cards in other models of HP LaserJet printers?

Thanks though,

Cyrus Bharda

[M Alden]

Do all of your client's print directly to the IP of the printer, or are the printers attached to a server that is acting as a print server?

Can you watch the jetdirects of the printer when you reboot? Is there a bunch of activity?

I would tend to think it is unrelated, as obvious as it looks like it's your SME box.

Having said that, as a test can you bring down the PDC and turn on DHCP on the SME box, reboot the SME box and see if the same thing happens?

Also, since Linux likes to run, do you have to reboot the box that often?

M Alden

[Graeme Fleming]

Using Webjetadmin (or just connect directly using the printer IP) check the firmware on the 4100's.  My guess is that there is a firmware glitch (I have a HP4000TN using a Model Number:  J4169A  card with Firmware Version:  L.24.06 0 and this works a treat).

Update the firmware (d/l from HP).

HTH

[Michael Smith]

Another workaround:  disconnect the SME machine's network cable while rebooting.

[Cyrus Bharda]

Graeme, Michael and M Alden,

Some people print directly to the ip, some print from a print server.

There is not much data activity on the jetdirect cards, up until the sme reboots and whammo, everything stops, they dont even reply to pings .

I have been rebooting it lately, but the reason for that is unrelated.

I will try downloading the latest firmware and flashing them.

Also next time I reboot the server I will try unplugging network cable first, although that would mean I would have to lug over a monitor to the server room

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

Cyrus Bharda

[Krusty]

Cyrus why do you need a monitor when you have putty??? I think it may be a conflict with your printer drivers. Just a suggestion

[Cyrus Bharda]

Krusty,

Yes putty is good, but once you dissconnect the network cable from the network card, it becomes a bit hard to use putty

I thought it might be drivers too, tried 3 different versions on 3 different machines, two different OS's but still the same effect on the printers, which lead me to believe it had something to do with the SME affecting the jetdirect cards somehow, still looking for the firmware for these cards and try to flash them, see if it helps

Cyrus Bharda

[Cyrus Bharda]

Graeme,

hmmmmm very interesting, heres the stats of my jetdirect cards:

Model Number:  J4169A  
Firmware Version:  L.24.06  

There is a higher firmware which I am going to download and try anyway, you can get it here:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bpj07429

or direct link:

http://www.hp.com/cposupport/jetdirect/firmware/L2508fe.dld

Cyrus Bharda