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Printing Problems from Subnet 4

On subnet 4 I install the printer drivers, use Standard TCP/IP port + type in 192.168.10.200, and then I do a test print. Some of the computers print fine and others can't print. The working PCs are a mixture of XP PRO and XP Home. The can't print seem to be XP Home OSs and my fix has been added a route: ROUTE -p ADD 192.168.10.0 MASK 255.255.255.0 192.168.4.254 QUESTION: does anyone understand why or what I need to add/change to make this work all the time? Subnet 0 and 1 don't have this problem. Each ActionTec modem has a static route of: 192.168.10.0/24/192.168.X.254 X=the appropriate subnet. The pc are all getting their ip addressing through DHCP.

INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET
| | |
ActionTec 1 192.168.0.1 ActionTec 2 192.168.1.1 Actiontec 3 192.168.4.1
| | |
| ** -> SERVER 192.168.1.250 <-** |
| | |
LAN 0 LAN 1 LAN4
| | |
LAN 192.168.0.254 LAN 192.168.1.254 LAN 192.168.4.254
ROUTER 1 (NR041) ROUTER 2 (NR041) ROUTER 3 (NR041)
WAN 192.168.5.1 WAN 192.168.5.2 WAN 192.168.5.4
| | |
| | |
|_____________________SWITCH____________________|
|
|
WAN 192.168.5.5
ROUTER4
LAN 192.168.10.1
|
PRINTER 192.168.10.200

http://www.networkeverywhere.com/support/routersupport.asp

Rob Williams

You can run into problems with permissions with XPHome as it cannot be part of a domain, however if that were the issue the route command wouldn't fix it.
Are the XPHome getting all the necessary TCP/IP configuration information from the DHCP server. Compare the results of IPconfig /all from a working PC and a non working PC. The difference is likely the default gateway. For Internet access the PC's likely have a default gateway of 192.168.4.1 If that is the case, packets destined for a subnet other than it's own are sent to the default gateway, and in this case, they are "using the wrong door" so to speak. That is why the route add command works. It tells the PC how to find the appropriate network. What surprises me is the others are working, with out it.
Having said that, are your printers, printing to an Active directory shared printer or are they printing directly using TCP/IP. If an AD printer, the XPpro computers might be working because they are members of the domain and can "talk" to the server which then points them in the right direction.
To be honest, regardless, XPhome belongs in the home.

giltjr

What does the output from the command:

netstat -rn

look like from a PC that works and one that does NOT work prior to you adding the route.

RobWill, do you know if XPHome accepts ICMP re-directs? I've never used XPhome and right now am just to lazy to look it up. If you don't know I'll look it up.

Rob Williams

giltjr, to the best of my knowledge XPhome does, but I too have not worked with it. Good VM project someday. However, the XP firewall has to be configured to allow it. Wonder if the firewall configurations are different.

terrydschmidt, is the Windows firewall enabled on the XP Home machines?

giltjr, my knowledge of routing is very limited. Will these "economical" routers generate re-directs or is that what you are referring to?

giltjr

You know I have no clue if they would. I was assuming that (man that really gets me into trouble you know) that the 192.168.4.1 router had the real routes to the printer and would generate ICMP redirects and that XPHome was ignoring them.

terrydschmidt if you are not coding routes for the printer (or its' subnet) how do you expect the PC's to find out how to get to it?

Are the XPPro's actually printing directly to the printer or are they printing to a print server that spools and forwards the print to the printer?

As XPHome can't be part of the domain they won't get the printer information at logon, so you have to manually map/setup the printer. Have you tried seting up the XPHome to point to the print server?

terrydschmidt

ASKER

No server. The NR041 routers all have dynmatic routing RIP1 enabled which directs the traffic to and from subnet 10. The Actiontec routers have a static route that sends the subnet 10 traffic to the NR041 routers. All the computers are defaultly spooling their own jobs and printing them straight to the printer. Have have done the netstat -rn yet but I will try later today.

Rob Williams

Any luck with the netstat -rn results terrydschmidt ? or are you off for the weekend? :-) If so enjoy.
When you do run, as giltjr suggested, try a working and non working PC such as the XPhome machine.
--Rob

terrydschmidt

ASKER

Your right I got a three weekend, I will do this tomorrow (Tuesday).

Rob Williams

How did you make out in the end Terry?
--Rob

terrydschmidt

ASKER

Rob, I bought new hardware CISCO 871-SEC-K9 router. Have to get SEC for VLAN capability. WAN port is just a 10/100 ethernet port and the 4 LAN ports can all be configured as VLANs. I assigned each port as a different VLAN. I gave each VLAN an ip address on the subnet. 1st Floor 192.168.0.254, 2nd Floor 192.168.1.254, and 4th Floor 192.168.4.254 Turned on dynamic routing and it is working great so far. I have to try and see if I still have this 4th floor problem.

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Rob Williams

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terrydschmidt

ASKER

After I finally got the updated software loaded into the CISCO 871-SEC-K9 Router (which allowed for 4 VLAN instead of just 1) I was able to configure each port with an IP Address and the WAN port with printer subnet. It has work prefectly since I hooked it up. No rebooting the router or anything. I am able to access shares on the server on subnet 1 from subnet 0 quickly and always available. Cost $590 but has been worth every penny.

Rob Williams

Sounds great. Nice when things work as they should, though it's often not cheap.
Thanks for the update and points Terry,
--Rob