Network printer setup

PremierCisco

Hi Folks,

I was wondering about this, let me give you my approach to this.

1. Network printers need static IP addresses as the will more than like be in the same location for the long term. Dynamic addresses, no because each client needs to point to the static IP address as it wont change whereas dynamic addresses change through DHCP.

2. How do you implement the static addresses, say you have an IP address range of 10.1.1.? to 10.1.1 ? through DHCP with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 as this is a Class A private address.
The IP addresses for the printers, could they be 10.1.1.150 to 156 and a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0 or would the subnet mask 255.255.0.0?

Also with regards to the network cabling how do you check the integrity of the cable say for 6, 12, 18 24 months intervals, or do you not do any checks on the cabling infrastructure?

Any insight would be great

Regards

Premiercisco

Hypntick

Okay, this is probably going to sound pretty generic. Forgive me.

I would imagine you would want to set the printers up with static IPs in that range of IPs you need. The 10.1.1.150 to 156 range you were talking about, are we assuming that these are always going to be available or is there a possibility of a conflict? If there isn't the chance of a conflict then you'll have DHCP set up but place the printers so high in the range that their static IPs won't cause a problem. That's how I would do it at least.

Now as for your cabling question. In the last environment I worked, a hotel chain, they didn't go through and test the cables regularly so we would sometimes end up with bad runs between the rooms and the switches. So if the cable runs are critical, then you may want to slap testers on them every so often to see if anything is up. However chances are, at least I think, you'll actually run into a problem before you detect it by preventative means. But i'm not an expert on cable.

Qord

Printer, servers, and networking devices should always have static addresses in a production environment, so it's good habit to do it in practice as well. For the printers, you would assign them the IP most likely through the Web interface in browser. If you wanted to give it an IP of 10.1.1.150-156, you could give it a C mask of 255.255.255.0 if your network is to be 10.1.1.0 or a B mask of 255.255.0.0 if your network is 10.1.0.0. The mask depends on how you are setting up the network. Ideally, you want the printers on the same network as the print server and clients.

If you are also using DHCP on this network, you need to make sure the block reserved for printers is not allowed to be handed out via DHCP.

Where I work, we don't do any regular, scheduled checks on cables. If the printers work with no problems, and I see no network errors on the switchports that go to the printers, I don't worry about it. But, it's easy enough to unplug both ends and put a cable tester on it if needed.

it_consultant

You could also set up DHCP reservations, they act like static IPs but you don't have to worry about changing your DHCP scope. One added benefit, if something (like a DNS server) does change in your environment you wont have to run to every printer to change it manually - it will be updated by the DHCP server. All of my WiFi access points and printers that dont have LCD screens are reserved IPs rather than static and it works really well.

hypnotoad

Put all your printers in some range that you want to use, and set that range to be excluded from DHCP. I like to subnet with a /22 and leave the first 256 addresses for static devices, and the last 768 addresses for PCs "dynamic" devices. Makes it easy to write firewall rules too.

Some network switches allow you to do a cable test right on the switch -- so you dont have to go around checking them. Depends on the switch and software.

ibcritn

it_consultant wrote: »

You could also set up DHCP reservations, they act like static IPs but you don't have to worry about changing your DHCP scope. One added benefit, if something (like a DNS server) does change in your environment you wont have to run to every printer to change it manually - it will be updated by the DHCP server. All of my WiFi access points and printers that dont have LCD screens are reserved IPs rather than static and it works really well.

I agree with this statement +1

Daniel333

I am a bit weird, I am always planning for summarization in stupid places.

Say I am given, 192.168.1.0/24 to allocate to a site.

Assuming there are not too many workstations I break it down like this. Obviously I can allocate more if I need. But I normally do something like this.

192.168.1.0001 xxxx is for servers ( .17-31)
192.168.1.0010 xxxx is for misc devices (.31 - 63)
192.168.1.0011 xxxx is for desktops
etc
etc
etc
192.168.1.1111 xxxxx is for networking devices
192.168.1.1111 11xx for routers/firewalls
192.168.1.1111 10xx for switches

Wait, bits from left to right.. well you get the point.

As far as static addresses, I don't use them if I can avoid it. I set reservations. DCs and a few other obvious exceptions.

PremierCisco

Hi Folks,

Thank you all for your replies, it really gives me a better insight into this.

Regards

Premiercisco