Print server hating on random IP addresses

[Cragzman]

Hi all.

 

I have an annoying problem with a print server that has been doing my tree in for a long time.

 

The server in question has Server 2008 R2 installed that hosts network copiers/printers that are assigned static IP addresses. We have no firewalls enabled on the computers and servers.

 

Over the last year or so we have had the odd copier/printer go down completely at random. Upon investigation, it turns out that the print server refuses to ping the statically assigned IP given to the problem copier/printer (Request timed out). But able to see the printers web interface via a web browser. Then we change the static IP to a new static IP that is free, then it behaves again. But the old IP now refuses to work from that print server. For example: assign the static IP to a desktop pc to test and then unable to ping with "Request timed out" message. BUT you can PING the old IP address from other computers and servers! Its just the print server that refuses to PING it. Oh and also if you assign the test desktop the knackered IP address and try and PING the problem print server, you get "Request timed out".

 

After a while, at completely random, it does it again to another copier/printer. Then we change the IP again. Thus we have another unusable IP address on the print server. We have kept a record of how many IP addresses it has nuked and the total so far is ten.

 

To cut a long story short, a rouge print server is picking fights with random static IP addresses. Server refuses to talk to or listen to knackered IPs.

 

Hope this made sense as my brain has been scrambled.

 

Cheers all:confused:

[smithson83]

Are the IP address you are assigning to the Printers excluded from DHCP?

 

All would work fine until another client picks up a (seemingly, according to DHCP) free IP address, then the printer stops working and the client isn't a printer, but typing the address into a web browser may still work as you would of gone to that IP from your PC previously (or Ie may just be more tolerant of multiple IP/clients etc).

[Cragzman]

Cheers for the reply.

 

The static IP addresses have been excluded from distribution in an IP range in DHCP.

[Davit2005]

What happens if you remove the printer port off the server and re-add it??

 

Are ayou adding printers as standard TCP/IP ports??

[smithson83]

Have you checked the arp cache (arp -a)on the Print server, see is the Problem IP address have the correct MAC (for the printer) listed. not sure why this would change/be wrong though.

[Cragzman]

Don't recall removing and then adding the printer port when one goes down. But if its any help, the ports are standard TCP/IP ports and are named as the name given to the printer. Not the IP address.

[twin--turbo]

So you can still get to "http://192.168.1.x" of the printer??

 

TT

[MatthewL]

What make and model of printer?

[dapaulio]

Any switch logs which may shed some light. Sorry all I have at present

[steve]

It maybe that your server has a proxy configured or you have transparent proxying which could explain how you are still able to browse the printers web interface.

 

When pinging, are you pinging the IP or the DNS name?

 

Worth checking that your server is resolving the name correctly - try nslookup or a ping -a

 

Other things to check - your default gateway and subnet mask on the server. If the printers are on a different subnet this could cause an issue.

 

You say you aren't running a firewall on the server, AV software like McAffee has protection intergrated into it - might be worth double cheking.

[psydii]

You didn't explicitly mention it, but did you try restarting the server before changing printer IP addresses?

[Cragzman]

UPDATE

 

The problem IP address for some reason now works. I installed Microsoft Network Monitor, logged off and then logged on again. Did a PING to problem IP/Hostname, got a response. Hmmmmm very weird. I have no idea. Did the Network Monitor install restart something?

 

Thanks for the replies peeps.