Franking / Postage systems

[sonic1485]

I've been asked to investigate alternative solutions for our postage system. Our franking machine is on the way out but our finance team were intending to look for a different supplier in the coming months anyways.

 

It's all a bit above my head - I'm not sure what we are paying at the moment as we (the IT department) haven't been consulted on it in the past but I was given a rough figure. I was just wondering what companies other schools are using and if possible what sort of monthly/annual prices you pay and what is included in the cost?

[TechMonkey]

Sorry no help, that is (to me) an office/accounts/bursary type device. I know we have one that is through a third party company but runs on the Pitney Bowes (or something similar) system. I know it causes issues when ever any changes are made as they are phasing out being able to use dial up and trying to get everyone over to network connections but the servers always seem to be down and on one seems to have any idea how it works (ports, IP addresses, where the smoke gets released..)

[sonic1485]

We currently have a Pitney Bowes device. All the problems you have mentioned sound veeeery familiar!

[Reverend_Dan]

Snap to Pitney Bowes and usual issues. They were meant to deliver us a new one on Monday morning but no sign of them as of yet

[Sylv3r]

We've also got a Pitney Bowes device - it's around 12 months old and we don't have any issues. Barring opening some ports on our Smoothwall box so it can dial home, it's been pretty light touch.

 

We bought from here:

 

Cheap Franking Machine Inks | Pitney Bowes Franking Ink | Neopost Franking Ink | FP Franking Ink | Frama Franking Ink | Franking Machine Labels | Envelopes

[gh5000]

One of our schools uses postage print impressions (I think that's what they're called but it does stand for PPI so may be wrong). Basically they preprint the stamp (think they do this in house directly onto envelopes or onto avery labels for non standard post). Standard ink/toner. And I think you have to pre fill a royal mail website with what you're sending before the postman comes.

 

Don't know if it's cheaper but there's a reason the school changed to it - just can't remember the argument for at the moment.

 

You'll find the details on the royal mail website. Just search for PPI

[Edu-IT]

Do schools really still post that much these days, to warrant these bulk mailing services?

[Cache]

Ours is a Neopost machine - I have to say that to my knowledge we have no issues with it what so ever to the extent that my involvement was putting in the required proxy server and occasionally ordering a new ink cartridge for it.

 

This is the 2nd one we've had in the 8 years I've been there and both have been the same (no idea on the terms of the contract however).

 

Edit: I think it's this one or very similar: https://www.neopost.com/en/postage-meters/is-350-mailing-system

Edited April 9, 2017 by Cache

[OverWorked]

We have a new Pitney Bowes machine. I'e been trying for 2 days to get the thing connected, but it won't. I've made firewall exceptions in smoothwall and can see the traffic going through, but it still won't connect.

 

The connection troubleshooting manual they provide is little help, as the machine won't respond when it can't connect.

 

Logged a call with Pitney Bowes.

 

Sorry - rant over.

[localzuk]

We bought a refurbished Pitney Bowes DM400c here a couple of years ago. Worked well for us! We got it through Mailing Systems Europe - they have been a good supplier to us.

[Chockster]

We've got a Pitney Bowes as well. (Actually we have two, there's a bricked one in a box our main reception that should have been picked up before Christmas).

 

It's awful. It refuses to connect over the lan despite smoothwall being fully up to date with their firewall demands - and there are lot of demands. The only way we can use is it is by having a laptop next to it with their PC Meter Connect software running via a usb connection. It's turned on when postage is added, or the monthly reports are uploaded.

 

The model we have has a dirt-cheap usb network adapter instead of a dedicated lan port, so I've come to the conclusion that it's that piece of crap that's causing the problem. They did insist it was "our network", but I pointed out that if that was the case the laptop wouldn't connect either...

 

The only thing that's stopped us buying a different is that the business manager rightly argues that if it works, and cost £1500, then we should try and keep going with it for as long as we can, despite us having had three of them in six months.

 

It's been the source of the vast majority of my support calls from the office since September and is pretty much the bane of my school life at the moment.

Edited April 13, 2017 by Chockster
spelling

[OverWorked]

I've set a Smoothwall firewall rule to allow everything from the machine. I've also set a Guardian web filter rule to whitelist everything, and a HTTPS inspection rule to not inspect everything from that address. I've also tried bypassing the proxy. It still won't connect. Even though I can see the traffic going through the firewall?!

 

I logged a call with Pitney Bowes this morning. Someone called me back and showed me how to enter the DNS settings. The machine is set to use DHCP, but it doesn't get the DNS addresses - they have to be entered manually. He also told me how to enter IP address via the arcane input system (to get a dot press 1 four times - the dot on the keypad won't work).

 

They're going to send an "engineer" next week. That should be fun.

 

Ours is also Ethernet via USB adapter. I think the next step is to connect via PC Meter Connect software and USB to the receptionists PC.

[Chockster]

I'd definitely try the PC meter software, as that'll confirm your smoothwall setup. To be honest, ours is pretty much in a dmz right now. We could see traffic floating around, but much like you, nothing was happening on the machine.

 

One minor thing to check - according to some help documentation we found you're not meant to use a network cable longer than 5 metres with it. The problem is our data point is at least 10 metres from the cab, so even a 50cm patch cable to the wall won't help. It may be worth a try if you can get it close to your switch though.

[OverWorked]

Apologies to the OP @sonic1485 - I know this had gone off topic, but here's the solution to getting it connected.

 

I've solved it and got mine connecting via IP:-

 

Give franking machine fixed IP address via DHCP reservation

 

Change DNS server from default AT&T DNS to ours. These are not set by DHCP.

 

Add Smoothwall Guardian » Web filter » Exceptions, add franking machines IP to Source exception IP addresses

 

In franking machine, change all proxy exclusions to "no" so that everything goes through Smoothwall port 801 proxy i.e.:-

 

Options > connect-data centre > LAN settings > Proxy: enabled, smoothwall address, port 801 for both HTTP and HTTPS. No username or password required.

Options > connect-data centre > LAN settings > Proxy > Exclusions: set all to "no"

 

I've also added a firewall rule to allow everything coming from the franking machine (but I don't think that's necessary)

[DSapseid]

I use Neopost here as well and have done for years, they are great machines. The old one used to update over a fax line but the newer ones we have had connect to the internet via our network. It was pretty simple to setup once you have the right access codes for the machines but the engineers are really helpful to help set it up.

 

We pay an annual maintenance fee for the machine, we then 'top-up' the machine with £200 whenever the machine runs low, this is all done from the machine and is instant.