Printers freezing when inputting pin & accounting server error

[AB_IT]

Hi All,

 

I'm in a right pickle, I'm really hoping someone can help.

 

Basically we have 10 sites all connecting back to our Head Office via IPSec VPN. All the printers across our sites seem to be having issues when connecting to the PaperCut server. They'll work OK for a time but then intemittently will freeze when someone inputs their pin or show "Cannot connect to accounting server" error. I have pinged the printers over the whole weekend from the PaperCut server and there's no drop outs, I've also tried the following to diagnose but nothing has helped:

 

 

• Added IP of server and printer into Allow List on our Firewall
  
• Set the port speed to 1Gbps on the switch and removed all port features
  
• Turned off the Windows Firewall on PaperCut Server
  
• Updated PaperCut to 23.0
  
• Put a dumb TP Link switch inbetween the Printer and Switch
  
• Ensured latest Windows updates ran on print server
  
• Replaced one of our photocopiers with a whole different model
  

 

I'm really running out of ideas, I don't know what's causing it. I've also changed VPN encryption settings to see if that would help but nope. I'm so stuck and our Printing support company doesn't happen to know what's going on either and it's causing mayhem. Anyone have any ideas?

[MatthewL]

Is anything else affected when this happens, is remote file access hindered at the same time or is it just PaperCut? If you run a constant ping from the remote site to your PaperCut server is there any drops, in particular when this happens.

 

What copiers are you using? Is it all of them or just certain ones?

 

What make firewall you using?

[AB_IT]

Is anything else affected when this happens, is remote file access hindered at the same time or is it just PaperCut? If you run a constant ping from the remote site to your PaperCut server is there any drops, in particular when this happens.

 

What copiers are you using? Is it all of them or just certain ones?

 

What make firewall you using?

 

That's the weird thing, our shared drive stays up and it's on the same server, it's literally just PaperCut but then a ping from the site and from head office never drops out not even when it happens. Latency can be a little weird sometimes with ping around 34ms constant and then on the odd occasion will increased to high numbers but then go back down again but I just put this down to it being an over the internet connection via the VPN.

 

We use Sharp BP70C45 models although we thought maybe these where the issue so we swapped one out for a Sharp MX5070V and still shwoing the same symptoms.

 

We're using Unifi's Gateway Pro this model to be exact, https://eu.store.ui.com/eu/en/collections/unifi-accessory-tech-hosting-and-gateways-large-scale/products/uxg-pro although we're also using some older models at 3 of our sites such as this guy https://www.4gon.co.uk/ubiquiti-unifi-security-gateway-router-usg-p-6271.html and this one https://www.4gon.co.uk/ubiquiti-unifi-security-gateway-pro-usgpro4-p-6735.html

 

All of those are having the same issue, but at head office we have the latest one. I've just checked our Unifi Controller in security detections though the firewall doesn't show it's blocking any sort of connection.

 

Thank you for taking time to help me.

[MatthewL]

How has PaperCut been deployed to the Sharp's, via PaperCut or manually?

 

What are the 2 application URL's that are on the copiers, are they still using port 9191 or another?

 

I've installed 1000's of Sharp machines with PaperCut, only seen something similar as a result of mis configuration.

[PaperCutterAl]

Hey now, papercutter here (the non-technical kind). I strongly urge you to open a ticket with us to see if we can help get this sorted for you. Refer to this thread and tell 'em PaperCutter Al sent you.

 

We'll be onto your ticket promptly: https://www.papercut.com/contact/

[AB_IT]

How has PaperCut been deployed to the Sharp's, via PaperCut or manually?

 

What are the 2 application URL's that are on the copiers, are they still using port 9191 or another?

 

I've installed 1000's of Sharp machines with PaperCut, only seen something similar as a result of mis configuration.

 

On the Sharp copiers it says address for application UI: https://192.168.91.14:9192/device-web/sharp-osa-n2/index and address for Web Service: https://192.168.91.14:9192/device-web/sharp-osa-n2/soap?name=Fairholme

 

I've changed the IP but basically it's the IP for our printer server.

[MatthewL]

Sorry not been on here today, will have a look in the morning as I am doing an upgrade on my PaperCut will double check the settings as I cannot remember them off the top of my head now.

[MatthewL]

Under Sharp OSA what version are you running? It's on the first screen when you go into the OSA config on the copier?

 

DO you have it set to Wide SVGA under the 2 links which are correct?

[AB_IT]

Thank you for your help @MatthewL I think I found the issue though. For some reason changing our VPN encryption type has fixed them which is strange.

 

We do keep having these issues though whereby everytime a user send something to print we're getting error messages and a log off/log in tends to fix it but then it does the exact same thing. They're really generic errors as well and random, just says things like printer can't be found... even though it's listed in their printers. If you have any idea about this that would be a huge help.

[MatthewL]

I have had that before if the encryption is set too high, often have to tweak the MTU too to allow it to work without issue.

[AB_IT]

I have had that before if the encryption is set too high, often have to tweak the MTU too to allow it to work without issue.

That would explain it, basically lowered ours to IKEv1 instead of v2 and AES-128 rather than 256.

 

What did you have to do with your MTU out of curiosity? Ours is just set to default 1500.

[MatthewL]

I had issues similiar but not with PaperCut when the security was too high, on the P2P IP we use as part of our VPN we had to set the MTU to 1492 for it to work, may pay if you can to try your tunnel with the high security and if it allows you to set the MTU lower see if that helps, it may not but worth a try if you can. If its working now then leave it as it is just one of them annoying things.

[aac]

We are also having this issue. We use Kyocera copiers and every couple of days we are having to do a power cycle on them as the Papercut screen just freezes after they put in a pin number and they cannot select a shared account to continue...