Ricoh copiers - remote access through Smoothwall

[MrEprise]

Is there anyone on here who has Ricoh copiers and Smoothwall for their Filtering & Firewall? Also wasn't sure where to put this as although it's a Printer issue, it's also a Filtering/Firewall issue.

 

Our Print provider is Ricoh who use a service on the copiers called Optim for remote access to the copiers as and when they need to. The process requires someone to be at the copier to launch the remote access session which is then supposed to generate a code, which is given to the support person who can remote into the copier to sort any issues where a physical visit isn't required.

 

The problem I have, is you launch the remote access session and it sits on a connecting screen for what seems like forever. I looked at the firewall logs where I could see it was dropping a connection to a certain IP that it uses. I've since allowed that IP address through the firewall with the relevant ports and I can now see that it allows the connection. I've checked the filtering side where I can also see it launching a browser session to another IP address but it says HTTP 200 OK which I assume should be allowing it to launch, however it still doesn't get past the screen that says 'connecting'.

 

I'm now stuck as I don't now know where to go with this as the logs suggest everything should be fine?

 

[tom_newton]

Get a support ticket in - I am sure we will be able to help

[ThomL]

Are you inspecting the traffic to/from the Ricoh MFD? I wouldn't expect the device to be very happy with the traffic going through HTTPS inspection. Throw the devices IP into the smoothwall webfilter exceptions area and see if it will connect (just as a sanity check).

[PotNoodleTech]

When installing the copiers they gave me a list of stuff that neede to be unblocked to let all the remote toner ordering etc work - have you had that documentation and applied it?

Edited March 31, 2025 by PotNoodleTech

[MrEprise]

11 minutes ago, ThomL said:

Are you inspecting the traffic to/from the Ricoh MFD? I wouldn't expect the device to be very happy with the traffic going through HTTPS inspection. Throw the devices IP into the smoothwall webfilter exceptions area and see if it will connect (just as a sanity check).

This is what I have set for our Printers VLAN. As far as I can see, it shouldn't be inspecting traffic.

 

13 minutes ago, tom_newton said:

Get a support ticket in - I am sure we will be able to help

I will do that.

[MrEprise]

22 minutes ago, PotNoodleTech said:

When installing the copiers they gave me a list of stuff that neede to be unblocked to let all the remote toner ordering etc work - have you had that documentation and applied it?

Yep, had all that. The remote toner ordering works so I'm not sure why this other bit doesn't.