how to find a local printer on a network

  • Thread starter Thread starter yarmfelder
  • Start date Start date
Y

yarmfelder

Hi all,

I'm in a situation where I can see a network printer,
I can touch it, I can smell it even, but no one
will tell me what its IP address is, nor its hostname.

Is there an innocuous way to determine what network
device(s) in my local network is/are the printer, and to get
a hostname for it so that I can add them to my hosts file?

Also, is this not the purpose of a directory service,
to help people learn what resources are available?
If so, how do I get a list, if the directory is,
for instance Windows based?

Thanks,
YF
 
If so, how do I get a list, if the directory is,
for instance Windows based?
Click to expand...

Samba in client mode, smbclient at the command line, but you will
also have to set up samba to find the master browser (Windows
directory term, nothing to do with http) for your network.
 
From: <[email protected]>

| Hi all,
|
| I'm in a situation where I can see a network printer,
| I can touch it, I can smell it even, but no one
| will tell me what its IP address is, nor its hostname.
|
| Is there an innocuous way to determine what network
| device(s) in my local network is/are the printer, and to get
| a hostname for it so that I can add them to my hosts file?
|
| Also, is this not the purpose of a directory service,
| to help people learn what resources are available?
| If so, how do I get a list, if the directory is,
| for instance Windows based?
|
| Thanks,
| YF

Most Print Servers will have TCP port 9100 open. You can test to see if that port is open
on an IP address. You v\can then use that IP address. You don't have to use the host name
and it isn't a good idea to add the host to your hosts table becuase it is a staic table and
if the host name changes you would have problems.
 
Hi all,
Click to expand...
I'm in a situation where I can see a network printer,
I can touch it, I can smell it even, but no one
will tell me what its IP address is, nor its hostname.
Click to expand...
Is there an innocuous way to determine what network
device(s) in my local network is/are the printer, and to get
a hostname for it so that I can add them to my hosts file?
Click to expand...

Look in the manual for the printer. It will tell you what its IP address
is. Make sure that none of your other machines have the same IP address.
hostname is up to you. It is addressed by IP address. So you can put
whatever you want into your /etc/hosts file. Call it blondie. What has to
be right is the ip address.


Also, is this not the purpose of a directory service,
to help people learn what resources are available?
Click to expand...

They have to be set up.
 
Unruh said:
Look in the manual for the printer. It will tell you what its IP address
is. Make sure that none of your other machines have the same IP address.
hostname is up to you. It is addressed by IP address. So you can put
whatever you want into your /etc/hosts file. Call it blondie. What has to
be right is the ip address.
Click to expand...

Every network printer I've seen, requires you to set the IP address.
Imagine what would happen, if all the printers had the same IP address.
 
Hi all,

I'm in a situation where I can see a network printer,
I can touch it, I can smell it even, but no one
will tell me what its IP address is, nor its hostname.

Is there an innocuous way to determine what network
device(s) in my local network is/are the printer, and to get
a hostname for it so that I can add them to my hosts file?

Also, is this not the purpose of a directory service,
to help people learn what resources are available?
If so, how do I get a list, if the directory is,
for instance Windows based?

Thanks,
YF
Click to expand...

Set up a network sniffer, e.g. Ethereal or tcpdump
and switch off and back on the printer. It should
send a couple of ARP requests for its own IP
address on start, 'gratuitous ARP'. You should
be able to see the ARP's in the network sniffer
scan.

HTH
 
Tauno said:
Set up a network sniffer, e.g. Ethereal or tcpdump
and switch off and back on the printer. It should
send a couple of ARP requests for its own IP
address on start, 'gratuitous ARP'. You should
be able to see the ARP's in the network sniffer
scan.
Click to expand...

While it may be possible to determine the address, I have to wonder about
this situation. If they won't give him the info, perhaps they don't want
him to use that printer.
 
yarmfelder> Hi all, I'm in a situation where I can see a network
yarmfelder> printer, I can touch it, I can smell it even, but no one
yarmfelder> will tell me what its IP address is, nor its hostname.

yarmfelder> Is there an innocuous way to determine what network
yarmfelder> device(s) in my local network is/are the printer, and to
yarmfelder> get a hostname for it so that I can add them to my hosts
yarmfelder> file?

Go to the printer and print out the network status page, this option
is usually on the statuS on the printer. This will have the ip address.

Later
 
James Knott said:
Every network printer I've seen, requires you to set the IP address.
Imagine what would happen, if all the printers had the same IP address.
Click to expand...

Some printers might have a default address. (many routers
default to 192.168.1.1 for example) Once you connect the printer, you
then connect to it and change it to something else, or tell it to use
DHCP.

He also might have meant to say: "It will tell you how to find the IP
address." since many network printers will have it on the
configuration sheet that most can print out. Of course he didn't, but
he might have meant to have said that. If he had, the advice would
have been spot on. ;)

As it was, it was pretty good advice... To find the IP (or to find out
how to find the IP) RTFM.
 
Set up a network sniffer, e.g. Ethereal or tcpdump
and switch off and back on the printer. It should
send a couple of ARP requests for its own IP
address on start, 'gratuitous ARP'. You should
be able to see the ARP's in the network sniffer
scan.
Click to expand...



Overkill. Every network printer I've seen can print out a status page
that tells you how it's set up. If necessary get the PDF for the
manual from the manufacturer's web site. It's possibel to talk to a
networked printer without TCP. TCP may be turned off. That may be
admitting the number of years I've been at this stuff.
 
I sprinted throught this thread and just thought i'd stick in my
10cents worth.

I have about 28 network printers on my little domain and even though I
have everything well documented I always used to battle to keep track
of the printers.

I downloaded Angry IP Scanner from <http://www.angryziber.com/ipscan/>.
Every network admin has his own toolbox and I use it every day.
It will get back IP Address, Hostname and allows you to scan ranges
quickly. You can also scan ports on each host. Very cool.

Also if you can't see it on the network its probably not on one of your
segments or its the connection.

Good luck.
 
I have about 28 network printers on my little domain and even though I
have everything well documented I always used to battle to keep track
of the printers.
I downloaded Angry IP Scanner from <http://www.angryziber.com/ipscan/>.
Click to expand...

I defer to your expertise, but I have a different setup to add to this:
my SMC Barricade (4 port 10/100 switch and router/sharing unit)
has a parallel port for networking a printer.
That's on port 515, so it's set up as a Linux LPD printer.
Yes, I used a port scanner to poke the SMC first:
it replies only to port 80 (for management) and 515 (printer).

I'm unsure what port the USB printer to ethernet adapters use.
 
Back
Top