Network printer on different net.

Hi all,

I have a small problem with a network printer I would like to put on our network. Out network uses the 10.0.0.x range, and this printer connects directly to it via an Eithernet port on the back.

The printer software is rubbish, and will only let the printer have the IP address of either 192.168.0.1 or 169.254.3.2 - you can't set anything else.

With the printer on IP 192.168.0.1, pinging it gives "Destination net unreachable"

With 192.254.3.2, pinging gives "Request timed out".

I guess both these are expected, since it's on a different logical network.

My question is would be the best (i.e. chepest) way to get this printer to communicate without changing the IPs of the machines on the internal network (i.e. keeping them at 10.0.0.x)? Would it be doable via adding an entry each PCs route table via the domains netlogon script? And if so, how?

Thanks a lot

Hello & welcome,

In my opinion, the most preferable solution is to have a cheap x86 PC (a 486 or P1 would do fine!) with two NIC serve as a router between the two subnets. It should also be possible to set one of your current pcs do that work without adding an extra NIC, by assigning a second IP address (at the printer's subnet) to it's NIC, set up NAT on that PC, and have all of the rest workstations (plugged on the same switched network) use that PC as a gateway for the printer's subnet.

I am not sure how to do that in windows, if you want to use a linux/*BSD system and need help I can give you more details.

Hi,

Thanks for that. I did think about putting an unused debian box I have between the two - but I was just hoping for an easier way.

However, on another forum, someone suggested (for the same printer I have) adding this to your routing table on each machine wishing to use the printer:

route add 169.254.3.2 MASK 255.255.255.255 10.0.0.x

Where 10.0.0.x is the address of your local NIC.

And guess what... It works Now if only someone could explain why??? Or how???

Cheers!

Lol, its a smart solution, it means that you tell your PC that the 'gateway' to the 192 series network is from your 10 series NIC.. so it'll just chuck it out on the LAN

I liked the router idea though, you could go with the Linux Router on a floppy project...

hehe that's very interested, I didn't know it was possible to route sth this way and work! :shock: