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dladders

Q: Problems printing with Ricoh printer at work??

Hello!

I was wondering if anyone could help me out?

I've just started working at a new place where I'm the only one on a Mac in department of PC users. Our IT department have told me that they WILL NOT help me out as I'm on a Mac!!

I'm not that bothered about this as I can do most things on my own, but I'm having real problems getting conected to any printers.

I can see the printers if I add them using their IP address, but I can either not get them to print, can only print in B&W, get an error message with loads of blank pages churned out, or as today where I get a message that the mac can't connect to the printer.

My kit is as follows:

iMac (soon to be replaced by MacPro)

Ricoh Aficio MPC4000

OSX 10.6.2


Can anyone help me please??

iMac (WORK) + G5 (Home), Mac OS X (10.6.2), G5 running 10.5

Posted on Nov 16, 2009 8:44 AM

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Q: Problems printing with Ricoh printer at work??

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  • by dladders,

    dladders dladders Nov 18, 2009 1:14 AM in response to dladders
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 18, 2009 1:14 AM in response to dladders
    PS, is it safe for me to have posted this information on here??
  • by PAHU,

    PAHU PAHU Nov 18, 2009 1:32 PM in response to dladders
    Level 6 (16,610 points)
    Nov 18, 2009 1:32 PM in response to dladders
    Hi Dave,

    Thanks for the information. It does show that your Mac is on a different subnet to the printer, however the router is doing its job and providing you with a communication path to the printer - hence the positive ping results.

    And don't worry about the IP information. This is mostly your internal company numbers and should be protected from outside access by the company's firewall.

    Given that you do have an IP connection to the printer, the thing to check is whether the port you are attempting to connect to on the copier is active. Reading back to your original post you obviously had connected successfully to the Ricoh previously, as you were printing in b&w or rubbish due to the PS driver. If you don't remember what you used, and if you did try using HP Jetdirect-Socket with the pxlmono driver, then I suggest you create another print queue, this time using LPD for the protocol. The Ricoh probably doesn't require a queue name but sometimes it does not hurt adding something like LP for the queue. And as a test you could try the Generic PCL driver again. If you manage to get that configuration working then you can create another queue using the PXL mono package so that you get colour support.

    Pahu
  • by dladders,

    dladders dladders Nov 18, 2009 1:37 PM in response to PAHU
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 18, 2009 1:37 PM in response to PAHU
    No thank you PAHU!

    To create a print queue, do I just enter 'LP' into the print queue box when I add the printer?

    Cheers!

    Dave
  • by Nort,

    Nort Nort Nov 18, 2009 2:27 PM in response to dladders
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 18, 2009 2:27 PM in response to dladders
    @dladders, don't worry about me, I'm ecstatic that you are on the path to printing. Finding the right strategy is important. Not being able to print, really -- uh [REDACTED}!
  • by PAHU,

    PAHU PAHU Nov 18, 2009 2:30 PM in response to dladders
    Level 6 (16,610 points)
    Nov 18, 2009 2:30 PM in response to dladders
    dladders wrote:
    To create a print queue, do I just enter 'LP' into the print queue box when I add the printer?

    Yes. After selecting LPD for the protocol and entering the IP address of the Ricoh (172.28.34.235), in the Queue section enter LP and then select 'Generic PCL Laser Printer' in the Print Using.

    Pahu
  • by dladders,

    dladders dladders Nov 19, 2009 2:33 AM in response to PAHU
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2009 2:33 AM in response to PAHU
    Well I've tried that PAHU and still the same message!

    Just checked my workmates network settings on her PC and they are the same as mine (except the IP address is different obviously). This is really frustrating!
  • by Matt Broughton,

    Matt Broughton Matt Broughton Nov 19, 2009 9:13 AM in response to dladders
    Level 5 (4,980 points)
    Nov 19, 2009 9:13 AM in response to dladders
    dladders wrote:
    Just checked my workmates network settings on her PC and they are the same as mine (except the IP address is different obviously).


    The IP address for your co-worker's computer would be different. I don't believe that the printer's IP address should be different.

    This is really frustrating!


    It probably won't make you feel any better, but it seldom is this difficult to get things working.

    I would suggest you try the following -- sort of a shotgun approach.
    1. Reset the printing system on your computer as described in the article http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/14001.html.
    2. Check the printer, or have your IT person check the printer, to make sure that none of the failed jobs you sent are clogging up the printer and preventing you from printing.
    3. Install the printer again (resetting the printing system will delete any printers you previously had). This time use the web interface at _http://127.0.0.1:631/admin/_. You will need to enter your short user name and password to be able to add a printer this way. Choose the AppSocket/HP JetDirect option. For the connection, enter socket://172.28.34.235:9100 Then go on to assign a printer name and choose the make and model as normal.

    Sometimes resetting the printing system resolves issues in magical ways.

    Matt

    Matt
  • by dladders,

    dladders dladders Nov 19, 2009 9:54 AM in response to Matt Broughton
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2009 9:54 AM in response to Matt Broughton
    Matt, I think we have some progress!

    I did everything you said (except check the printer que for my jobs) and I can send a job and it doesn't get rejected as before, hurrah!

    Only thing is I'm not actually get a print. You can see the job in the http://127.0.0.1:631/admin/ where you can see the jobs, but not had a print? I've checked the print list on the printer as well and it's not their either.

    Still, I think we're getting closer!
  • by dladders,

    dladders dladders Nov 19, 2009 10:01 AM in response to dladders
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2009 10:01 AM in response to dladders
    !!!RESULT!!!

    I connected our other printer, an MPC3500, using the same method and it works!!

    Brilliant, thanks guys! I owe you all a virtual pint!

    Not sure what it is with the MPC4000 but at least I can print now
  • by Nort,

    Nort Nort Nov 19, 2009 1:22 PM in response to dladders
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2009 1:22 PM in response to dladders
    http://www.apple.com/business/macatwork/#four

    Contacting Apple on the phone, may not be benefit to you. But on the other hand it may be a benefit to Apple, you and the much larger Apple community. The real issue is this, Apple can not fix a problem, that they do not know exists. The link at the top shows. it was Apple's intent to have full workplace interoperability. Where issues exist, we should make Apple aware of them and not keep them in the bowels of the discussion boards. The more we let Apple know verbally of the issues, the better the chance Apple will get there developer involved with finding a solution.
  • by Matt Broughton,

    Matt Broughton Matt Broughton Nov 19, 2009 5:09 PM in response to dladders
    Level 5 (4,980 points)
    Nov 19, 2009 5:09 PM in response to dladders
    Glad to hear that you are getting some output from the Ricoh MP C3500.

    The same type of set up should be working for the MP C4000. I don't have a good answer why it will not work with the MP C4000. I do think you should investigate whether there is anything stuck in the queue on that printer. Is it possible the the MP C4000 requires a User Code to print?

    Matt
  • by PAHU,

    PAHU PAHU Nov 19, 2009 5:39 PM in response to Matt Broughton
    Level 6 (16,610 points)
    Nov 19, 2009 5:39 PM in response to Matt Broughton
    Hi Dave,

    I'm also not sure why the 4000 is not printing. But the codes idea from Matt is a good thought.

    Any chance you could post the configuration you used to get the 3500 printing...

    Pahu
  • by dladders,

    dladders dladders Nov 20, 2009 3:23 AM in response to Nort
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 20, 2009 3:23 AM in response to Nort
    Nort, I see what your saying, but really this wasn't a problem with Apple, or with the Mac. The problem was probably down to the printer, driver or network, hence why I didn't contact them in the first instance.
  • by dladders,

    dladders dladders Nov 20, 2009 3:27 AM in response to Matt Broughton
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 20, 2009 3:27 AM in response to Matt Broughton
    Matt, I added the MPC3500 in the same way as the MPC4000. For some reason that just worked straight away.

    Today I tried adding the MPC4000 using the systems preferences panel and it works now!

    I'm wondering if it was the re-setting of the printers that did it in the end, although I obviously need the correct drivers with the Printer not supporting PS.

    Just like to say a big thank you to you guys for having the patience to help sort this out. I've also learnt a lot in the process as well
  • by Matt Broughton,

    Matt Broughton Matt Broughton Nov 20, 2009 5:49 AM in response to dladders
    Level 5 (4,980 points)
    Nov 20, 2009 5:49 AM in response to dladders
    I am very pleased to hear that you are able to use both printers now. Resetting the printing system can sometimes have magical curing powers. Especially so after doing an upgrade of OS X.

    Matt
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