UniversalTemplate/logo.png UniversalTemplate/UTS.png

Contents

Printer Troubleshooting

This document is the first stop when troubleshooting printer problems. It is intended for usage by the DTS members of a department as well as preliminary troubleshooting by UTS staff.

Definitions

  • Distributed Technology Support (DTS): Embedded information-technology staff that serve and report to a certain department.
  • Domain Name System (DNS): A network service that translates names to numbers and vice versa.
  • Firmware: Software that controls the hardware directly. It is the operating system of a device. Without this software, mice, monitors, printer, and other devices would malfunction.

  • Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN): A human-friendly way to refer to an IP address. Instead of typing 74.125.226.112 in order to go to Google's search engine, you can type www.google.com. The address www.google.com is the FQDN.

  • Internet Native Banner (INB): A Java-based application from Ellucian for managing personally-identifiable information of all faculty, staff, and students of Oakland University.
  • Internet Protocol (IP) Address: Used to refer to the address of either a computer or a device on a network, such as 10.32.20.42. It is similar to a house address, but in the context of computing.
  • Java Development Kit (JDK): Software that creates / compiles Java applications. It includes the JRE.
  • Java Runtime Environment (JRE): Software that runs the Banner applications.
  • Network Time Protocol (NTP): A time server to ensure that all computers and devices have the same time. Differences in time can cause erroneous behavior.
  • Portable Document Format (PDF): An immutable file format that maintains formatting for printing.
  • Self Service Banner (SSB): A Web-based portal from Ellucian for managing one's personally-identifiable information of faculty, staff, and students of Oakland University. It is also known as SAIL.
  • Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP): A protocol for sending e-mail. Set the SMTP server if you need e-mail to be sent from the printer.
  • Technical Support and Services (TSS): A group of UTS that handles servers and operating systems.
  • University Technology Services (UTS): A department of Oakland University that handles centralized information technology.
  • Windows Internet Name Service (WINS): Microsoft's version of DNS that only works with Microsoft software and is unique in its usage of backward slashes in place of forward slashes.

Configuration Problems

Printer installation is handled by IP address. This means that in order to install a printer on a client computer, instead of using a WINS address \\printers.oakland.edu\, we connect directly to the printer. In order to connect directly to a printer, you must know either the printer's FQDN (e.g. nameoftheprinter.printers.oakland.edu) or its IP address (e.g. 10.32.20.42). Enter http://nameoftheprinter.printers.oakland.edu/ into your Web browser. Either the Helpdesk or a DTS member ought to be able to help a client with installing a printer. Instructions for installing printers can be found at https://www.oakland.edu/helpdesk/documents/. Printers have myriad firmware, versions, attributes, and values such that it is difficult to enumerate all settings, but UTS has published a common configuration for usage.

Configuration: Networking

1. Is the printer reachable?

  • Windows test in the command prompt: ping.exe nameoftheprinter.printers.oakland.edu

  • Mac / Linux test in the terminal: ping -c 4 nameoftheprinter.printers.oakland.edu

1. If the printer is unreachable, then verify that you are on campus. Printers are not necessarily reachable off campus. 1. If on the network, power cycle the printer. Ensure that it is receiving the correct FQDN. The Helpdesk can assist with this step.

Configuration: Time

UTS provides NTP servers to ensure standard time on our devices of the network. All printers that have this option should be configured to work (GMT -5:00) and to synchronize with the two NTP servers ntp1.oakland.edu (141.210.11.3) and / or ntp2.oakland.edu (141.210.8.10). In the case of being able only to enter one FQDN, then enter ntp.oakland.edu, which points to both IP addresses. If a setting for daylight saving time exists, then enable the setting. The reason is that differences in time can cause odd behavior and, as such, should be handled during the configurational process. Please configure this either through the Web-based interface or, if possible, at the printer itself. In some cases, the Web-based interface will reject FQDNs, therefore use the IP addresses in the cases that FQDN does not work.

Configuration: Firmware

Is your firmware up to date? Each printer has firmware that runs the printer. Sometimes firmware versions have bugs that cause problems. Ensure that the firmware has been updated to the latest version that the manufacturer provides. Every printer is different, thus ask the vendor and read the manual of your specific printer on the process to accomplish this step.

Configuration: Mail

Are you unable to scan to e-mail? Inside the Web-based interface, you will likely see a field called either SMTP or outgoing mail server. That should be set to lsmtp.oakland.edu (141.210.8.11). The server lsmtp.oakland.edu accepts e-mail on port 25 unencrypted and unauthenticated. This means that neither a username nor a password needs to be applied. Occasionally, the FQDN is rejected. In such a case, you should use the IP address. It is important to limit the cumulative size of an e-mail message to 50 MiB or less because of Google's e-mail limitations.

Configuration: Unique Functionality

Can you make my printer do a specific function? TSS does not, and likely can not, add functionality to your printer. If the printer does not already support a function in the documentation, then it will not be added. The best information about what your printer can and can not do can be found in the documentation from the vendor. Please consult these resources as a first step.

Banner Printing

After verifying that none of the common configuration problems are the issues, then proceed to this section. When discussing Banner there are four meanings:

  • SSB
  • INB
  • Banner Forms
  • A local problem with your computer that is unrelated to Banner

Common cases where it is not a problem of Banner printing include:

  • Printing through client-side applications e.g. Microsoft Word or Microsoft Access
  • Copying a physical document
  • Scanning a document to send via e-mail

If the report ran successfully, then it would be displayed in a PDF viewer. Click the print button supplied by the PDF viewer and print directly to the printer. If you are unable to print the file, then this problem should be addressed by the Helpdesk.

If the report ran unsuccessfully, then it would be a problem with the report. Please contact either the Accounting Department or the vendor Ellucian.

Banner: Screen Printing

Printing with this method a function of INB.

1. It is slow but works

  1. Confirm that a supported JRE is installed. If not, then remove all JRE versions, and (re)install only a supported version.
  2. Remove extra printer configurations from computer.
  3. Have the Helpdesk check for hardware problems and viruses.

1. Does not work

  1. Check whether printing works via other methods. If not, see the Configuration Problems section.

  2. Verify that the supported JRE, and only the supported JRE, is installed. If not, remove all JREs and (re)install only the supported version.
  3. Verify the print-job settings, such attempting to print in color on a black-and-white printer, requesting an invalid paper size, etc.

Banner: Transcripts

The most common problem is entering wrong parameters when submitting the job SHRTRTC. The parameters should generally be:

  • Student ID set to the student's ID
  • Transcript type set "%" if doubt exists
  • Printer set to the queue name in Banner, e.g. regp86
  • Priority and address type set to either "101" or "101" and "200". If a student does not have a type 00 address, then 200 must be included. Including both will prioritize a 01 address over a 00 if it is present.

If the fields are indeed correct, contact <[email protected]> with details of the problem and images of your exact printing process or instructions on how to replicate the problem.

Banner: Schedules

Relevant Code: SFRSCHD If the printer is not showing up in the GJASWPT list, and it IS working for other Banner printing, then it may be a configuration error. Run a job on the target printer in sleep/wake mode (parameter 15) and confirm whether or not the printer shows up next time.

Banner: Job Submission

There are two types of printing through this method. It is through either the GJIREVO form or a Banner job.

  1. If it is not through the GJIREVO form, then contact <[email protected]>.

  2. If the file does not open in the browser, then contact <[email protected]> with details and exact instructions on how to replicate problem.

  3. If the file opens but can not be printed, then the printer may be improperly configured. See the Configuration Problems section of this document.

TSSHowTo TechnicalServiceSystem DTSInfo