10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet Print Server
FPS-5P-D
User's Manual


11. Troubleshooting

11.1 General Troubleshooting Overview

The most common problems, which cause the FPS-5P-D to perform improperly, are covered in this chapter. If a problem still exists after reading this chapter, please contact your dealer for technical support.


11.2 LED Light Indicators

The FPS-5P-D is equipped with three LED lights to assist in diagnosing problems that are the result of the network and/or the FPS-5P-D hardware itself.

Power (Red)

When this light is on, the FPS-5P-D unit is properly connected to the power adapter.

Status (Green)

When the FPS-5P-D unit is powered on, the Status LED will flash five times as part of the units Power On Self Test (POST). This indicates that the FPS-5P-D hardware is properly configured. This LED, however, may flicker whenever the data are being transmitted and printed.

Flow/Link (Solid Green)

If the network cabling is Twisted-Pair Cable, and when this light is ON, the Twisted-Pair cable connection is problem free.


11.3 Cable Related Problems

In most cases, the FPS-5P-D fails to send and receive network data due to incorrect use of the network cable and/or to connector problems. Twisted-Pair Cable is 10BaseT/100BaseT 8-wire Unshielded Twisted-Pair Cable. The pin assignments for the RJ-45 connector used for this cable must conform to the UTP cable specifications.


11.4 Power Related Problems

The FPS-5P-D requires an external AC power adapter in order for it to function. If you have a power problem, check to see whether the power cord or its connectors are damaged. More importantly, check to see that the AC power adapter included with the FPS-5P-D matches the AC voltage in your country or area. Using an incorrect AC adapter will damage your FPS-5P-D.


11.5 Print Port Related Problems

Printing data failure may be caused by a loose connection of the FPS-5P-D to the Centronics parallel port of the printer. Check to see if any of the pins on the 36-pin connector are damaged. In addition, check the cable connection. If the pins are damaged, contact your dealer for a replacement connector.


11.6 Windows 95/98/NT Troubleshooting

11.6.1 Multi-Segment LAN Environment Installation (through the Network Print Port)

If your FPS-5P-D and Windows 95/98/NT are located on two different segments, and your Windows NT server is used as the router/gateway you will need to implement the following procedures in order for your FPS-5P-D to function properly:

 

11.6.2 RIP for NWLink IPX/SPX compatible transport Installation Procedure

  1. From your Windows NT server that is used as a router, select Start from the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Select Control Panel.
  4. Double-click the Network icon.
  5. Select Services.
  6. Select Add.
  7. In the Select Network Service box, select the RIP for NWLink IPX/SPX compatible transport. Click OK.
  8. Follows the directions on the screen. Done !

11.7 Multi-Segment Frame Type 802.2 Installation

  1. From your Windows NT server that is used as a router, select Start from the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
  2. Point to Settings, and select Control Panel.
  3. Double-click the Network icon.
  4. Select Protocols.
  5. Select the NWLink IPX/SPX Compatible Transport.
  6. Select Properties.
  7. Select your (first) network interface card and select Manual Frame Type Detection.
  8. Click Add.
  9. In the Frame Type field, select Ethernet 802.2.
  10. In the Network Number field, type in an unique 8-digit hexadecimal network number. For example: 12345ABC.
  11. Select Add.
  12. Repeat the Steps 8-12 for the other Ethernet adapter.
  13. Restart the computer.
  14. Done.

11.8 Moving the FPS-5P-D to A New Segment

If the FPS-5P-D is moved from one network segment to another after the initial installation, through the Network Print Port, the FPS-5P-D must be reconfigured on the original Windows NT server or on each Windows 95/98 computer using this FPS-5P-D in order for the FPS-5P-Ds driver on each computer to re-establish a new connection.

 

11.8.1 FPS-5P-D Reconfiguration Procedure on Windows 95/98

  1. Click Start on the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
  2. Select Settings and select Printers.
  3. Select your printer which is connected to the FPS-5P-D, and right-click the printer icon. Select Properties.
  4. Click Details tab.
  5. Click Port Settings as shown in the picture below. The FPS-5P-D will be displayed on the next FPS-5P-Ds configuration screen.
  6.  

  7. Find your original FPS-5P-D according to its Port Name or other distinguished name and click this FPS-5P-D.
  8. Click OK and it returns to the printers Properties page.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Done !

11.8.2 FPS-5P-D Reconfiguration Procedure on Windows NT

  1. Click Start on the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
  2. Select Settings and select Printers.
  3. Select your printer which is connected to the FPS-5P-D, and right-click the printer icon. Select Properties.
  4. Click Ports tab.
  5. Click Configure Port. The FPS-5P-D will be shown on the next screen.
  6. Find your original FPS-5P-D according to its Port Name or other distinguished name and click this FPS-5P-D.
  7. Click OK and it returns to the printers Properties page.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Done !

11.9 Moving Your Computer to A New Segment

If you are using the FPS-5P-D through the Network Print Port on your NT or Windows 95/98 computer and your computer is going to be moved onto another segment, you have to reconfigure the FPS-5P-D on your computer to use your FPS-5P-D. However, this situation is like moving the FPS-5P-D to a new segment. Please refer to the Moving the FPS-5P-D to a new segmentsection for more detailed reconfiguration instructions.


11.10 Novell NetWare Troubleshooting

Many printing problems can be traced back to incorrect or incomplete FPS-5P-D installations. It is always wise to check the installation configurations first.

In some cases, if necessary, delete the FPS-5P-D, print queue(s) or other setting(s). Next recreate the necessary parameters or reconfigure the FPS-5P-D by running the PSAdmin.


11.11 TCP/IP Troubleshooting

When you are configuring a new FPS-5P-D on your NT/UNIX server through LPR Port printing under TCP/IP protocol, you might encounter the following problem in your initial installation steps:

" I can do the "arp" command. However, when I am going to ping or tftp the FPS-5P-D, it always shows Request timed out. I have checked the FPS-5P-Ds power and it exactly passed the POST. Besides, the network cabling is OK. As such, I can't do tftp command to get and put the FPS-5P-D's configuration file and save its IP address permanently. I can't, therefore, continue installing the FPS-5P-D."

Regarding this problem, there are three possible causes:

  1. The FPS-5P-D's Node ID you specified in the "arp" command is not correct.

If this is the case, please ensure the Node ID field in the corresponding entry of the FPS-5P-D's IP address in NT's ARP cache table is correct by typing the following command at NT's DOS prompt.

"arp -a"

If the Node ID shown on the screen doesn't match the FPS-5P-D's Node ID, please follow the instructions below to reset the entry.

  1. At NT's DOS prompt, type "arp -d <FPS-5P-D's IP address>" to delete the current entry.
  2. Type "arp -s <FPS-5P-D's IP> <FPS-5P-D's Node ID>" to specify a new ARP entry.
  3. Refer to Chapter 11 for the detailed instructions to complete the installation.

 

  1. The FPS-5P-D's IP address is duplicate or is as same as another computer's IP address on the network.
  2. If this is the case, please consult your network administrator to obtain an unused IP address for your FPS-5P-D.

  3. The FPS-5P-D is on one segment and your Windows NT server is on the other segment.

(This troubleshooting guide will also apply to a multiple-segmented network while installing the FPS-5P-D)

For example, assuming the FPS-5P-D is on Segment A, NT server is on Segment B, and there is a gateway computer between Segment A and Segment B. The network might be a complete TCP/IP network, or a hybrid of TCP/IP and IPX/SPX network.

If this is the case, you have to adopt the following steps, depending on which platform the gateway computer is.

  1. If the gateway computer is a NT/UNIX server:
  2. You have to do the same "arp" command to specify an entry on the NT/UNIX computer as a gateway in order for it to forward your subsequent "ping" or/and "tftp" commands to the FPS-5P-D.

  3. If the gateway computer is a Novell NetWare file server:
  1. Due to the presence of this NetWare file server, the IPX/SPX protocol might be used on your network. Therefore, we strongly suggest you run the PSAdmin from any client computer and select "Manual Setup" to specify the FPS-5P-D's IP address (For more detailed information about Manual Setup, please refer to Chapter 7).
  2. If the solution described above is not applicable, you have to follow the instructions below to set up the FPS-5P-D's IP address.

For the purpose of explanation, we assume the NT server is on Segment A and its IP address is 192.72.214.66 (subnet mask: 255.255.255.224), the FPS-5P-D is going to be installed on Segment B, with IP address, for example, 192.72.214.100.

  1. Find an unused IP address on Segment A for temporary use in the following steps, for example, 192.72.214.68.
  2. Connect your FPS-5P-D to Segment A as a networked node.
  3. On your NT server, type, for example, "arp -s 192.72.214.68 00-40-01-3F-02-AB". Please note, in this arp command you have to type 192.72.214.68 on purpose. Do not type this IP address as 192.72.214.100.
  4. Type "tftp 192.722.214.68 get config.txt". The configuration file will then be retrieved and transferred to your NT server.
  5. Type "edit config.txt" to modify this configuration file.
  6. In your editor, modify "BoxIPAddress" field from "0.0.0.0" to "192.72.214.100". Leave other options as default and do not change their values. When done, save this new file and quit from your editor. Please note, in this step you must specify an IP address which is valid on Segment B, such as 192.72.214.100 in this example, rather than 192.72.214.68.
  7. Type, for example, "tftp 192.72.214.68 put config.txt" to save this new configuration back to FPS-5P-D.
  8. Move the FPS-5P-D back to the Segment B. Done !

11.12 Frequently Asked Questions

Question A

While running the PSAdmin, the Disconnectedmessage is displayed under Status.

Possible explanations

Solutions

  1. Run the PSAdmin and configure the FPS-5P-D.
  2. Power on the NetWare file server or/and check the network cabling.
  3. Check to see that the configuration in PCONSOLE is correct, especially check the password.
  4. Check to see the configuration is correct and matches the configuration in PCONSOLE, especially check the password.

Question B

Print jobs are sent to the print queue successfully, but fail to be sent to the printer.

Possible explanations

Solutions

  1. Check all the information in PCONSOLE.
  2. Check all the information of the FPS-5P-D by running PSAdmin.
  3. Check to see that if the network cabling and power adapter are properly connected.
  4. Recheck the FPS-5P-D connection by running the PSAdmin. It should read Connected.

 

Question C

Print jobs start printing, but print very slowly or print unknown characters.

Possible explanation and solution

A printer driver is missing or is incompatible with that printer. Using a print driver that is not specific for the printer can cause printing errors. Install the proper printer driver. If these printer drivers are not available to you, please contact your printer manufacturer.

 

Question D

The upgrading process indication bar stops and does not seem to proceed again while upgrading the FPS-5P-D.

Possible Explanation

There might be a network problem. This causes the upgrading procedure to fail.

Solutions

  1. Check the network cabling, especially from the workstation running the PSAdmin to the FPS-5P-D unit.
  2. Run the PSAdmin and upgrade the FPS-5P-D again.

Question E

The Status LED light keeps blinking after POST.

 

Possible explanation and solution

The last upgrade process was not completed. The FPS-5P-D must be upgraded again by using the PSAdmin. Please see Chapter 10 for details.

 

Question F

The PSAdmin reports Create Print Server Error, Create Printer Error, or Create Print Queue Errorwhile using Auto Setup.

Possible Explanation

The print server name, the printer name, or the print queue name you specified in the Auto Setup dialogue box contains a space.

Solution

Check to see if there is a space in the print server name, the printer name, or the queue name. Type in a new name without a space between two characters or replace a space by a dash (-) or an underscore (_).

Question G

The PSAdmin reports Print Server Already Exists, Printer Already Exists, or Print Queue Already Existsafter specifying the print server name, or the print queue name in Auto Setup.

Possible Explanation

A same print server name or queue names exists in the specific NetWare file server as the one you specified in the Auto Setup dialogue box.

Solution

Specify a new print server name or queue name in the Auto Setup.


11.13 Additional Installation Instructions

11.13.1  EPSON Stylus Color series (inkjet printers)

When using the FPS-5P-D with an EPSON Stylus Color series printer under Windows 95/98 system through the Network Print Port, you might encounter the problem as follows.

"I connected a FPS-5P-D to my EPSON Stylus Color printer and followed every steps in the Chapter 4. No any problem happens during the installation. Besides, I have completely installed the printer driver specific to my EPSON Stylus Color printer. When I printed the test page, there was nothing come out from my printer. Printing from any application had the same result. However, when I changed the EPSON Stylus Color printer to a HP LaserJet printer or a dot-matrix printer, there was no any problem happened. This situation confused me ! What should I do ? "

Explanation:

When installing the printer driver of any EPSON Stylus Color series printer, an EPSON proprietary Spool Manager will also be installed into your Windows 95/98 computer. When you print jobs to this printer, this Spool Manager will be automatically launched and intercept the standard Windows 95/98 printing control flow. As a result, this Spool Manager overrides the FPS-5P-D's underlying printing control component, which is implemented as a standard Windows Print Monitor, and prevents the print jobs from being serviced by the FPS-5P-D on the network. Therefore, this is a special problem caused by vendor's proprietary printer software.

 

Solution:

According to our intensive test, this problem happens only while printing to an EPSON Stylus Color series printer through the Network Print Port under Windows 95/98 systems. File server based printing, namely printing through NetWare or NT (from Windows 95/98 computers) causes no such a problem.

If it is the case, please follow the instructions below to solve this problem.

Procedures:

  1. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4 to complete the installation. Dont change the default Port Namewhen using with an EPSON Stylus Color printer.
  2. Select and run Spool Managerfrom the EPSON program group and double-click your EPSON Stylus Color printer.
  3.  

  4. Check the Use Printer Manager for This Portoption, as shown in the following picture, and click OK.
  5.  

  6. Done !

 

11.13.2  Panasonic KX-P6100/6300/6500

If you are using a Panasonic KX-P6100/6300/6500 laser printer with the FPS-5P-D through the Network Print Port under Windows 95/98, please redirect the printer named Panasonic KX-P6100 PCLor Panasonic KX-P6300 PCL, or Panasonic KX-P6500 PCLto the FPS-5P-D through the Network Print Port.

DO NOT redirect the printer named Panasonic KX-P6100 GDI, Panasonic KX-P6300 GDI, or Panasonic KX-P6500 GDIto the FPS-5P-D.

 

[Top of this Chapter] Upgrading FPS-5P-D Table of content Appendix



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