How to set up USB printer through external USB print server?

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I have a Canon MF3010 connected to my router via a IOGear GPSU21 print server. It previously worked beautifully on my Xfinity gateway, but I can't seem to get it installed on my laptop (Windows 10). I was able to install it and successfully print a test page with a direct USB connection to the router and p910nd.

I think it's under hostname 54eac09, IP address 192.168.1.244, but I'm not sure. Everything else that's connected and showing in active DHCP leases is account for. I set this device to have a static IP, also.

Here is the diagnostic info I saw requested in other topics:

root@Protonic:~# cat /etc/config/network

config interface 'loopback'
        option device 'lo'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '127.0.0.1'
        option netmask '255.0.0.0'

config globals 'globals'
        option ula_prefix 'fd4f:2606:1871::/48'

config device
        option name 'br-lan'
        option type 'bridge'
        list ports 'lan1'
        list ports 'lan2'
        list ports 'lan3'
        list ports 'lan4'

config interface 'lan'
        option device 'br-lan'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '192.168.1.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        option ip6assign '60'

config interface 'wan'
        option device 'wan'
        option proto 'dhcp'

config interface 'wan6'
        option device 'wan'
        option proto 'dhcpv6'

root@Protonic:~# cat /etc/config/dhcp

config dnsmasq
        option domainneeded '1'
        option boguspriv '1'
        option filterwin2k '0'
        option localise_queries '1'
        option rebind_protection '1'
        option rebind_localhost '1'
        option local '/lan/'
        option domain 'lan'
        option expandhosts '1'
        option nonegcache '0'
        option cachesize '1000'
        option authoritative '1'
        option readethers '1'
        option leasefile '/tmp/dhcp.leases'
        option resolvfile '/tmp/resolv.conf.d/resolv.conf.auto'
        option nonwildcard '1'
        option localservice '1'
        option ednspacket_max '1232'
        option filter_aaaa '0'
        option filter_a '0'

config dhcp 'lan'
        option interface 'lan'
        option start '100'
        option limit '150'
        option leasetime '12h'
        option dhcpv4 'server'
        option dhcpv6 'server'
        option ra 'server'
        option ra_slaac '1'
        list ra_flags 'managed-config'
        list ra_flags 'other-config'

config dhcp 'wan'
        option interface 'wan'
        option ignore '1'

config odhcpd 'odhcpd'
        option maindhcp '0'
        option leasefile '/tmp/hosts/odhcpd'
        option leasetrigger '/usr/sbin/odhcpd-update'
        option loglevel '4'

config host
        option name '54eac09'
        option ip '192.168.1.244'
        option mac 'B8:27:EB:51:7E:95'
2

It's not entirely clear to me how this is related to OpenWrt. Yes, it seems you are running an OpenWrt router, but this device is 'just another device' on your network... OpenWrt doesn't have anything to do with its operation except possibly for a DHCP reservation.

That said, are you able to ping the device?

3

Yes, ping is successful. I'm tech-savvy but not very knowledgeable about networking, so I figured I'd start here.

4

If you can ping the device, that means it is on the network at the expected IP address. There's really nothing else that OpenWrt can affect.

You may need to re-add the printer on your computer if the address changed relative to the previous setup. Or maybe reset the device and set it up fresh again. Also, if you're using Windows, be sure that the Windows firewall knows that you're on a trusted network/.

Aside from that, you should probably reach out to IO Gear's support channels.

5

Ok. One more question though: does it matter that my laptop is connected via wifi and the printer is wired in?

6

No, that shouldn't matter. But if you can plug your computer in via ethernet, you can verify that.

1 Like
7

So, it worked when plugged in the Xfinity router then you put it on a different subnet (well you had to of because the Xfinity cannot also be in 192.168.1.x) when you put an OpenWrt router after the Xfinity router?

You can ping it but it will not print.

Have you tried logging into the IOGear and using its setup page to reconfigure for the new network?

Well it was under that ip address when it was plugged into the USB port of the router but who knows what the IOGear address is.

8

That MAC is to a Raspberry Pi. Is your OpenWrt router a Pi?

9

A simple way to test that you have the right address for the IO Gear device is to start a persistent ping, and then unplug the IO gear device. If the ping stops, you know you have the right device/address. If the ping continues, the IO Gear device isn't using the address you think it is.

1 Like
10

„It“ = Canon printer or the IOgear print server?
Did the IOGear LAN to USB printserver box work before adding the OpenWRT router?

Are you now running a nested combo of OpenWRT router and Xfinity router? if so: what IP range is used on the Xfinity LAN ports? And is the IOgear print server connected to an OpenWRT router LAN port or a LAN port of the Infinity router?

Could you add some tech specs of your OpenWRT router? what is the output of ubus call system board

12

Sorry.

I got the feeling it did because the page you linked says this:

The built-in web management feature provides more convenience by allowing the user to configure, monitor and even reset the print server via a web browser.

15

Can you draw a network topology diagram? Show us how things are connected, including the computer that you are trying to print from and the io gear device.

1 Like
16

Sorry for all the deleted replies. I didn't see quoted text in them. Just need to get used to this forum format I guess.

@psherman That was a great idea. Turns out that it wasn't the print server. I'm not sure what's connected to 192.168.1.244. Would the router be connected to itself somehow?

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The computer is connect via wifi.

17

In LuCI in the front page, the status page, list every device that is connected. That should help track it down.

18

@Pico the gateway ran 10.0.0.x.

root@Protonic:~# ubus call system board
{
        "kernel": "5.15.134",
        "hostname": "Protonic",
        "system": "ARMv8 Processor rev 4",
        "model": "Linksys E8450 (UBI)",
        "board_name": "linksys,e8450-ubi",
        "rootfs_type": "squashfs",
        "release": {
                "distribution": "OpenWrt",
                "version": "23.05.0",
                "revision": "r23497-6637af95aa",
                "target": "mediatek/mt7622",
                "description": "OpenWrt 23.05.0 r23497-6637af95aa"
        }
}

@LilRedDog I may have spoken too soon. I think it was kind of plug-and-play, just installing the printer before on the gateway, but it looks like there is a web interface after all. I just need to figure out how to get to it. I think I'll just need to plug it directly into my laptop to configure it, then move it back to the network.

19

Just plug both into the Xfinity. That will be easiest.

20

It won't work. The gateway has to be in bridge mode (which turns the gateway into a cable modem only) for my other router to serve as a router, and I need that because I'll be setting up a VPN once I've got the other kinks worked out.

21

Then you will need to set the laptop to a static address in the same subnet the GLInet was previously in.

22

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23

Look up both MAC addresses and see what company they are assigned to.