This printer has given me much blog fodder!
So once this printer is finally connected to your wifi, you can install the accompanying software to initiate scans from your computer. Unfortunately, I keep my printer in the next room, and would much prefer to scan from the printer and then collect it on the computer later.
This isn't too bad for one page at a time, but if you want to scan multiple documents but not use the sheet feeder, that's a fair amount of shoe leather you would be wearing out.
The printer panel has several "Scan To" options... PC, email, and FTP.
PC appears to really only work with a USB connection. Feel free to let me know if I'm wrong on that count.
email looked promising. I own my own domain, so I created a "printer@xxxxxx.yyy" email address and then used the print server to set that up under "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" - "SMTP". The printer tested the connection and said it worked fine. I then headed down to "Machinery settings" - "Address Book" - "E-mail address book" and added my own email address to the listing there.
Back on the printer panel, I asked to to scan to email, and it it choked out with a "no connection" message. Very unhelpful.
Finally, I decided to try the FTP option. You could set up an FTP server on your own computer using FileZilla, but I already have a spare hard disc plugged in to my router and it was a simple matter to create a directory on that drive called "scans" and make it accessible even to anonymous logins.
Back on the print server, "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" - "FTP"
You can create a "New" FTP entry. The "Service name" is just a reference for yourself. "FTP server" I used 192.168.1.1 - the IP address of my router. The tricky one for me was "FTP subcatalog" - eventually I discovered that I had to enter "NAS/scans". N.B. that there is no leading slashes or trailing slashes.
"Port" is 21, and "Login name" is anonymous.
Boom! Works right away from the device panel - no more need to initiate a scan from the computer and go back and forth. I can just fill the folder on the router with scans and THEN retrieve them from the computer.
Friday 23 November 2018
Pantum M6550NW Google Cloud Print
I'm so tired of installing weird drivers and monitoring programmes for printers (HP, I'm looking FIRMLY at you and your over-the-top bloatware!). That's one reason why I love Google Cloud Print.
Unfortunately, although my printer was advertised as "cloud print ready" - it really wasn't. Logging into the print server and heading to the "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" revealed no mention at all of Google Cloud Print registration. Argh!
I took the time to back and forth with their technical support department. First they showed me where the firmware update was SUPPOSE to be located : on their home page, under "AirPrint" in the lower right corner of the page - not exactly intuitive.
Of course, this firmware wasn't the latest version. Sigh.
So then they sent me to this link:
https://we.tl/t-SdYupEMb4y
I cannot promise if this link will last forever, but if you need a copy of the firmware, feel free to hit me up in the comments and I will try to repost it in better place.
The file is rar-ed, so make sure you have a copy of 7zip or something similar to extract it first. You also DO need to do this with a USB cable (at least, I wanted to be safe). Run the batch file, not the executable, and then reboot the printer. Unfortunately, the printer loses all settings during a firmware update, so you'll have to go through all the settings again to get them how you like them. To connect to wifi, check out this blog post.
With the new firmware installed, you can get back to the server, "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" - "Google Cloud Print" and register as needed.
Unfortunately, although my printer was advertised as "cloud print ready" - it really wasn't. Logging into the print server and heading to the "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" revealed no mention at all of Google Cloud Print registration. Argh!
I took the time to back and forth with their technical support department. First they showed me where the firmware update was SUPPOSE to be located : on their home page, under "AirPrint" in the lower right corner of the page - not exactly intuitive.
Of course, this firmware wasn't the latest version. Sigh.
So then they sent me to this link:
https://we.tl/t-SdYupEMb4y
I cannot promise if this link will last forever, but if you need a copy of the firmware, feel free to hit me up in the comments and I will try to repost it in better place.
The file is rar-ed, so make sure you have a copy of 7zip or something similar to extract it first. You also DO need to do this with a USB cable (at least, I wanted to be safe). Run the batch file, not the executable, and then reboot the printer. Unfortunately, the printer loses all settings during a firmware update, so you'll have to go through all the settings again to get them how you like them. To connect to wifi, check out this blog post.
With the new firmware installed, you can get back to the server, "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" - "Google Cloud Print" and register as needed.
Pantum M6550NW Wireless Connection Issues
So I bought this printer originally for my mother in law. She was looking for something to print as well as copy documents and the price is challenging to argue with.
When it first arrived, I had loads of challenges connecting it to her home network via wifi. There were two main issues with this printer. The first was that her router seemed to be enforcing Access Point Isolation even when the box was unchecked. Three successive firmware updates solved that problem, but by then, I had already brought in an HP replacement for the Pantum and decided that I would bring this machine home where I had more time to cipher out issues - and issues it has.
Don't get me wrong, it's a decent printer for the money (at least, after owning it for about two weeks), but there's little chance a normal could get this thing running to its full potential wirelessly. I think it's good for at least three separate posts.
In this case, getting it set up for wireless printing - you do NOT need to hook up the USB cable to a computer to accomplish this. Just search for the self-generated hotspot. It usually goes by the name "Pantum-AP-xxxxxx". Connect to this bad boy, WPA password of "12345678", and then head to IP address "192.168.223.1"
Log in to the print server with username "admin" and password "000000".
From here you can hit up "Setting" - "Wireless Settings" - "Wireless Network".
Ensure that the "Basic Status of" - "Turn on" radio button is selected.
Under "Search for Hotspot", select your home network, and then under "Authentication", enter your credentials as required. (WEP/WPA and the appropriate password, or in my crazy case - No Authentication!)
Select "Apply" at the bottom of the page, and your printer should now be connected to your wifi! No USB connection required!
I wanted to have this printer always take the same IP address, as I find that can help smooth out issues further down the line. I know you can usually do that through your router, but in this case, I did it from the printer's web server in the "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" - "IPv4" settings. There seems little rhyme or reason to their use of capitalization on their screens.
When it first arrived, I had loads of challenges connecting it to her home network via wifi. There were two main issues with this printer. The first was that her router seemed to be enforcing Access Point Isolation even when the box was unchecked. Three successive firmware updates solved that problem, but by then, I had already brought in an HP replacement for the Pantum and decided that I would bring this machine home where I had more time to cipher out issues - and issues it has.
Don't get me wrong, it's a decent printer for the money (at least, after owning it for about two weeks), but there's little chance a normal could get this thing running to its full potential wirelessly. I think it's good for at least three separate posts.
In this case, getting it set up for wireless printing - you do NOT need to hook up the USB cable to a computer to accomplish this. Just search for the self-generated hotspot. It usually goes by the name "Pantum-AP-xxxxxx". Connect to this bad boy, WPA password of "12345678", and then head to IP address "192.168.223.1"
Log in to the print server with username "admin" and password "000000".
From here you can hit up "Setting" - "Wireless Settings" - "Wireless Network".
Ensure that the "Basic Status of" - "Turn on" radio button is selected.
Under "Search for Hotspot", select your home network, and then under "Authentication", enter your credentials as required. (WEP/WPA and the appropriate password, or in my crazy case - No Authentication!)
Select "Apply" at the bottom of the page, and your printer should now be connected to your wifi! No USB connection required!
I wanted to have this printer always take the same IP address, as I find that can help smooth out issues further down the line. I know you can usually do that through your router, but in this case, I did it from the printer's web server in the "Network settings" - "Protocol Settings" - "IPv4" settings. There seems little rhyme or reason to their use of capitalization on their screens.
This Blog...
Hey hey,
I've been blogging almost ten years now about my general lifestyle, and the barrier to entry is so low thanks to the blogger platform, that here I am thinking that I should start a spin-off blog.
This is mostly to "pay it forward" to those who come after me and also realize that even the mighty Google doesn't yet find all the answers to obscure and strange issues (and better yet, solutions) to things I discover in my ostensible career as an IT guy.
In IT we've all been here before:
Hopefully I can post something useful or amusing once in awhile, that can help lead us through the darkness.
I've been blogging almost ten years now about my general lifestyle, and the barrier to entry is so low thanks to the blogger platform, that here I am thinking that I should start a spin-off blog.
This is mostly to "pay it forward" to those who come after me and also realize that even the mighty Google doesn't yet find all the answers to obscure and strange issues (and better yet, solutions) to things I discover in my ostensible career as an IT guy.
In IT we've all been here before:
 |
| Full credit to XKCD! |
Hopefully I can post something useful or amusing once in awhile, that can help lead us through the darkness.
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