4 TCP/IP environment

A TCP/IP network provides you with various protocols for using printing devices and managing various types of networked devices.

In this chapter, you will learn which management protocols are available in TCP/IP network environments, and how to print via your network print server using TCP/IP protocol.

Management protocols

Before beginning to print documents via your network printer, you need to check or configure some parameters using management protocols.

DHCP/BOOTP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a communication protocol enabling network administrators to centrally manage and to automate the assignment of IP addresses in a network. In an IP network, each device needs a unique IP address. DHCP lets a network administrator supervise and distribute IP addresses from a central point and automatically sends a new IP address when a device is plugged into a different place in the network.

Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) is UDP/IP-based protocol which allows a booting host to configure itself dynamically and without user supervision. BOOTP provides means to notify a host of its assigned IP address, the IP address of a boot server host, and other configuration information, such as the local subnet mask, the local time offset, and the addresses of default routers. Addresses of various Internet servers can also be transferred to a host using BOOTP.

DHCP is active by factory default on your network print server. After boot up, the network print server will get an IP address automatically from the DHCP server, if one exists. To set an IP address manually, see page 2.2.

Configuring DHCP/BOOTP

To enable or disable DHCP/BOOTP, use one of the following methods:

•Web Image Monitor SP 3300 Series: Select Network Settings > TCP/IP and select DHCP or BOOTP from the IP Address Assignment Method list.

4.1

TCP/IP environment

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application layer protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. It is a generic, stateless protocol which can be used for many tasks beyond its use for hypertext, such as with name servers and distributed object management systems. You are using HTTP when you connect your network printer via a web browser.

The Network Printer Card has a built-in web server, Web Image Monitor SP 3300 Series. You can configure and manage your network print server through Web Image Monitor SP 3300 Series using HTTP over TCP/IP.

SNMP

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), which is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite, is an application layer protocol that facilitates the exchange of management information between network devices. It enables network administrators to remotely monitor and configure network devices, find and solve network problems, and plan for network growth.

Network devices are monitored and controlled using four basic SNMP commands:

•read: is used by a Network Management server to monitor network devices. The server examines different variables that are maintained by the devices.

•write: is used by a Network Management server to control managed devices. The server changes the values of variables stored within the devices.

•trap: is used by network devices to asynchronously report events to a Network Management server. When certain types of events occur, a device sends a trap to the specified server.

•Traversal operations: are used by a Network Management server to determine which variables a network device supports and to sequentially gather information in variable tables, such as a routing table.

Configuring SNMP

To access your network print server using SNMP, Community Name/ Access Permission pair must be properly specified. There are two access permission: read and write.

Assign the IP addresses of trap hosts and community names (IP addresses) of network devices in Web Image Monitor SP 3300 Series; select Network Settings > SNMP.

Using SNMP

Web Image Monitor SP 3300 Series accesses, configures, and manages network devices using SNMP. You can use other MIB (Management Information Base) browser software, which allows you to access management information gathered from network devices.