Printer error : lost connection after sending the main command

[Shibin_2]

Hi,

I have a strange problem from HP Unix printing. It's HP-UX 11iv3. Print queue is created as remote printer. After creating the printer, issued lpstat command, got perfect result.

root)> lpstat -ome_admm2

printer queue for me_admm2

no entries

Given a test printing. Then it's showing strange error.

(root)> lpstat -ome_admm2
me_admm2-8269 root priority 0 Apr 10 15:40 on me_admm2
motd 891 bytes

printer queue for me_admm2

hpv01: lost connection after sending the main command to me_admm2, Retrying ...

I can ping to the IP of me_admm2, but cannot do telnet.


Anybody has solution ?

[OldSchool]

so what is me_admm2?

It should be a printer queue on a remote machine...so what OS is the destination?

My first guess, given the information provided, is an issue at the destination, not on the HP side.

[Shibin_2]

me_admm2 -- is the printqueue created on Unix server.

And the destination is on printer Canon IRC c2100s.

Since it's non-hp printer, we created as remote printer and it should be. All other remote printers are working fine. This one gives the problem.

[OldSchool]

"me_admm2 -- is the printqueue created on Unix server."

ok, what I meant by destination was is it Unix or Windows...so it's unix. sorry if I wasn't clear.

"And the destination is on printer Canon IRC c2100s.

Since it's non-hp printer, we created as remote printer and it should be. All other remote printers are working fine. This one gives the problem. "

I'm pretty sure that the issue is with either the other Unix box (or the queue there), as all "remote" printing does is dispatch the job to the other server and copy the data to it. After that, everything happens on the "other" server.

so...as other remote queues work properly, do you:
a) have other of these printers configured remotely, or is this the only one of this type?
b) on the other (destination) server, can you print / cancel without issue?

[Bill Hassell]

The Canon printer is the problem, assuming that you don't a bunch of networking issues like blocked ports, router problems, or the printer is configured to reject Unix clients. The remote printer protocol is quite trivial (RFC 1179) and there is almost no useful status. Printers sometimes offer telnet, smart printers like the Canon imageRunner even have a web page built-in. I would test whether the printer works with other Unix clients. You may find that (like many, many printers) it simply wasn't designed for Unix printing.

The fix is easy -- plug the parallel port or USB cable into an HP JetDirect External adapter and you'll a comprehensive protocol that works for virtually every client.

[Shibin_2]

To OldSchool

>> so...as other remote queues work properly, do you:
a) have other of these printers configured remotely, or is this the only one of this type?

I have few remote printers and plenty of network printers. Out of which, including the above, 2 remote printers having the same issue.

>> b) on the other (destination) server, can you print / cancel without issue?

These are directly connected to network, not through any unix boxes (destination server) or other clients.

[Shibin_2]

To Bill...

I too suspects, the printer's network card may not be configured to accept the Unix requests. This is Canon's MFP. Telnet to this IP is not giving any response but normal ping is working. All other functions like, fax, scan and printing from Windows are fine.

[OldSchool]

Ok, I misunderstood your prior reponses.

So you are attemtping to use HP remote printing to go directly to the Canon's network card....
which I doubt will work.

As Bill stated an external JetDirect will work. Or, as you said that you had a Windows box that printed to the Canon, you could use that as a print server. In that case, you would point the HP queue to the printer queue on Windows. Its still remote printing, so there are limited functions, but at least you wouldn't need more hardware.

[Shibin_2]

I have not seen the configuration of this printer. I have requested on-site person to send me the configuration. By the way, Canon printers have anything for the Unix printing option ?

I have seen similar setup in HP printers ( not sure ).

[Bill Hassell]

> have not seen the configuration of this printer. I have requested on-site person to send me the configuration. By the way, Canon printers have anything for the Unix printing option ?

"Canon printers" -- that is a massively long list from cheap inkjets to printers costing more than $100,000 each. There are so many that there are 3 separate websites to show them all:

http://www.usa.canon.com/opd/controller?act=OPDCategoryIndexAct&fcategoryid=2161
http://www.usa.canon.com/opd/controller?act=OPDCategoryIndexAct&fcategoryid=2159
http://www.usa.canon.com/opd/controller?act=OPDCategoryIndexAct&fcategoryid=2469

The only answer is to look at the tech reference manual or ask Canon tech support. Some Canon printers have telnet, some have their own web server built in, some are Windows-only (forget any Unix support) and some are MFP's, the most incompatible printer from any manufacturer. A Multi-Function Printer is not a printer, it is scanner, a fax receiver and fax sender, and also a printer. That means it has all sorts of special protocols to talk back to the computer. The majority are Windows only and only work on a very few versions of Windows.

I would download the manual for the printer.

> I have seen similar setup in HP printers ( not sure ).

HP is the largest printer manufacturer in the world but just like Canon, there are plenty of incompatible printers. More than 95% of HP printers are connected to PCs and Macs, so there are many incompatible HP models too.

[Shibin_2]

Hi,

I have two same model of printer (MFP) connected into the same network and both created from Unix as remote. But one printer is printing without any problem, and another cannot. And telnet to the printer too not successful. Canon technical documents are useless.

Still the problem persists. It's wierd, coz to one printer working fine, another not.

[Bill Hassell]

> Still the problem persists. It's wierd, coz to one printer working fine, another not.

Do you have the documentation about how the working printer was added? It should be in your shell history logs or SAM logs.

Anyways, without a model number, I'll just post everything I have on Canon printers for the remote printer name:

Canon GP Series Copier/Printers
'print'

Canon imageRUNNER Printers with internal Fiery LAN Adapter same as EFI Fiery print server:
'print' or 'PRINT'

Canon imageRUNNER Printers with imagePASS-M1 Print Controller
'pt1' or possibly 'lpt1'

Canon imageRUNNER 5570
'print'

Canon imageCLASS Printers
'XJDIRECT'

Canon IR3220 Printer
'print'

Although the file is in binary format, you may be able to find the remote printer name on the system that works (BIG ASSUMPTION: the working system is also HP-UX). Use this command:

strings /var/spool/lp/pstatus