Environment
Novell iPrint for NetWare Novell NetWare 6.5 Support Pack 6
Gateway
Situation
Some Printer Agents go into a state of "LPR Communication Failed".
Resolution
Apply NDPSGW.NLM dated 27JUL2007 or later. Go to
download.novell.com and search ndpsgw.nlm to find the fix.
If you are experiencing this problem after applying this update, then try the following. Any one of these suggestions will potentially resolve the problem. These are listed in the order of most likely to succeed. If the first suggestion doesn't fix the problem, then go to the next.
1. Update Firmware:
Many customers have reported that the LPR Communication Failed status is resolved by updating the Print Server's FirmWare.
2. Clear the NIC of the error condition.
If the NetWare server was running NDPSGW.NLM from the SP6 download, then the print server's NIC may be in an error state. Shutting off the printer and turning it back on is not sufficient to clear the NIC of the error state. The printer must be powered off for at least 30 seconds for the error state to be cleared.
3. Connect to the printer's RAW port
Change the configuration of that printer agent to communicate with the physical printer over the RAW port.
a. Go to Novell Remote Manager (https://[IPorDNSofPrintServer]:8009)
b. Go to NDPS Manager Health (link on left frame)
c. Click the link for a Printer Agent in the list
d. Click the Configuration Options link
e. Modify the Gateway Autoload Command
NDPSGW PORT=RAW HOSTADDRESS=x.x.x.x
or
NDPSGW PORT=RAW HOSTNAME=[someDNSname]
f. Click Apply
g. Click Apply to the "Shutdown Printer"
h. Click Apply to the "Startup Printer"
4. Implement Strict LPR feature
If the problem persists after this configuration change, then apply the Strict LPR feature introduced in the 13FEB2007 NDPSGW.NLM.
a. Power off the *problem* printer(s).
b. Shutdown the Printer Agent(s) pointing to the *problem* printer(s).
c. Modify the Printer's Gateway Load command:
i. Go to Novell Remote Manager (https://[IPorDNSofPrintServer]:8009)
ii. Go to NDPS Manager Health (link on left frame)
iii. Click the link for a Printer Agent in the list
iv. Click the Configuration Options link
v. Modify the Gateway Autoload Command
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTADDRESS=[x.x.x.x] PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH STRICTLPR
or
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTNAME=[printerDNSname] PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH STRICTLPR
vi. Click Apply
d. Power on the *problem* printer(s). Make sure the printer was powered off for at least 30 seconds.
e. Startup the Printer Agent(s) pointing to the *problem* printer(s).
Explanation of STRICTLPR: A few printers require LPR connections to be made on a port that falls within a defined range (721-731). For those printers, use the STRICTLPR feature.
5. Implement the WaitOnPrinter feature
NDPSGW.NLM dated 27JUL2007 and later includes a feature named WaitOnPrinter. This feature is known to resolve the LPR Communication Failed issue when the Printer Agent is able to send print jobs to a printer, but fails on large jobs (either large in disk size or large number of pages). The usual pattern observed is; the job is sent, the job aborts, the job starts printing from the beginning again. This pattern is usually looped.
To implement the WaitOnPrinter feature, follow these steps:
a. Verify that the date of NDPSGW.NLM loaded in memory is 27JUL2007 or later by typing this command at the server console:
m ndpsgw
b. Identify the problematic Printer Agent and change their Gateway Autoload Command
i. Go to Novell Remote Manager (https://[IPorDNSofPrintServer]:8009)
ii. Go to NDPS Manager Health (link on left frame)
iii. Click the link for a Printer Agent in the list
iv. Click the Configuration Options link
v. Modify the Gateway Autoload Command
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTADDRESS=x.x.x.x PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH waitonprinter=20
Notes: replace x.x.x.x with the IP Address of the Printer
This waitonprinter feature will cause the Gateway to
wait up to 20 minutes before aborting and restarting
the print job. This feature is helpful when sending large
print jobs to slow or low memory printers.
vi. Click Apply
c. Restart the Printer Agent.
If problem still persists, then email patchfeedback@novell.com with the subject of "LPR Communication Failed 27JUL2007". Your detailed comments are appreciated.
6. Implement the Throttle feature.
NDPSGW.NLM that ships with SP7 (not available at the time of this writing) introduces a new feature that causes the Gateway to pause between print jobs. This feature has proven to be helpful when connecting LPR to a Windows LDP Service.
The steps to implement are similar to the steps above for the WaitOnPrinter. You can specify the number of seconds to pause between jobs. For example, the following creates a 2 second pause:
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTADDRESS=[x.x.x.x] PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH THROTTLE=2
NOTE: Feedback from this latest NDPSGW.NLM has been very positive regarding resolving this LPR Communication Failed issue. However, because Novell cannot duplicate every scenario that can result in this problem, we rely on your feedback.
Keep in mind that LPR Communication Failed may be a legitimate status reported by the Gateway. For example, if a printer cannot be ping'ed, then it cannot receive an LPR or RAW TCP connection. This is a legitimate LPR Communication Failed status. There are others as well.
If you are experiencing this problem after applying this update, then try the following. Any one of these suggestions will potentially resolve the problem. These are listed in the order of most likely to succeed. If the first suggestion doesn't fix the problem, then go to the next.
1. Update Firmware:
Many customers have reported that the LPR Communication Failed status is resolved by updating the Print Server's FirmWare.
2. Clear the NIC of the error condition.
If the NetWare server was running NDPSGW.NLM from the SP6 download, then the print server's NIC may be in an error state. Shutting off the printer and turning it back on is not sufficient to clear the NIC of the error state. The printer must be powered off for at least 30 seconds for the error state to be cleared.
3. Connect to the printer's RAW port
Change the configuration of that printer agent to communicate with the physical printer over the RAW port.
a. Go to Novell Remote Manager (https://[IPorDNSofPrintServer]:8009)
b. Go to NDPS Manager Health (link on left frame)
c. Click the link for a Printer Agent in the list
d. Click the Configuration Options link
e. Modify the Gateway Autoload Command
NDPSGW PORT=RAW HOSTADDRESS=x.x.x.x
or
NDPSGW PORT=RAW HOSTNAME=[someDNSname]
f. Click Apply
g. Click Apply to the "Shutdown Printer"
h. Click Apply to the "Startup Printer"
4. Implement Strict LPR feature
If the problem persists after this configuration change, then apply the Strict LPR feature introduced in the 13FEB2007 NDPSGW.NLM.
a. Power off the *problem* printer(s).
b. Shutdown the Printer Agent(s) pointing to the *problem* printer(s).
c. Modify the Printer's Gateway Load command:
i. Go to Novell Remote Manager (https://[IPorDNSofPrintServer]:8009)
ii. Go to NDPS Manager Health (link on left frame)
iii. Click the link for a Printer Agent in the list
iv. Click the Configuration Options link
v. Modify the Gateway Autoload Command
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTADDRESS=[x.x.x.x] PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH STRICTLPR
or
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTNAME=[printerDNSname] PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH STRICTLPR
vi. Click Apply
d. Power on the *problem* printer(s). Make sure the printer was powered off for at least 30 seconds.
e. Startup the Printer Agent(s) pointing to the *problem* printer(s).
Explanation of STRICTLPR: A few printers require LPR connections to be made on a port that falls within a defined range (721-731). For those printers, use the STRICTLPR feature.
5. Implement the WaitOnPrinter feature
NDPSGW.NLM dated 27JUL2007 and later includes a feature named WaitOnPrinter. This feature is known to resolve the LPR Communication Failed issue when the Printer Agent is able to send print jobs to a printer, but fails on large jobs (either large in disk size or large number of pages). The usual pattern observed is; the job is sent, the job aborts, the job starts printing from the beginning again. This pattern is usually looped.
To implement the WaitOnPrinter feature, follow these steps:
a. Verify that the date of NDPSGW.NLM loaded in memory is 27JUL2007 or later by typing this command at the server console:
m ndpsgw
b. Identify the problematic Printer Agent and change their Gateway Autoload Command
i. Go to Novell Remote Manager (https://[IPorDNSofPrintServer]:8009)
ii. Go to NDPS Manager Health (link on left frame)
iii. Click the link for a Printer Agent in the list
iv. Click the Configuration Options link
v. Modify the Gateway Autoload Command
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTADDRESS=x.x.x.x PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH waitonprinter=20
Notes: replace x.x.x.x with the IP Address of the Printer
This waitonprinter feature will cause the Gateway to
wait up to 20 minutes before aborting and restarting
the print job. This feature is helpful when sending large
print jobs to slow or low memory printers.
vi. Click Apply
c. Restart the Printer Agent.
If problem still persists, then email patchfeedback@novell.com with the subject of "LPR Communication Failed 27JUL2007". Your detailed comments are appreciated.
6. Implement the Throttle feature.
NDPSGW.NLM that ships with SP7 (not available at the time of this writing) introduces a new feature that causes the Gateway to pause between print jobs. This feature has proven to be helpful when connecting LPR to a Windows LDP Service.
The steps to implement are similar to the steps above for the WaitOnPrinter. You can specify the number of seconds to pause between jobs. For example, the following creates a 2 second pause:
NDPSGW PORT=LPR HOSTADDRESS=[x.x.x.x] PRINTERNAME=PASSTHROUGH THROTTLE=2
NOTE: Feedback from this latest NDPSGW.NLM has been very positive regarding resolving this LPR Communication Failed issue. However, because Novell cannot duplicate every scenario that can result in this problem, we rely on your feedback.
Keep in mind that LPR Communication Failed may be a legitimate status reported by the Gateway. For example, if a printer cannot be ping'ed, then it cannot receive an LPR or RAW TCP connection. This is a legitimate LPR Communication Failed status. There are others as well.
Additional Information
Troubleshooting:
If the LPR Communication Failed error continues, then test to see if the printer is able to create a connection by performing the following test:
a. Open DOS box
b. Type the following
telnet 10.0.0.2 515
or
telnet 10.0.0.2 9100
(these examples have 10.0.0.2 as the IP Address of the printer.)
c. If the DOS Box disappears or if it shows a connection error, then it failed to connect.
If the DOS Box goes blank with a blinking white cursor, then it connected.
If the LPR Communication Failed error continues, then test to see if the printer is able to create a connection by performing the following test:
a. Open DOS box
b. Type the following
telnet 10.0.0.2 515
or
telnet 10.0.0.2 9100
(these examples have 10.0.0.2 as the IP Address of the printer.)
c. If the DOS Box disappears or if it shows a connection error, then it failed to connect.
If the DOS Box goes blank with a blinking white cursor, then it connected.