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I'm trying to use an EPSON WF2530 printer over wifi from my laptop

Everythings fine until the printer gets turned off and on and the router assigns a new (different) IP address via DHCP.

I can run:

sudo nmap -PR -sP 192.168.1.1/24

which returns a list of MAC addresses and IP addresses on the LAN and then manually set the printer properties to the new IP address

or I can log into the WiFi router and inspect the DHCP table then do the same thing

What I'd really like to be able to do is have Ubuntu handle this automatically, e.g. it queries the MAC addresses on the LAN, finds the printer, extracts the current IP address and sets the printer properties appropriately

this would be really useful, its crazy i have to check the printers IP address every time I want to use it.

I don't want to go down the route of having a static IP table

has anyone done this, am i missing some very obvious setting in the printer dialog?

router is Cisco Linksys Dual-Band Wireless-N ADSL2+ Modem Router with Gigabit WAG320N

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  • 2
    Can you not direct your router to always give the printer the same IP using the printer's MAC address?
    – killermist
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:04
  • 1
    What router make/Model? A more detailed answer regarding the suggestion by @killermist can be provided. The manual will also explain this.
    – Dave M
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:04
  • router is Cisco Linksys Dual-Band Wireless-N ADSL2+ Modem Router with Gigabit WAG320N. if there is a way to just specify the IP of the printer I could live with that - I'm not interested in making everything on the LAN static, i.e. turning DHCP off
    – bph
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:08
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    No. What @DaveM is talking about is what is called a "persistent reservation" where based on the MAC of a device it will consistently (by way of DHCP) get the same IP address. Everything that uses DHCP would continue to function just fine.
    – killermist
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:22
  • @killermist that sounds ideal - any pointers gratefully received or feel free to tell me to rtfm ;-)
    – bph
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:26

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
3

  1. Enter router setup, typing 192.168.1.1 in browser

  2. In 'setup' tab, section: 'Network Address Server Settings (DHCP)' click 'DHCP Reservation' button

  3. Select Wifi Printer from table and click 'Add Clients'

Done

(Answer based on advice given in comments above)

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  • 1
    Glad you got it sorted out. I had a real hard time trying to find a copy of the manual for your router. Cisco seems to be making an active effort to make it hard to get those.
    – killermist
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:40
  • yeh - found the manual but no mention of DHCP reservations within it - just scoured through the router settings in the end hunting for something looking like what you and dave described
    – bph
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:42
  • Weird. I used an emulator and there was no button. Firmware update perhaps? ui.linksys.com/files/WAG320N/1.00.08/… +1 for the DIY and self answer.
    – rtf
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:46
  • Firmware Version:V1.00.12
    – bph
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:47
  • That's good because I couldn't find anything in the manual about setting a static IP on your printer either. You would've been a little stuck without another source of DHCP.
    – rtf
    Commented Mar 5, 2013 at 15:49

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