Hey everyone! I'm a computer science undergrad and I'm doing a bit of tech support on the side for some families and elderly clients. One of my clients is having ongoing issues with their printer that disconnects every few weeks. It's set up with a Wi-Fi repeater because of some distance issues between their printer and router, causing a lot of frustration.
The connection is solid most of the time, but to reconnect the printer, I have to power down both the printer and the repeater, then turn them back on in a specific sequence. I suspect it might be a DHCP issue or something related to the printer going into a deep sleep mode.
Here's what I'm really looking to find: is there a tool or software I can run on the client's computer that lets me monitor their network? My goal is to see when devices drop off the network or track any important events without having to deal with modifying their router or messing with third-party firmware. Ideally, something simple that could also be set up for other clients, like maybe a Raspberry Pi connected to the router. Any suggestions?
2 Answers
If you suspect a DHCP issue, why not try assigning a static IP to the printer? That could be a quick test to see if it resolves the disconnects. It might save you some time in the long run!
You might want to check out MeshCentral. It’s great for remote access—it allows you to forward local ports from your computer to devices on their network. You could access the printer's configuration page or even the repeater's settings potentially without needing physical access to their system.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely look into MeshCentral; that could be exactly what I need.
I haven't had a chance to visit them yet to change anything since I have limited remote access. Plus, trying to instruct a 60-year-old lawyer on router settings isn’t easy! I'm just looking for a more permanent solution since printer networking is a recurring issue for me.