How to set the IP address for a Ricoh Aficio MP 4001/5001 copier

To print to and scan from a multifunction copier on a TCP/IP network, the copier will need an IP address.  Some networks will use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to assign the IP address to the copier, but if you want the copier to keep its IP address permanently, you can manually assign it an address yourself.  This assignment can be done from a computer, using Ricoh's Web Image Monitor, or it can be done directly from the copier itself.

The instructions below explain how to assign an IPv4 address directly from the copier's operation panel.

🛈 These instructions also apply to other similar Aficio models, such as the MP 3500, MP 4500, MP 4000, and MP 5000, as well as some color-capable machines like the MP C3500, MP C4500, MP C4000, and MP C5000.

🛈 The copier's default gateway can be set in the same manner as the IP address; just select IPv4 Gateway Address from the Interface Settings tab instead of Machine IPv4 Address.

🛈 If the copier has a paper jam or is out of toner, you may not be able to access any settings until the condition has been fixed.

⚠ Before assigning an IP address to the copier, ensure that the specific address is not in use by another device, otherwise a connection conflict will occur.

1. Go into the System Settings menu

With the copier on and ready, press the User Tools/Counter button in the upper left corner of the operation panel.  When the User Tools menu appears, tap System Settings.

2. Go to the IP address settings

On the System Settings screen there will be a row of tabs toward the top of the screen.  Tap the tab labeled Interface Settings.  Then tap Machine IPv4 Address.

3. Disable DHCP

To manually enter an IP address, DHCP will have to be turned off.  There are two buttons toward the top of the screen -- Auto-Obtain (DHCP) and Specify.  If Specify is the highlighted button, then DHCP is already off.  If Specify is not highlighted, tap it to highlight it.

4. Enter the IP address

Below the DHCP settings, there is a line that says "Machine IPv4 Address" followed by a series of numbers.  Tap Change to the right of the numbers, then type in the IP address that you want to use.  After every three digits that you type, the cursor will automatically move to the next octet (set of three numbers) in the address.  If you type just one digit for an octet (such as "1" instead of "001") then you'll need to manually advance to the next octet by tapping the right arrow button on the screen.

Once you've entered the IP address, tap the onscreen pound (#) button or press the pound button on the keypad.

5. Enter the subnet mask

Enter the subnet mask the same way you entered the IP address: tap Change after Subnet Mask, enter the address, then press the pound button.  If you don't know what subnet mask to use, contact your network administrator.

6. Save the new IP address

Once you've entered both the IP address and subnet mask, tap OK in the upper right corner to save the information.  If you exit out of this screen without pressing OK, the new settings will not be saved.

7. Exit out of User Tools

Press the Exit button in the upper right corner of the screen to exit the System Settings menu, then press it again to exit User Tools.  After a few moments the new IP address should take effect; you can verify this by pinging the copier from a computer, or by trying to print to it.  If the new IP address does not take effect, turn the copier completely off and then turn it back on again.  (To turn it off, press the power button on the right side of the operation panel, wait for the screen to go dark and the green light to stop flashing, and then flip the orange power switch on the lower left side of the front of the copier.)

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2011)

How to change the paper size on a Ricoh Aficio 3035 / 3045

Many of the older lower-volume Ricoh copiers use the same basic system for setting the paper size in a paper tray.  There is a dial located either in the front or the back of the tray, and depending on where you set the dial, the system looks for that size paper.  If the dial is set wrong, the copier will jam.

On a Ricoh Aficio 3035 or 3045, the paper dial is located in the back left section of the paper tray.  If you have four paper trays on your copier, each tray will have its own dial.  (Other Ricoh Aficio models that are set up the same way include the 350, 450, 1035, 1045, 2035, and 2045.)  The paper dial is just a green plastic wheel with several common paper sizes and orientations, and it must be set correctly depending on what size paper you have loaded in the tray.  The paper size that shows through the little cut out in the back of the tray is the size that is currently selected.

If you are using a special size paper that isn't shown on the dial, set the dial to the asterisk (*) to signify a non-standard paper size, and you can specify the exact page size in the copier's user settings.  To get to the paper size settings, press the User Tools/Counter button on the operation panel, then on the touch screen select System Settings.  Go to the Tray Paper Settings Tab.  There will be a button labeled Tray Paper Size: Tray 1, as well as additional buttons for each paper tray that the machine has.  Touch the button for the tray you are using, and choose the paper size from the list that appears.  (You can scroll down to see more sizes.)

If the size you are looking for is not represented, press the Custom button, and you can input the paper dimensions manually.  Use the number pad to enter the width and length in inches, and press OK to save your selection.

Any time you change the paper size or orientation (for example, if you change from 8.5" x 11" portrait to 8.5" x 11" landscape) you have to change the dial as well, to let the copier know what dimensions to look for when it feeds the paper through.  If you try to run copies with the wrong paper size selected, the machine will detect timing errors and show a paper jam.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, July 2010)

(Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay)

Tips for loading toner in a Ricoh MP 2550 or MP 3350 copier

Ricoh manufactures a broad range of multifunction office machines.  The MP 2550 and MP 3350 are essentially the same copier, just with different processing speeds.  (25 copies per minute and 33 copies per minute, respectively.)  Both are good low-volume copiers for a home business or a small office.  Like their predecessors, replacing any of the consumables (toner, photoconductor, staples, or paper) is a simple task.

Loading toner is something you will have to do quite a few times over the life of the machine, but once you've done it the first time it's a piece of cake.  The new toner should come with installation instructions, but this article will walk you through installing new toner in your MP 2550 or MP 3350 copier.

The first thing you should always do is make sure you have the right toner.  Depending on where you ordered your toner from, you might have been shipped toner for a different copier by mistake, and they are not compatible.  The correct toner for both the MP 2550 and MP 3350 is type 2120D -- this number should be printed on the toner bottle.

Each toner bottle comes with a large black screw-off cap.  This outer cap gets removed; the inner cap (much smaller and gray) stays on.  Removing the inner cap before installing the toner can cause a huge mess and wreak havoc on your machine.

To remove the old toner bottle, open the copier's front door (the main cover in the front of the machine with the Ricoh label on it).  Lift up -- gently -- on the green toner handle, and then push down on the green lever to the left-hand side of the toner unit.  The toner hopper (the tray that the toner bottle rests on) should pop out.

Remove the old bottle, and be sure that the inner cap (the gray one) is still attached.  Occasionally this cap can come loose and remain in the toner hopper, causing problems when the new toner bottle is installed.

If you haven't already, remove the black screw-off cap from the new toner bottle.  Set the bottle on the toner tray with the top of the bottle facing toward you (away from the machine).  Slowly push the toner hopper all the way in, until the green lever on the left side snaps into place.  Gently push down on the toner handle until it, too, locks in place.

Once you close the front door, the machine will cycle the toner.  If there was previously a low toner or no toner message displayed on the screen, the copier will now load the new toner, which may take a couple of minutes.  Once the toner has been loaded, your copier is ready to use again.

These tips also apply to older copiers in the same family -- the Ricoh Aficio 1022, 1027, 2022, 2027, 2510, 3010, 3025, and 3030.  All of these copiers use the same toner (type 2120D) and it is installed in exactly the same way.  Each toner bottle is rated to last about 11,000 copies, but of course this depends on what you are copying -- how much text or image fill appears on each page, what size paper you are using, etc.

If you are having trouble installing the toner bottle, call your local service provider to see if they can walk you through the installation over the phone.  You can also visit Ricoh's Support and Downloads web page to download the product manual for your MP 2550 or MP 3350, if you don't already have it.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, 2010)

(Disclaimer: I earn a commission on Amazon sales made from links in this post.)

How to change the output trays for a Ricoh Aficio MP 5500 copier

A typical Ricoh Aficio MP 5500 copier (as well as the other copiers in the series -- the MP 6500 and MP 7500) has two options for paper output -- the finisher upper tray and the finisher shift tray.  Some MP 5500s are purchased without finishers; for these machines the only option for paper output is the plastic copy tray that hangs off the left side of the copier.

For stapled, sorted, or stacked jobs, the paper must exit out of the finisher shift tray, because of the paper path.  However, for other copy jobs -- and for jobs printed from a computer or from the document server -- the user can specify which tray they want the paper to be sent to.

When the MP 5500 is first set up, the output trays are not designated, and all output (except for stapled or collated jobs) defaults to the finisher upper tray (if a finisher is installed).  If you had previously designated output trays and then for some reason you disconnected the finisher and turned the copier on, the output tray selections would be erased, and you would have to re-enter them.

The output trays can be set up or changed through the copier's configuration settings.  To get to the output tray selections, press the User Tools/Counter button (to the left of the display) and then on the touch screen select System Settings.  The first tab is "General Features" (it should be the active one) and on the right side of the screen you should see options labeled "Output: Copier" and "Output: Document Server."  (If you have the print function installed, you'll also see an option for "Output: Printer.")

Pressing any of these choices will bring up the tray selection for that function.  If your copier doesn't have a finisher, "Copy Tray" will be the only option you can choose.  If the copier does have a finisher, you'll see options for "Finisher Upper Tray" and "Finisher Shift Tray," and "Copy Tray" will be grayed out.

To make a selection for one or more of the functions, choose that function, press the appropriate choice for the output tray that you want to use, and then press OK.  You can have all of the functions output to the same tray, or you can set the trays up any way you want.

You can use the same process to change output trays on other similar families of Ricoh copiers -- the 2051/2060/2075 series and the MP 6000/7000/8000 series, among others.  You can change the output trays any time you want, except when the copier is in the middle of a job; it won't let you into the System Settings screen while it's running.  Some error codes will also prevent you from accessing System Settings.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, 2010)

(Image by Crea Park from Pixabay)

How to change the hole punch mode on a Ricoh Aficio 2075 copier

The Ricoh Aficio 2075 copier, when used with a finisher that has a punch unit installed, can make hole punched copies with either two or three holes.  To choose the hole punch option (assuming the punch unit has already been installed) just click the Punch icon on the lower right corner of the Copy screen before making your copies.

However, even though the punch unit is capable of punching either two or three holes, it is not always set up to do both.  Some users may not even be aware that it has that ability.  You can change the punch mode from three holes to two holes, or vice versa, or enable both modes, from within the copier's User Tools.  (This article also applies to the Ricoh Aficio 2051 and Aficio 2060 copiers.)

To change the punch mode, click the User Tools button on the operation panel.  On the menu that appears on the touch screen, select Copier/Document Server Features.  Go to the Input/Output tab, and scroll down to the next page (page 2 of 2).  Touch the button on the left side of the screen labeled Select Punch Type.

You'll see two different buttons appear -- one for two-hole punch and one for three-hole punch.  You can select either one of these, or both of them; the option or options that are highlighted will be enabled.  You can also de-select both options if you don't want the hole punch option to appear on the main Copy screen.

Once you've made your selection and pressed OK, exit out of the User Tools menu and go back to the Copy screen to verify that the changes were saved.  If you've only enabled one of the two hole punch modes, the mode that you selected -- either two- or three-hole punch -- should appear under the Punch section of the screen.  If you selected both modes, only one will show up on the main screen, but when you touch the Punch button, both options will pop up and you can choose the one you want.

Note that not all paper types and orientations will work with both hole punch modes.  For example, you can't use three-hole punch mode when copying onto legal-sized (8.5" x 14") paper, because there is not enough room on the paper for all three holes.  If the paper size you're using and the punch mode you've chosen are incompatible, a message will flash across the screen and you'll have to make another selection.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, 2010)

(Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay)

How to change the paper type on a Ricoh Aficio MP 3500

People use all sorts of paper in their photocopiers, from super-thin, almost see-through paper to heavy-duty cardstock and transparency sheets.  Unfortunately, when you load a new kind of paper in the copier's paper tray or paper bank, it doesn't automatically know how thick, how rigid, or how smooth that paper is.  When you use anything other than ordinary copy paper or multipurpose paper, you should make sure to set the paper type in the copier's settings, for maximum performance and operation.

To set the paper type on a Ricoh Aficio MP 3500 or MP 4500 multifunction device, press the User Tools/Counter button on the copier's operation panel.  Then, on the touch screen, select System Settings.  A row of tabs will appear; choose the one labeled Tray Paper Settings.

The page of options that you'll see now is for changing paper sizes -- you can disregard these settings unless you have specially-sized paper in one of the trays and you've set the paper dial to the asterisk (*).  Touch the button in the lower right corner to scroll down to the next page.

Here you will see your paper type settings for your two standard paper trays and your bypass tray, as well as any additional paper trays or large capacity trays you may have installed.  Select the tray you want to change.

The screen that appears gives you all the paper types you can choose from, from plain paper (no display) to cardstock, bond, or recycled paper.  These choices will show up on the main Copy screen, so you can see what kind of paper is loaded in each tray, but they can also help the copier run better if it knows what it's looking for.  Using darkly-colored paper, for example, may result in jams if the copier thinks it's looking for white paper to pass through and it doesn't see it.

If the paper you are using is very thick and doesn't bend easily, you may want to disable duplex copying from that tray, so that no one uses it by accident.  Trying to run double-sided copies on very thick paper often doesn't work because the paper can't make the turns necessary to go through the duplex unit.

Once you've made your selections, press the OK button to save the changes.  When you exit out to the main Copy screen, the tray you changed should display the paper type below the paper size.

If you are using the copier as a printer too, you'll have to make the same paper type selections in the printer driver, otherwise you'll get a paper mismatch error every time you try to print from that tray.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, 2010)

(Image by Oliver Kugland from Pixabay)

How to find the MAC address of a Ricoh Image Scanner IS200e

On network-connected printers and copiers, you can typically print out a configuration page which shows useful network information -- IP address, effective protocols, MAC address, etc.  But dedicated scanners don't have that option.

On a Ricoh IS200e scanner, you'll have to navigate the menus to view network information on-screen.  Follow the steps below to find the MAC address of an IS200e.

• Press the User Tools button on the operation panel.
• Press 1 to select "System Settings."
• Scroll down through the menu using the button below the on-screen down arrow until you get to "9. MAC Address."
• Press the button below the "Settings" option.
• The MAC address will be displayed.
• Press the User Tools button again to exit out of the menu.

🛈 The System Settings menu can also be used to display other network configuration settings, including the scanner's IP address.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2012)

How to enable DHCP on a Ricoh CL4000DN printer

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a way for devices to automatically obtain IP addresses when they log on to a network.  A network-connected device -- such as a printer -- that uses DHCP need only to be turned on, and it will request and receive an IP address from the network's DHCP server.  DHCP eliminates the need to manually assign an IP address to each device.

DHCP can be enabled on a Ricoh Aficio CL4000DN printer one of two ways: either by logging in to the Web Image Monitor from a connected computer, or by using the printer's operation panel.  To enable DHCP right from the printer, follow the steps below.  (These instructions will also apply to similar printer models, such as the C400DN, C410DN, and C411DN, although some of the configuration settings may use different wording.)

• On the printer's operation panel, press the Menu button (directly beneath the display screen).
• Using the down arrow button, scroll down to Host Interface, then press the #Enter button to select it.
• Scroll down to Network Setup (called Network on some models) and press #Enter.
• The first option will be DHCP; press #Enter to select it.
• Scroll down to On and press #Enter.
• DHCP is now enabled.  Turn the printer off and back on (the power switch is on the lower left side of the front of the printer, next to the paper tray) to allow the printer to begin using DHCP.

Things to note:

- If you've assigned an IP address to the printer already, enabling DHCP will override that assigned address.

- If you need the printer to have a permanent (static) IP address, make sure DHCP is disabled, and then manually assign the printer an open IP address.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2011)

How to enable energy saver mode on a Ricoh CL4000DN printer

Most modern copiers and printers have some sort of sleep mode or low-power mode that they will switch to after sitting idle for a specified period of time.  On the Ricoh Aficio CL4000DN printer, this low-power mode is called energy saver mode.  When the printer is in energy saver mode, it draws less power to help save on electricity costs (as well as to prolong the life of the printer) but it can quickly resume normal operation when needed, without a long warm-up time.

To enable energy saver mode on a Ricoh CL4000 printer:

• Press the Menu button on the printer's control panel to bring up the main menu.
• Using the arrow buttons, scroll down to System and press the #Enter button to select it.
• Scroll down to Energy Saver, then press #Enter.
• The first option will be E. Saver On/Off; press #Enter to select it.
• "*Off" will appear; scroll down to On and press #Enter.

To set the energy saver timer:

• After a second or two, the screen will return to the Energy Saver menu.  Scroll down to E. Saver Timer and press #Enter to select it.
• Using the arrow buttons, select the amount of time you want the printer to wait before entering energy saver mode.
• The available options are 5, 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes.
• When the setting you want is highlighted, press #Enter to select it.

Press the Escape button three times to exit out of the menu and return to the ready screen. Energy saver mode is now enabled, and will kick in after the specified amount of time. If the printer is in energy saver mode when you send a print job to it, it will "wake up" to print your job.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2011)

How to fix the DHCP connection error on a Ricoh copier

These days, office copy machines are more often used as multifunction printers (MFPs) than stand-alone copiers.  However, if your copier is not connected to a network, it may flash this DHCP error in the lower left corner of the display screen:

Cannot connect with DHCP server. (101)

Contact the administrator.

Although that message doesn't necessarily indicate that something is "wrong" with the copier, you can easily clear it by following the steps below.  This guide was written for modern Ricoh MP series copiers; for older Ricoh copiers without a color touch screen, the basic fix is the same but some of the tabs and buttons may be labeled differently.

Please note: If the copier is connected to your local network, contact your network administrator before changing any network settings.

• Press the User Tools button on the copier's operation panel (typically located to the upper left of the display screen).
• On the touch screen, tap System Settings (in the upper left corner of the screen).
• The System Settings section is broken into tabs; tap the Interface Settings tab.  (On older copiers, this tab may be called Host Interface.)
• Tap Machine IPv4 Address.
• There are two options here: Auto-Obtain (DHCP) and Specify.  (The first option should be the active one.)  Tap Specify to turn off DHCP, so the copier won't try to obtain an IP address.
• It doesn't matter what IP address you specify, since the copier isn't connected to a network.
• Tap OK to save the change.
• Press the User Tools button again to exit out of the menu.

The DHCP error message should disappear within a few moments.  If it doesn't, turn the copier off and then back on and it will go away.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2011)

How to adjust color registration on a Ricoh MP series color copier

The Ricoh MP series color copiers (such as the MP C3300, MP C4500, or MP C2550) all put out good-quality color copies and prints.  However, since the copiers use a different drum for each color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) the different colors can get out of alignment with each other occasionally.  If you notice that some of the colors don't line up correctly when printing a color image, you can usually fix this problem easily by running the color registration adjustment.

1. Go into User Tools

Press the User Tools button on the copier's operation panel (typically located to the upper left of the display screen).

2. Go to Maintenance

From the choices that appear, select Maintenance by pressing it on the touch screen.

3. Choose Color Registration

You'll see two options on the Maintenance menu.  Choose the second one, Color Registration.

4. Confirm your choice

A message will appear asking you to confirm that you want to adjust the color registration.  Press OK.

5. Wait

The color registration adjustment takes a little while to complete.  Once it has finished, you'll be returned to the Maintenance menu.

6. Exit out of the menu

Press the User Tools button to exit out of the menu.

7. Verify that the alignment is fixed

Make a color copy to confirm that the color alignment has been corrected.  If the colors still aren't lined up, or if the color registration adjustment fails, contact your service technician.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2011)

Where to find the product code sticker on a Ricoh copier or printer

When Ricoh introduces a new copier or printer, it gives the machine two separate identifiers: a product name (such as Aficio 2035e) and a product code (like B135).  The product name is what most people know the machine by, and is typically all you'd ever need.  However, in some instances -- such as when contacting Ricoh directly for either parts or support -- it can be helpful to know the product code.  The product code will almost always be four characters long -- one letter followed by three numbers.

Just about every Ricoh copier and printer has a silver or gray sticker somewhere on it that lists the product name, product code, and that machine's serial number (along with other information).  The sticker can come in handy, for example if the label with the machine's name has come off the front and you don't know what kind of copier or printer it is, or if you need to get the serial number and the machine won't turn on.  It is also an easy way to find out the machine's product code (though you can also usually look that up online if you know the product name).

The product code stickers appear in different places on different copiers, and they can sometimes be difficult to find.  Here are the locations of the product stickers for many Ricoh models:

• On many of the high-volume copiers, such as the Aficio MP9000/1100/1350 series or the Pro 906EX/1106EX/1356EX series, the sticker can be found by opening the right front door.  It will be on the plastic frame cover facing out.

• On the Ricoh Aficio MP4000 and MP5000 copiers, as well as on the newer MP4001 and MP5001, the product sticker can be found on the rear of the machine, in the bottom left corner of the rear cover (close to the finisher, if there is one installed).

• On the 55 to 80 copy-per-minute machines such as the Aficio MP6000/7000/8000 series or MP6001/7001/8001 series, as well as their color counterparts like the MP C6501 and MP C7501, the product sticker is hidden by the bypass tray on the right side of the copier.  You have to pull open the bypass tray to see the sticker, which faces out to the right.

• On low-volume models like the Aficio MP2550 and MP3350 (and on the older machines in the same family) the sticker is on the rear cover, close to the center and toward the lower half of the copier.

• On the Aficio MP C2030, MP C2050, and MP C2550 color series, the product sticker is located on the rear cover of the machine, in the lower left corner.  (When looking at it from the back, it's in the lower right corner.)

• On the wide format Ricoh FW780 printer, the product code sticker is on the rear left side of the machine.

If your model isn't listed here, there's a good chance you can find the sticker somewhere on the back of the copier or printer.  Ricoh accessories (document feeders, bridge units, duplex units, etc.) also have their own product code stickers.  They will vary in location as well, but are typically easier to spot.  On many Ricoh finishers, the sticker can be found by opening the finisher's front door and looking either at the very top of the inside of the finisher, or the very bottom.  If it's not there, it's probably underneath one of the finisher's exit trays, viewable from the left side of the machine.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, Sept 2010)

How to clear the fax memory on a Ricoh Aficio MP series multifunction printer

If the fax memory on your Ricoh Aficio MP series copier/printer is full or almost full, you can delete some (or all) of the faxes stored in the reception file to can make room for new faxes.

• On the fax screen, press the button toward the top labeled Change TX / Info, TX / RX Status, or something similar. (Wording varies by model.)
• On the menu that appears, select the option for printing or deleting the reception file.
• The list of stored faxes will be displayed. From here, you can either print out or delete (or both) old faxes, and make room for new faxes to come through. If you want to delete old faxes, you can select multiple files at once to delete.

Ricoh troubleshooting: How to fix a scan folder not found error

There are many possible reasons why you may not be able to scan to a folder from a Ricoh multifunction copier or scanner.  Here are some of the more common reasons, with suggested fixes:

- The folder that you are trying to scan to isn't shared.  Check the folder's share settings.

- The user account you are using to authenticate does not have rights to access that folder (possibly someone changed their password recently).  Update the password in the copier's address book (User Tools/Counter > System Settings > Administrator Tools > Address Book Management).

- There is a network connection problem somewhere between the copier and the computer.  Try to ping the copier from the computer and vice versa, then narrow down the problem by checking any intermediate devices (switches, hubs, routers, etc.).

- There is a hardware device or software program preventing the copier from reaching that folder (i.e. a firewall, anti-virus program, security suite, router, etc.).  Check any hardware/software security settings that may be preventing the connection.  You may have to set up an exception in your firewall.

- The copier and the computer are not in the same workgroup/domain.  Change the copier's workgroup or domain to match the computer you're trying to scan to.

- If you are using an IP address for the computer instead of a host name, the computer's IP address has changed.  Update the IP address, or change the destination path to use the computer's host name instead of IP address.

- If you are using the computer's host name in the scan folder path, the host name may have been changed, the DNS record might be corrupted, or the DNS server might be down.  Confirm that the host name is correct, and if it still won't connect, replace the host name with the computer's IP address in the scan folder path.

- The copier's SMB protocol has been disabled (User Tools/Counter > System Settings > Interface Settings > Effective Protocols).

If scanning to a folder was never fully configured, you can find instructions for doing so here:

• How to link to a network share folder from a Ricoh Aficio MP series copier

How to get into service mode on a Ricoh Aficio copier or printer

NOTE: Before entering service mode, be very careful not to adjust any values that you are not familiar with.  You can take down the whole copier just by changing a few numbers or settings.  It's best to have a Ricoh-trained technician adjust any service mode settings.


For most modern Ricoh copiers (i.e. Aficio MP 6003):

To enter service mode, press the yellow Reset button, then 8-0-6-1-8-2.  Then hold down the red Clear/Stop button for about 5 seconds.  The screen will shift to a menu.  Select the first option in the menu: System/Copy SP Mode.


For most Ricoh copiers older than an "03" model (i.e. Aficio MP 4002):

To enter service mode, press the yellow Clear button, then 1-0-7.  Then hold down the red Stop button for about 5 seconds.  The screen will shift to a menu.  Select the first option in the menu: System/Copy SP Mode.


For most Ricoh printers without a number pad (i.e. SP 4310):

To enter service mode, hold down the up and down arrow buttons at the same time, for about 5 or 6 seconds, then release them and press the Enter button.

How to save a file to the Document Server on a Ricoh copier

The Document Server on a Ricoh copier allows you to save files directly to the copier's hard drive.  This feature can be handy for things that you have to print out often, such as forms or cover sheets.

To save a document to the Document Server on a Ricoh copier or multifunction printer:

- Press the Document Server button
- Select Go to Scanning Screen
- Place your document on the glass or in the document feeder
- Choose any settings that you want to change (color, two-sided, etc.)
- Press the Start button

Before storing a document, make sure that the Auto Delete function has been disabled; otherwise, your document will be deleted after a certain number of days.  This easy guide will show you how to check the Auto Delete function and turn it off if it's not off already:

- How to disable the Auto Delete function on a Ricoh copier’s Document Server

How to fix an SC400 error on a Ricoh Aficio SP C430DN printer

On a Ricoh C430DN printer, an SC400 error is often caused by a dirty image density (ID) sensor.  You can clean this sensor yourself, rather than pay a technician to come out and do it.  A dirty ID sensor can also cause other problems, such as color misalignment issues.

The ID sensor on this printer is actually a set of five sensors, located on the ID sensor board.  The ID sensor board is located inside the front door of the C430DN. You can see a picture of it in the service manual, on pages 4-48 and 4-49. (If you don't have the service manual, you can probably find it online -- such as on lfncopiadoras.com -- but always be careful when viewing or downloading documents from unfamiliar sites.) The manual shows you the procedure for removing the ID sensor board; you don't need to do all of those steps just to clean it.  Follow the steps shown until you are comfortable seeing or reaching the ID sensors so you can clean them.

If you can get to the sensors, you can wipe them down with a dry, lint-free cloth.  You can use a tiny bit of alcohol to clean them, but make sure you wipe off every last drop.  If you can't physically reach the sensors, use canned air to clean them.  Be sure to clean all five sensors.  Don't use an oil rag or a cleaning wipe to clean the sensors, as these can leave a residue.

Often, cleaning the ID sensors and rebooting the printer will resolve an SC400 error.  If the problem persists, however, it may be time to call a technician to diagnose it.  You may need to replace the ID sensor board, or you could have a problem with the transfer belt unit or another internal component.

How to cancel a print job on a Ricoh printer

On most Ricoh printers, if you need to cancel a print job you can do it directly from the device.  On Ricoh multifunction printers with a touch screen, press the Printer button and then either select Job Reset on the screen or press the red Stop button.  You'll be asked to confirm your choice, and decide whether you want to cancel the current job or all pending jobs.

On Ricoh printers without a touch screen, you can probably cancel a print job by pressing the Job Reset or Cancel button.  If the printer has a display screen, you may be asked to confirm your choice.

For printers that are connected to a network, you can also cancel print jobs from your computer.  Open a web browser and navigate to the printer's IP address.  (If you don't know the printer's IP address, you can find it by printing out a configuration page.)  When the Ricoh web server page loads, click on the Login button in the upper right corner.  Enter the copier's user name and password, then click Login or press <ENTER>.

Hover over Device Management on the left side of the screen, then select Reset Printer Job.  Select either Reset Current Job or Reset All Jobs, then confirm your choice.

How to find the IP address of a Ricoh copier or printer

Almost every connected device on a TCP/IP network has its own IP address, which other devices and computers use to locate that device and communicate with it.  If you have a Ricoh multifunctional copier or printer set up on your network and you need to find its IP address, this article will show you how to do that.

There are many different models of copiers and printers in the Ricoh product family.  Generally, the easiest way to find a Ricoh machine's IP address is to print out a configuration page, which lists relevant network settings, including the IP address.  On most Ricoh copiers, you can print a configuration page by pressing the User Tools button on the operation panel, selecting Printer Features or Printer Settings, and looking for an option such as "Print Config Page" or "Print Config List."

Copier IP addresses can also be displayed on screen.  On many current models, such as the C5000, go into User Tools and navigate to System Settings > Interface Settings > Machine IPv4 Address.  Older copiers will display the address as well, but the path to find it might be slightly different.  It will always be located somewhere under System Settings.

Many of the newer copier models also have a tab at the bottom of the main Copy screen labeled "System Status."  If you touch this tab, you'll be shown many details about the copier's current status, including the amount of toner remaining, the hard drive space available, and of course, the IP address.

On a Ricoh printer (either black and white or color) you don't have the same size operation panel that you do with a copier, so it can be harder to navigate through the menus.   Like with the copiers, however, the IP address will be printed on the config page, so you can just print that out -- press the Menu button, and go to "List/Test Print" and then "Config Page."  The IP address can also be displayed on screen by pressing the Menu button and then following the path of Host Interface, Network, Machine IPv4 Address, and finally IP Address.  If you view the IP address this way, be sure to exit out of the network settings without making any accidental changes.

If for some reason you can't get the IP address from the machine itself, you might be able to find it from a computer connected to the same network.  If you are running Windows Vista, you can use the Network Map to try to look up the copier's IP address.  All connected devices should be shown on the Network Map -- if you can locate the copier, hover over it with the mouse and you might be rewarded with its IP address.  (For instructions on how to access the network map in Windows Vista, click here.  For instructions on how to access the network map in Windows 7, click here.)

On a computer that's set up to print to the Ricoh printer, you can often find the printer's IP address in the print driver properties.  Right click on the printer icon under Devices & Printers (or Printers and Faxes, in Windows XP) and select Printer Properties (or in XP, just Properties).  Under the Ports tab, if the printer is set up to print using its IP address, you may see the IP address listed as the port name, or part of the port name.

(Originally published on Helium.com, April 2010)

How to ping an IP address from a Ricoh Aficio MP C4500 multifunction copier

If you have a Ricoh Aficio MP C4500 (or C3500) multifunction copier and it's connected to your local area network, you can use it to ping computers and other devices, just like you would from a Windows command prompt.  Pinging from the copier can be useful if you are trying to troubleshoot a connection issue, or if you want to see which computers or other devices are currently on.

To get to the ping command, press the User Tools/Counter button, to the upper left of the copier's touch screen.  On the menu that appears, touch System Settings, then touch the Interface Settings tab.  Use the arrow in the lower right corner to scroll down to the next page (2/2), and you'll see the Ping Command button on the left side of the screen.  Press it to bring up the Ping utility.

Unlike when you ping from your computer, with the C4500 you can only ping an IP address.  You can't ping a host name or domain name, but if you know the target's IP address, you can ping it that way.  The IP address is defaulted to 0.0.0.0 -- press Change to be able to input the destination IP address.  When you are done typing in the address, press the pound key (#) on the number pad, or the pound symbol on the touch screen to lock in the address.  Then touch Ping.

The ping attempt should only take a second or two.  When you use the ping command in Windows, it sends four ping requests by default, but the C4500 only pings once.  You'll see either "Ping connection was successful" or "Ping connection has failed," depending on the result.

There is also a dedicated ping command you can use to specifically ping your DNS servers.  To use this command, scroll up to the first Interface Settings page and touch DNS Configuration.  If you've already input IP addresses for at least one of your DNS servers (up to three) you can use the Connection Test button to the right of that entry to ping the DNS server.  If the copier can reach that server, you'll see the "Connection to the server was successful" message.  It's a good idea to run the connection test any time you switch DNS servers or after you first set up the copier for network printing or scanning.

Other networked Ricoh copiers can also ping, but the command may be located under a different heading in the menu.  With a little searching, you should be able to find it grouped somewhere with the network configuration settings.

(Originally published on Helium.com, August 2010)