1.  What is NetSpot Suite Services
NetSpot Suite Services is a collection of software that provides the following
Get Device Status
Job Accounting  More info Here
Port Set tool  More info Here
 
 

2.  What is the get Device Status feature?
Get device status allows automatic configuration of the printer driver by communicating directly with the printer.

3.  What is the Job Accounting feature?
By enabling a department ID and password on the iR productit is possible to "Lock out" people from sending network print jobs.
The only print jobs that are accepted are those that have a valid ID and Password.  The ID and Password must be included with the print job using the Job Accounting feature.  You can setup a total of 1000 departments.
 
 

4.  What is the PortSet Tool?
Here is a snip from the PortSet tool readme
Canon Port Setting Tool is a utility software for confirming and resetting the correspondence between the port of the device installed in Windows and its network address. This utility is useful when the printer driver cannot acquire the device status information correctly, or when NetSpot job Monitor Device Board or Status Monitor does not operate correctly.
When NetSpot Job Monitor is installed in your computer, you can also use this utility for setting the update interval for acquiring information and for checking device types.
 
 

5.  How do I install the Netspot Suite Service?
The iR Series User Software has a Setup type installer.
You must use this setup to install the NetSpot Suite Service

6.  I use Point and Print. Will I have to install the NetSpot Suite Service on each workstation?
Yes.  (Sorry)
  Update: Windows print servers with VDC installed no longer require the workstations to have VDC installed.(yahoo!)
 

7.  I have installed the NetSpot Suite Service, I am ready use Job Accounting.

Setting up the iR Product
Using the iRcontrol panel.  Additional functions, System settings, Department ID management
or
Using the RUI.  Add. Function, Dept ID management, Settings

You have three choices;
1. Enable Dept. ID Management.     This turns on Dept. ID management
2. Enable Impression Limit                This allows the setting of a maximum number of impressions per user
3. Accept Jobs With Unknown ID    When checked, all print jobs are accepted and printed independant of User ID and password

A restart of the iR product is required for changes to take effect

Setting up the Printer driver
Install the Setup type Printer driver and ensure you have the NetSpot suite service installed.
In the printer driver, Click on Configuration and check Job Accounting
Click on settings and Enter your ID and Password
Verify can be used to verify the ID and Password is valid
Confirm ID and Password when printing will enable or disable a confirm box prior to printing.

8.  When would I need the PortSet Tool?
From our experience, when you use Point and Print or Click and Print, the Workstation printer driver does not have its port associated with the address of the printer.
The result is often the Get Device Status button does not work

According to the documentation, It is also usefull for setting up the NetSpot job monitor.
 

9.  How do I install the PortSet Tool?
The PortSet Tool is installed along with the VDC module (NetSpot Suite Services) when using the PCL 4.81 or later Setup driver.
You must choose a printer driver from the printer list in order to be able to continue the install process  *Note 1
Choose Yes when prompted if you want to install NetSpot Suite Services.
You will not be prompted to install the PortSet tool.  It is installed automatically
It is not installed with the INF driver.
The Setup driver cannot be installed through a server.
It must be installed on the workstation which will require a reboot.  Sorry

*Note 1: You can install NetSpot Suite Services from the VDC folder but it does not install the PortSet tool
 

10.  How do I use the PortSet Tool?
This assumes you have already installed the printer driver through either Click and Print, Point and Print, or local install using Setup or Inf
Ensure use have installed NetSpot Suite Services on the Workstation first.
Browse to the Program Files/Canon/Portset folder
Run the PortSet.exe utility
Highlight the existing Port you want to Modify.
Hitting Initialize will reset the associations that already exist
Now enter the IPX or IP address of the printer.  You can also use the Discover button.
After entering or browsing the discover list, Hit OK
Hit OK to close the PortSet tool and Reboot as required

11.  What port does the printer use to respond to get device status?
As of Dec 16 2002, the printer is responding on port 47545.

12.  What services do I need running on W2k to be able to use "get device status"?
Check that the following services are running:
    1. Server
    2. Workstation
    3. Print Spooler
    4. Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
    5. TCP/IP Netbois Helper Service

13.  The printer is in front of a firewall, I need help
Here is a page that should help