A newly discovered device shows a make of printmib in Web Admin, with no model displayed. Meters may or may not be returned.
What "printmib" Means
"printmib" is a generic fallback identifier that Print Tracker uses when a device's SNMP response does not contain a recognizable make or model string. Rather than leaving the field blank, Print Tracker labels it printmib to signal that the device was seen on the network and answered SNMP, but its identity could not be determined from the data received.
This is not a fault with the device. It keeps printing normally. It is a device identification gap, and identification is what determines how much Print Tracker can read from the machine.
Common Causes
A new or uncommon model that Print Tracker does not yet recognize.
No model-specific collection support yet. Print Tracker reads each model using logic tailored to that model, and a model it has never seen has none.
Custom firmware that changes the standard SNMP fields used to report make and model.
A non-standard SNMP implementation that does not follow the standard Printer MIB format.
A device presenting a generic SNMP identity. Fiery print servers and some label printers expose minimal SNMP data.
Rebranded hardware where the OEM identifier in SNMP does not match the reseller brand name.
Impact on Meter and Supply Collection
A printmib device may still return meter reads, depending on how it answers standard SNMP requests. However:
Supply collection generally will not work until the model is recognized and Print Tracker has collection logic for it.
The device will not appear in model-specific reports or filters.
Billing counter configuration may be limited without correct model identification.
Meter billing sync to e-Automate can still work if the device returns valid meter values and has an Integration ID assigned, even while labeled printmib. So a printmib device is not automatically a billing problem.
Meters being present does not guarantee they are correct. Print Tracker falls back through progressively more generic collection methods, so an unrecognized device can return plausible but inaccurate numbers. On a billing meter that is worse than returning nothing, so verify the values against the device's own counter page before billing from them.
How to Get the Model Recognized
Print Tracker support can add support for an unrecognized model. Contact support with:
The exact make and model, taken from the physical label on the machine or the device's control panel rather than from Print Tracker
Device serial number
Device firmware version
Device IP address
Dealer name and entity name
A screenshot of the Network Topology Scan results for the device, if available
Once support adds the model, the device is identified correctly on the next scan cycle. No reinstallation, site visit, or change on the device is required.
Adding support for a new model is usually a contained change rather than a from-scratch build, because most of the work is telling the system how to identify the device and which existing logic to apply.
If you have several of the same model
If the same model shows as printmib across multiple entities or dealers, list all the affected devices in a single support request. Volume helps engineering prioritize which models to add first, and one request covering ten devices is handled faster than ten separate ones.
Fiery-Equipped Devices
Devices with a Fiery external print server are often discovered as printmib because the Fiery controller answers SNMP queries instead of the underlying print engine. Print Tracker is talking to the controller, not the printer. Fiery equipment is known to cause issues with getting accurate meters through SNMP or the EWS.
Related Articles
Device Not Automatically Discovered
Incorrect or Duplicate Supply Entries on a Device
SNMP v3 Configuration and Troubleshooting