Konica Minolta Scan to SMB Setup: A Step-by-Step Guide for Windows

Setting up Scan to SMB (Server Message Block) on your Konica Minolta printer allows you to scan documents directly to a shared folder on your Windows PC. This convenient feature streamlines your workflow by eliminating the need to scan to email or USB drives, making document sharing and archiving significantly easier. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step process to configure Scan to SMB on your Konica Minolta device, ensuring seamless integration with your Windows system.

Step 1: Prepare Your Windows PC for SMB Scanning

Before configuring your Konica Minolta printer, you need to prepare your Windows PC to receive scanned documents via SMB. This involves creating a dedicated folder for scans and setting up a user account with specific permissions.

Create a Dedicated Scan Folder

First, create a new folder on your Windows PC that will serve as the destination for your scanned documents.

1. Go to your Desktop or preferred location on your PC.
2. Right-click in an empty space, select New, and then click Folder.
3. Name the folder Scan (or any name you prefer). This will be the folder you share and configure in your Konica Minolta settings.

Create a Dummy User Account

For security and access control, it’s recommended to create a dedicated “dummy” user account specifically for SMB scanning. This account will be used by the Konica Minolta printer to access the shared scan folder.

1. Open Computer Management: Go to the Windows search bar, type “Computer Management,” right-click on it, and select Run as administrator.

2. Navigate to Local Users and Groups: In the Computer Management window, on the left-hand side, expand Local Users and Groups and select Users.

3. Create a New User: Right-click in the empty space in the user list, and select New User…

4. Fill in the User Information: Enter the following details for the new user:
   • Username: kmscan (or your preferred username)
   • Full name: kmscan (or your preferred full name)
   • Description: (Optional) You can leave this blank.
   • Password: Minolta.123 (or your preferred password – ensure it’s secure but easy to remember for configuration)
   • Confirm password: Re-enter the password.
   • Uncheck “User must change password at next logon”.
   • Check “User cannot change password”.
   • Check “Password never expires”.
5. Click Create and then Close. The dummy user account kmscan is now created.

Step 2: Share the Scan Folder Using the Dummy Account

Now, you need to share the “Scan” folder you created and grant the dummy user account the necessary permissions to access it over the network.

Configure Folder Sharing

1. Open Folder Properties: Locate the “Scan” folder you created in Step 1. Right-click on the folder and select Properties.

2. Access Sharing Tab: In the Folder Properties window, go to the Sharing tab.

3. Share the Folder: Click the Share… button.

4. Add the Dummy User: In the “Enter the names of people to share with” field, type kmscan and click Add.

5. Set Permission Level: For the kmscan user, change the Permission level to Read/Write using the dropdown menu. This allows the printer to both write (save scans) and read (browse the folder, if necessary).
6. Click Share and then Done.

Advanced Sharing Settings

For more granular control and to ensure proper access for SMB scanning, configure the Advanced Sharing settings.

1. Access Advanced Sharing: In the Sharing tab of the “Scan” folder’s Properties, click the Advanced Sharing… button.

2. Enable Advanced Sharing and Permissions:
   • Check “Share this folder”.
   • Click the Permissions button.

3. Add the Dummy User in Permissions: In the Permissions for “Scan” window, click Add….

4. Enter User Name: Type kmscan and click OK.

5. Grant Full Control: Select the kmscan user from the “Group or user names” list. Under “Permissions for kmscan”, check “Full Control” under the “Allow” column.

6. Apply Permissions: Click Apply and then OK in the Permissions window. Click Apply and OK again in the Advanced Sharing window, and finally Close in the Scan Folder Properties window to save all changes.

Enable Public Folder Sharing

To ensure network discoverability and proper SMB communication, enable Public Folder Sharing in Windows Network and Sharing Center.

1. Open Network and Sharing Center: Go to the Control Panel, and click on Network and Sharing Center. (You may need to change “View by” to “Category” in the top right corner of Control Panel to easily find it).

2. Access Advanced Sharing Settings: On the left-hand side of the Network and Sharing Center window, click on Change advanced sharing settings.

3. Enable Network Discovery and File & Printer Sharing: Under the “Domain” or “Guest or Public” profile (depending on your network setup), ensure the following settings are enabled:
   • Network discovery: Turn on network discovery.
   • File and printer sharing: Turn on file and printer sharing.
   • Public folder sharing: Turn on public folder sharing.

4. Click Save changes at the bottom of the window.

Step 3: Enable SMB 1.0 on Windows (If Necessary for Older Konica Minolta Models)

Older Konica Minolta printers might require SMB 1.0 protocol, which is disabled by default in newer Windows versions due to security concerns. If you encounter issues connecting, you might need to enable SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support. Note: It’s generally recommended to use SMB 2.0 or higher for security reasons if your Konica Minolta device supports it. Check your printer’s manual for SMB protocol compatibility.

Turn on SMB 1.0 Feature

1. Open Programs and Features: Go to Control Panel, and click on Programs and Features. (Again, ensure “View by” is set to “Category” if needed).

2. Turn Windows features on or off: Click on Turn Windows features on or off on the left-hand side.

3. Enable SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support: In the Windows Features window, scroll down and check the box next to SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support. Ensure the sub-options “SMB 1.0/CIFS Client” and “SMB 1.0/CIFS Server” are also checked.

4. Click OK. Windows will apply the changes and may require a restart of your computer. Restart your PC if prompted.

Step 4: Configure Konica Minolta Address Book for SMB Scan

With your Windows PC prepared, you can now configure your Konica Minolta printer to scan to the shared folder using the SMB protocol. This is done through the printer’s web interface, known as Web Connection.

Access Konica Minolta Web Connection

1. Open Devices and Printers: Go to Control Panel, and click on Devices and Printers.

2. Access Printer Properties: Right-click on your Konica Minolta printer that you use for printing and select Printing preferences.

3. Open Web Connection: In the Printing Preferences window, navigate to the Printer Information tab (the tab name might slightly vary depending on your Konica Minolta model) and click on Web Connection or a similar button to open the printer’s web interface in your web browser.

Add New SMB Address in Address Book

1. Navigate to Address Book: In the Konica Minolta Web Connection interface, find and click on Store Address or Address Book. The location might vary slightly based on your printer model’s interface.

2. New Registration: Click on New Registration or Add New Entry to create a new address book entry.

3. Select SMB and Enter Details:

   • In the “Search from function” or “Type” dropdown, select SMB.

   • Enter the following details:

     • Name: PC A (or a descriptive name that will appear on your Konica Minolta machine’s scan menu).
     • Index: PQRS (The first character of the name will determine the index group on the machine’s panel).
     • Main: Tick this option if you want this destination to appear in the Favorites tab on your Konica Minolta device for quick access.
     • Host Address (Please check to enter host name): Tick this option.
     • Host Address: Enter your Computer Name. To find your computer name, you can usually right-click on “This PC” or “My Computer” on your desktop or in File Explorer, select “Properties”, and look for “Computer name” under “Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings”. Alternatively, you can use the PC’s IP address, but using the hostname is often more convenient.
     • File Path: Enter Scan (This should match the name of the folder you shared in Step 1. If you named your folder differently, use that name here).
     • User ID: Enter kmscan (or the username of the dummy account you created).
     • Password: Enter Minolta.123 (or the password you set for the dummy account).

4. Click OK or Save to save the SMB address book entry.

Step 5: Test the Scan to SMB Setup

After configuring the SMB settings in your Konica Minolta’s address book, test the setup to ensure it’s working correctly.

1. Go to your Konica Minolta machine.
2. Navigate to the Scan function.
3. Select the SMB destination you just created (e.g., “PC A”).
4. Place a document to scan on the platen or in the document feeder.
5. Initiate the scan process.
6. Check the “Scan” folder on your Windows PC. The scanned document should appear in the folder shortly.

If the scanned document successfully appears in the shared folder, you have successfully set up Scan to SMB on your Konica Minolta printer. If you encounter issues, double-check all the steps, especially the folder sharing permissions, user credentials, and network settings. Ensure that both your Konica Minolta printer and Windows PC are on the same network and can communicate with each other.