Patent ID: 8077336

Claim:
A network system including a first device, a second device connectable to the first device via an IP network and an external device detachably connectable to each of the first device and the second device, an address of the first device being stored in the external device, wherein the first device comprises: a setting information storing unit configured to store setting information representing settings of the first device; a first device control unit configured to control the first device in accordance with the setting information stored in the setting information storage; and a first transmitting unit configured to transmit the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit in response to receipt of a sending request, which is a request to send setting information, transmitted from the second device via the IP network, and wherein the second device comprises: a retrieving unit configured to retrieve the address stored in the external device when the external device is connected to the second device; a second transmitting unit configured to transmit the sending request, which requests the setting information, to the first device via the IP network, based on the address retrieved by the retrieving unit; a receiving unit configured to receive the setting information transmitted from the first device via the IP network; and a second device control unit configured to control the second device in accordance with the setting information received by the receiving unit.