View Cannot Print to a Print Server on Local Newtork
Cannot Print to a Print Server on Local Network
Cannot Print to a Print Server on local network while working in an RDP platform.
Symptom
When opening the Printers & Faxes configuration on the Terminal Services Server, your active session is not displayed with an associated Printer
Problem
When using Terminal Services to access a Hudson LTD online server (such as LTD3), you will not be able to print to a printer on your local network if it has been connected to a stand-alone print server (such as HP Jet Direct). This results because MS Terminal Services cannot redirect to an IP address on the local network. It is not a failure of Hudson products.
Resolution
- Ensure proper printer drivers are installed on each workstation which is printing to the network printer.
- Ensure that the printer has been added and the same drivers added to the source or host Terminal Services server
- In the local office, share the previously installed (most likely default) printer
- Give the existing printer a simple name: ex: HP4200
- In the local office, use the Add a New Printer Wizard to add an additional (duplicate) printer to each workstation. Do Not Set this as the Default Printer.
- Open the new printer properties. Go to the port configuration and set to print via LPT3 port. Also: set this printer to be shared.
Open a command prompt and enter:
net use lpt3: \\[workstation-name]\[new-printer-name] /persistent:yes
Ex: net use lpt3: \\counter2\HP4200 /persistent:yes - Do a test print from Word, Notepad or other, from the local PC and ensure printer connection is working.
- Connect to the Terminal Services server and retry printing.
This is not the only solution, but is a viable work-around this shortcoming of MS Terminal Services and RDP printing protocol. It is best used in a small office environment with few workstations printing to one or a few printers only.