RE: Terminal Server 2003 and USB Printers
Jerry Shean
Install the printer driver on the server.
Set the port for lpt1
Set the default printer setting off
Client Side:
Install the printer driver.
Set the port for both usb and lpt1
Turn printer pooling on.
This is how I set up my usb printers on TS for 2000 and 2003
I hope this helps.
--
Jerry Shean
Systems Administrator
City of Beckley
Beckley, WV 25801
304-256-1765
"Humair Hassan" wrote:
> I have a Windows 2000 Terminal server and have a lot of issue with USB
> printers on user computers. I am planning to install a new Windows 2003
> Server with all new Terminal Server 2003 will this fix my issue with USB
> printers. If not what is the work around.
>
> Thanks
> Humair Hassan
> hha...@solutionsrusinc.com
Patrick Rouse
NEVER install 3rd party printer drivers on the terminal server unless there
is absolutely no alternative, and they're thoroughly tested to be stable to
use on Terminal Server. 3rd party printer drivers are far and away the numer
one cause of BSOD and printer spooler failures on terminal server.
1. As Jerry stated, there MUST be a driver match on both the server and
client. This does NOT mean that you have to install a driver on the server,
as you can map the client printer to a built-in printer driver via user
defined inf file.
2. The client printer MUST use PCL or PS printing languages. LIDIL
printers will NOT work over Terminal Server unless you use an EMF or PDF
based printing product (referenced later)
3. If there is not a built-in driver, and the printer is PCL or PS
compliant, and there is a compatible built-in driver, you still have to make
this mapping manually. I have a sample mapping file and the registry entry
required to enable the mapping file here:
http://www.sessioncomputing.com/zip/NTPrintSub.zip
4. Microsft provides a Terminal Server Printer Redirection Wizard to assist
in creating a proper mapping, however I can't guarantee that it does a
fantastic job. It just depemnds on the printer type.
5. Server 2003 SP1 includes a Fallback Printer Driver setting that can be
enabled via local policy or Group Policy. This is basically an automated way
to map an unsupported printer (any printer that doesn't have a built-in
server side driver) to a built-in basic PCL or PS driver.
6. Clients should use Remote Desktoip Client 5.2.3790 or newer, i.e. the XP
SP2 Client. These are available here:
http://www.sessioncomputing.com/downloads.htm
7. The client port should be a TCP/IP Port, USB, Serial or LPT port, or you
need to enable a registry setting to look at all ports. DOT4 port printers
are commonly the ones that require this.
8. The Fallback Printer Driver does not always work, as some printers are
not PCL or PS printers, or users require advanced printing features that a
basic driver doesn't have, i.e. mailbox slots, duplexing, color management,
stapling.... In a case like this your only options are:
a. Install and test the manufacturer's driver (if it's PCL or PS)
b. If the manufactiurer's driver is not PS or PCL, or doesn't work on TS,
then you need a printing product like ThinPrint, triCerat Simplify Printing,
Provision Print-IT, or UniPrint. These products allow you to print to any
printer, regardless of model or printing language.
c. get a different printer.
The most reliable printing method for terminal server is one of the printng
programs listed in 8b. More printing details listed here:
http://www.sessioncomputing.com/printing.htm
Lots of information, but printing is one of the most complex things to
manage on terminal server if you don't have an EMF or PDF printing program.
--
Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.sessioncomputing.com