Sharing a Printer in the Windows Workgroup Environment

7/28/2019 Sharing a Printer in the Windows Workgroup Environment

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Sharing a Printer in the Windows Workgroup

Print Manager

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INTRODUCTIONPrintersharingisasimplewaytomakealocallyattachedprinter,oranetworkedprinteravailabletousersinasecure

mannerallowingbasiccontrolviawindowspermissions,andadvancedcontrolandtrackingwhenusingthirdpartyprin

managementproductssuchasPrintManagerPlus.

Whileprintersharingissimplifiedinadomain,itcanbealittletedioustobeawareofhowtoproperlyshareaprinterwithinaWindowsWorkgroup.Thefollowingguideprovidesexamplesofsettingthisup.

COMMON WORKGROUP NAME:ThefirststepinsettingupasuccessfulworkgroupisensuringtheWorkgroupnamespecifiedinallsystemsisthesame

ThisnamewillhelpWindowsrealizethecomputersallbelongtoacommongroupingandassistinthosecomputers

findingeachotheronthenetwork.

Configuring the Workgroup Name Windows 7 / 2008 R2:

1. RightclickonComputerandchooseProperties

2. WithinComputername,domain,andworkgroupsettingsclick[ChangeSettings] ontherighthandside.

ExamplesShown:

The examples shown in this article are using Windows Server 2008R2 as the server, and

Windows764bitasaWorkstation.Howeverthestepspresentedshouldbesimilarinmost

WindowsOperatingSystems.


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PrintManager

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3. WithinSystemPropertiesclickthe[Change]button.Youwillthenhaveadialogallowingyoutosetthe

Workgroupname.Itwillalsoyoutochangethecomputername.

Example:Inourexample,wearechangingtheWorkgroupnametoDemoandthecomputernameof

thisservertoDemoServertomakeiteasiertoreferencethiscomputer.


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PrintManager

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Phone:650-521-5275



4. Nowthataworkgroupnamehasbeensetonthemainsystem,youwillwanttorepeatthesestepsand

giveeverycomputerintheworkgroupthesameworkgroupname.Ensuretheyallhaveadifferent

computername.

COMMON ADMINISTRATION USER:Next,itisveryimportantthatworkgroupsystemshaveacommonadministratoraccountwhenanylevelofsystem

managementisdesired.Thisaccountwillhavethesameusernameandpassword,onallworkgroupsystems.

Creating a Common Administrator User Server 2008 R2 / Windows 7:

1. RightclickonComputerandchooseManage

(Windows2008R2Example) (Windows7Example)

2. ExpandyourServerManager,or ComputerManagementuntilyoufindLocalUsersandGroupsand

thenselecttheUsersfolder.

CommonAdvantagesofHavingaCommonAdministrationUser:

o Machineshaveacommonaccountthatcanbeusedformaintenancetasks

andsharingofdata.

o Acommonadministratoraccountallowsanalternativewayintoassistin

passwordrecoveryshouldanenduserforgetorlosetheirpassword.

o Manynetworksoftwareproductsneedasecurewayofcommunicating

betweeneachotherwhenusedonmultiplemachines.Havingacommon

administrationaccountusuallyletsthesethingswork.


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PrintManager

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Phone:650-521-5275




3. Nextwewillwanttomakeanewaccount.InthiscasewewillnameouradminuserDemoAdmin.To

dothisrightclickonUsersandchoose NewUser.

Configuretheuserbelow.Thereareseveraladvancedoptions,buttheimportantitemsare

highlighted.Additionalsettingsarebeyondwhatthisguidecovers.

UserName:Ensurethisisthesameoneveryworkgroupcomputer

Password:Ensurethisisthesameoneveryworkgroupcomputer

TheBuilt-InAdministratorUser: Inthisexamplewewillnotbeusing

thebuilt-inAdministratoruser.In

newertrendsitisconsidered

better,andmoresecuretoleavethis

passwordseparate,andusedjustas

alocaladministratorofeach

machine.


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PrintManager

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4. FinallywewillneedtoensurethatuserismadeanAdministratorofeachmachine.Followthesteps

belowtocompletethis.

a. Rightclickonthenewlycreateduserandchoose Properties.WithinProperties,gotothe

Memberoftab.Withinthatclickthe [Add]buttonandchoosetoaddthisusertothe

Administrators group.


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b. WithintheSelectGroupsdialog,typetheAdministrators grouporuseadvancedtofindthe

Administratorsgroup.OncedoneclickOKonalldialogs.

5. Repeat:Ensureyourepeatcreatingthisexactuser,withthesamepasswordasanewuser,andadministratoronallworkgroupcomputers.

INSTALLING &SHARING PRINTERS ON THE SERVER SYSTEM:This section covers installing, and sharing the printer. Printer installation may vary, so our example will stick to a simpleprinter installation. For detailed printer installation, refer to your printers documentation.

Steps For Installing & Sharing the Printer:

1. OpenPrintManagementwithinStart>AdministrativeTools.

OSVariations:

*WindowsVista/7: Start>ControlPanel>AdministrativeTools.

*WindowsXP/2003: Start>ControlPanel>Printers&Faxes

Notefor2008Server:

Priortodoingthis,youwill

needtoaddthePrintand

DocumentServices roleto

theserverwithinServer

Manager.


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PrintManager

POBox7343


Phone:650-521-5275



2. OpentheAddprinterwizardwithinprintmanagementbyexpandingyourserver,andlocating Printers.Once

foundrightclickandchooseAddPrinter

3. AftertheAddPrinterWizardhasopened,youwillneedtochoosehowtheprinterisconnected.Beloware

somebasicguidelines.IfyouarenotsurehowtoaddyourprinteryoumayneedtouseourPrinters

installationdiskordocumentation.

Example:ChoosingtoAddaTCP/IPPrinter


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PrintManager

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4. NextyouwillneedtoconfiguretheTCP/IPPort.InthiscasewearetypingtheIPAddressoftheprinter,and

arelettingWindowsAutoDetectwhatdriver(printersoftware)tousetocontroltheprinter.

5. Afterprinterdetection,youwillbepresentedtheoptionofsharingtheprinter.Thisstepiskeyin

makingthenewlyinstalledprinteravailabletoallofthesystemsintheworkgroup.


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Inthisexample,wehavelefttheprinternameasdefault,butthesharenameasamorefriendlyname

ofMainOfficeLaser.

6. Finallyyoucanverifyalloftheprintersettings,andclick Nexttofinalizetheinstallation

7. Theprinterisnowsharedandinstalled.Accessingtheprintercanbedonebybrowsingthisserverand

selectingthatprintersharenamed MainOfficeLaser.

*UniformNamingConvention:thisisastandardwayofnamingnetworkitemsusedinwindowsnetworks.

*UNCPath:The*UNCPathtotheprinter,inthiscasewouldbe \\DemoServer\MainOfficeLaser


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PrintManager

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Phone:650-521-5275



ADDING THE PRINTER ON A WORKGROUP COMPUTERNowthattheprinterisshared,wearegoingtocoverinstallingtheprinterontheworkstationtomakesurethingsare

working.AtfirstwewillsimplydothiswiththeCommonAdministratoraccountthatwemadeearlierinthisguide.

Alsotherearemanywaystoinstallaprinter,wewillbeshowingthewaythatisthemostcommon,forthemostnumberof

WindowsOperatingSystems.

Adding this Printer to another Workgroup Computer:

1. LogontoanotherworkgroupcomputerusingtheCommonAdministratorlogoncreatedearlier.Inthis

exampleDemoAdminandenterthecommonpassword.

2. Onceloggedinyoucanaccesstheprinterbyoneofafewmethodslistedbelow.

MethodA:TheRunDialog

Openingtherundialogonthesystembyclickingthe [WindowsKey+R]atthesametime.Thentypein

theUNCpathtotheprinterandclickOK.Thiswillinstalltheprinter.

MethodB:WindowsFolderDialog

Withinanywindowsexplorerfolderdialog,typetheUNCpathintothetitlebar.Thiswillconnecttoand

installtheprinter.


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PrintManager

POBox7343


Phone:650-521-5275



ALLOWING OTHER USERS TO INSTALL THE PRINTER:Nowthatwehaveinstalled,andtestedourprinter.Itistimetoallowotheruserstobeabletoinstallit.Inordertodo

this,youwillfirstneedtocreateaccountsforallofyourworkgroupsusersontheserver.

Creating Basic User Accounts On the Server:

1. LogontotheServer,inourcaseDemoServerasanAdministrator,liketheDemoAdminwecreatedearlier.

2. RightclickonComputerandchooseManage


3. ExpandyourServerManager,or ComputerManagementuntilyoufindLocalUsersandGroupsandthen

selecttheUsersfolder.


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PrintManager

POBox7343


Phone:650-521-5275




4. Nextwewillwanttomakeanewaccount.InthiscasewewillnameouradminuserDemoAdmin.Todo

thisrightclickonUsersandchoose NewUser.

5. Withinthenewuserdialog,youwillneedtoaddtheexactusernameandpasswordthateachuserlogsin

withontheirworkstation.

Example:

CreatingausernamedJaneDoe.Ensuretheusernameandpasswordisexactlythesameusernameand

passwordthatisusedonthatworkstation.


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PrintManager

POBox7343


Phone:650-521-5275



6. Oncetheendusersaccounthasbeenaddedontheserver,thecanaddtheprinterinthesamewayaswith

theAdminUser.

Example,usingtheRunDialog:

THIRD PARTY ALTERNATIVES TO CREATING WORKGROUP USERS:Oftenwhenprinttrackingisneeded,itisveryimportantthattheworkgroupisproperlysetup.Considerthese

situations:

NoLogons&BlankPasswords:

Manyworkgroupsthathavenotbeen

setup,containmanycomputersthat

independentlyloginwithnoUsername

andPasswordatall,orablank

password.

Inordertoshareresources,youwill

needtosetupthosesystemstologusers

inwithavalidpassword.

AnonymousSharing:

Insomecasessharingofaprintercanbe

setupanonymously,withnousername

andpassword.Inthissituationthough

notracking,controlormanagement

coulddone.

NoPrintingSecurityofanytimecanbe

usedinthisconfiguration,andwillnot

becoveredinthisguide.


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PrintManager

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IwanttocontrolwhocanprinttothenewColorLaserPrinter

Iwanttoinstallathirdpartyprintmanagementutilitytotrackthecostsofeachuser

Iwanttobeabletoquotaandlimiteachperson,usingaquotasystem

Alloftheabovearepossibleinourproperlysetupworkgroup.Ifyouweretolookinsideofaprintqueueinasetup,youwillnoticethatitshowstheOwnerofthejobasavalidwindowsuser.

Alternative Solutions - Print Manager Plus:

Updatingandmaintainingmanyuseraccountsisnotalwaysaneasyoption.Especiallyforuserswhodonotwishto

setupalogontheirsystemanduserit.Agoodalternativeisaprinttrackingtoolthatallowsyoutopromptfor

authenticationoneachprintjob.

ForExample,PrintManagerPluswithitsClientBilling&AuthenticationAddOncanprovideitsownUsernameand

passwordsystem,alongwithauthenticationforeachworkstationeverytimetheuserhitstheprintbutton.Thiscan

providethesameleveloftrackingandcontrolasseeninaworkgroupsetup,withoutthehassleofneedingtocreateandmanageusernamesandpasswordsoneachmachine.

MainAdvantagesofusingPrintManagerPluswithClientbilling&Authentication:

o CentralizationofPrintingUsernamesandPasswords

o AdvancedTrackingofallPrintjobs

o Abilitytoaddquotasontheamountofprintingdone

o Restrictionsandprintingrulescanbeaddedforevengreatercontrol.

Documents

Sharing a Printer in the Windows Workgroup Environment