Add printer based on DNS name

[nelifecare]

I would like to add user printers based on a DNS name. For example: the print share \\server01\printer01 could also be added as \\printserver.domain.com\printer01.

Is this possible? If so, how? I haven't been able to get it to work.

I would like my users to be able to add printers and not have to change them if I decide I need to move them to another server. My biggest issue is we have an app that saves print settings in a DB so if the name of the printer changes in Windows the print jobs will fail because the printer does not exist. If I didn't have this app running, it would be a sinch. Just create a script to change them from server01 to server02, etc.

I wish printers could be shared using DFS like behavior.

Thanks,

Jeremy

 

[58sniper]

Why not script the printer changes? There's no reason a user should ever have to deal with it.

Windows Server 2003 R2 has built in printer deployment. If you're not on R2, you can use vbscript to add/remove printers from workstations.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Contributing author Microsoft Exchange Server 2007: The Complete Reference

 

[nelifecare]

I would do that BUT like I said in my initial thread, we have an app that hard codes printer shares in a DBF file which I don't know how to script those changes.

 

[bluelinenetworks]

sure....create a dns alias and add the printers using that.

So you could do like hr-laser.company.com\hrlaser

then if you need to move it, just make hr-laser point to the new server...?

 

[nelifecare]

Anyone know how to publish dns print shares?

Wish there was something similar to DFS for printers....

 

[NortonES2]

Just create a DNS alias, then check that you can ping that alias and it returns the correct IP address. Then do the following on your print server:

Windows Server 2003
To resolve this problem in Windows Server 2003, complete the following steps:

1. Apply the following registry change to the print server. To do so, follow these steps:
a. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
b. Locate and click the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters
c. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value:
Value name: DisableStrictNameChecking
Data type: REG_DWORD
Radix: Decimal
Value: 1
d. Quit Registry Editor.
2. Restart your computer.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[nelifecare]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, that's what I have right now. Was wondering if there was a way to publish these in AD so that a user could connect to the print share the same as they always have been, by searching in the directory.

 

[NortonES2]

It doesn't appear in the list so they just need to type \\printservername\printer at the relevant point of the Add printer wizard.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!