Print sharing with no active domain/logon server

[bettyb]

We are setting up a new branch office location that will eventually have a point to point connection to our main office. There will be no server at this location. The router will handle DHCP assignments.

Short-term, since I had the local network ready, I wanted to set up the users for printing. They are still using their logins and passwords for our Domain. I set up the printers (assigned tcp/ip for the correct subnet etc) and hosted them from a Win2000 pc and then shared them. I can see the host pc from all client stations. BUT when at a new client, and trying to browse the 'host' station - - I get the error "an attempt was made to logon - no logon server was available to service the request". It's true the domain logon server is not reachable. So I am assuming it wants the real domain to validate the user before connecting.

Because these people are in a remote/rural location - - I want to make sure they can always print with or without the point to point being up.

My question: is this doable? Is there a security setting that will allow sharing without the logon server present? What am I missing?

 

[Jaderzaaaa]

are u sure the dhcp comes thru? Anyway i c no reason to use heavy load DHCP if u dont use logon validation..if its just for the basic ip cfg u can do it manually..basic Workgroup cfg will solve the common print sharing problems..

 

[bettyb]

When we set up the point to point, I will use logon validation since access to e-mail, files and folders will be at the main office. I wanted to use print hosting from 1 local computer to keep track of drivers, updates etc. and not have to visit each pc to install drivers and map the ip path.

Not sure if that's what you meant by "basic workgroup config?"

 

[Davetoo]

You're guess is right, there's no authoritative server to validate any credentials, so nobody can get anywhere else. Short term, put all the systems into the same workgroup, then use a common user on all systems so that you'll have a peer-to-peer network. Depending on how many systems you have, you might want to get your PTP setup instead.

 

[bettyb]

I am waiting on the point to point - could be as early as next week, which why I did not want to mess with peer to peer user ids, local network settings etc. I was just hoping that I could have users login as 'normal' (to them login , domain password etc) and be able to print, no matter what network services were up or down. (most of the users are very tentative about their computers -- very difficult at this point to talk them through procedure and process - - which means IT has to go to the location each time - working on that!!)

I thought I had a good idea, but I guess not. Thanks for the input

 

[Davetoo]

You'll have to be careful also about the logins. The default setttings for W2K is to allow 10 logons without a DC present. If you haven't changed that before moving the systems, and the local users are using domain logon settings (username/password/domain), they may find themselves unable to logon the 11th time.