Same OU group but different default printer - possible?

[Renfield-64]

Hi,

at the moment staff in different OU groups get different default printers (see below)

​[Computers]

DEFAULT=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main printer

P1=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main printer

[Teaching Computers]

DEFAULT=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer Locked

P1=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer

P2=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Office Printer

P3=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer Locked

[Teachers Laptops]

DEFAULT=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer Locked

P1=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer

P2=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Office Printer

P3=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer Locked

[Admin]

DEFAULT=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Office Printer

P1=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Office Printer

P2=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Office Printer Locked

P3=\\dcserver01\Brother HL-5250DN series

P4=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer

P5=\\dcserver01\Toshiba Main Printer Locked

P6=\\dcserver01\HLP Printer​

 

​A few of our users in the Admin OU want to have the Brother HL-5250DN series as their default instead of the Toshiba Office Printer​. Is there any way of forcing this? I don't really want to put them in a separate OU as things start getting messy then.

Thanks,

[6Foot2]

You could use Group policy Preferences and target individual users, or a group of named users, to receive a specific printer or set of printers.

[Domino]

As Dave said, easiest is probably putting the users in a group, then using item level targeting to add the preference to members of that group.

[Nausing]

You could always remove all the devices from defaulting automatically and allow the user to decide.

[Renfield-64]

Hi all,

we don't want to let users decide, for instance, teachers are defaulted to a locked, mono, double sided print to save wastage unless they choose a different printer. Also, the users are in groups but I don't want to make mini groups as well. If its possible to do a per user default in GP then I might try this.

 

Thanks,

[Renfield-64]

Hi again,

I have looked in GP and can't seem to find individuals only groups. Any ideas?

 

Thanks

[6Foot2]

When editing your GPO select the printer you want to deploy and select Properties. From there select the Common tab, then click the Targeting button. Click New Item and then select User. A box will appear below where you can browse for a user and add them so that they will get the printer next time they logon. Click apply, then OK. Close the GPO editor. Get the user to log off and on again. Happy days!

 

[Renfield-64]

Many thanks, I'll give it a whirl.