Print Mgmt / GPO Comp Pref Clarification

[Ripleys]

Hi Folks,

 

I'm looking for some clarification here.

 

I'm looking into tidying/revamping how our IP printers function. Going back a while now, the way IP printers were installed on to our PCs we're done manually. Add Printer > IP > target drivers from network share.

 

I have added all printers into one of our servers Print Management consoles. I have also added the network printers into our DNS records. All printers have been set up to go through the server rather than printing directly to the printer.

 

I have GPO Computer Preferences set up to install TCP/IP printers (tried both using DNS and IPv4 address) to the computers within the classrooms. Appears to be working fine so far. Now, I try and perform various test prints and test documents to the printers; they print, but when I check the Printers Job Queue on Print Mgmt Console there is nothing appearing.

 

I feel as though I have cocked up somewhere here. I thinking it could be down to ports??? Trying to search online gives me tuts on how to set them up either through Print Management using Policy based or GPO using preference based. I can write up a set by step of what I've done if it'll help pin point where I messed up.

 

Cheers

[Ripleys]

I believe I may have solved it. At first I had Computer Preference / TCP/IP Printer which was using default port settings. I changed the whole thing to Local Printer and added the printer share as the Port. Print jobs now show up in the Print Management Console.

 

Am I right in assuming that the fact it was using TCP/IP that it just completely bypasses the server? Whereas with using the printershare as the port it's going to the server first?