Deploying Printers

[MatthewL]

I want to deploy shared print queues to various computers but to any user that logs into that computer.

 

I will have at start around 10 queues but each one is to only go to 1 computer.

 

Thoughts are GPO with loop back and item targeting put computer into security group for printer and deploy.

 

Anyone do it differently? There could be many different people logging into the computers so cannot target users directly.

[robjduk]

Many people here will call me mad but I have never been able to get printers deploy reliably via GPO. Using HP's universal driver, I deploy the printer with PDQ using this script...

 

"\\***DRIVER_SHARELINK***\install.exe" /n"***PRINTER_NAME" /sm\\***PRINT_SERVER***\***PRINTER_NAME*** /q /h

 

For PDQ, I have it create a file (something line printername.txt) and have a group setup to look for any computers missing that txt file and control installs that way.

 

Is it a crazy way to install printers? Totally! But it works.

 

Yes, GPO claims you just drop it in and it works but for me in 15 years, it either makes logon time grow while it slowly grabs drivers or it just doesn't bother.

[Sephiroth]

We use PrinterMapper to do this as we had massive issues with doing it through GPO. We could either have it work quickly but about 70% reliably, or have it map all the time but add ~1 minute to user logons every time (done by mapping per user based on group membership).

 

PrintMapper uses the same GPO object that you'd use to map printers to users based on item-level targeting settings. So you set up in GP who gets what, where and when, as deep as you want; don't link that policy object, but point PrintMapper to the XML of the object.

 

We've had that here for about 2 years with no issues at all for over 2000 users, 120 print queues, and 2 campuses.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Sephiroth
Getting the product name right...

[MatthewL]

I have sucessfully got GPO working to do this with security groups for each printer so you can dump the computer account in and it maps it. Still a bit more tweaking and testing but will probably ned up using this as nothing extra is required to be installed and easier to manage than scripts for some of our staff.

[Guest Guest]

We use PrinterMapper to do this as we had massive issues with doing it through GPO. We could either have it work quickly but about 70% reliably, or have it map all the time but add ~1 minute to user logons every time (done by mapping per user based on group membership).

 

PrintMapper uses the same GPO object that you'd use to map printers to users based on item-level targeting settings. So you set up in GP who gets what, where and when, as deep as you want; don't link that policy object, but point PrintMapper to the XML of the object.

 

We've had that here for about 2 years with no issues at all for over 2000 users, 120 print queues, and 2 campuses.

 

We had the same issues, we also switched to PrinterMapper 3 years ago and its worked flawlessly since

[NeoNebula]

I've recently faced a similar issue. So, as an alternative, scripted deployment (like using PowerShell) can be used, but this requires more manual setup and maintenance.And, if you have a print server, consider using its built-in deployment options, though this is typically more user-centric.

[Disease]

We had the same issues, we also switched to PrinterMapper 3 years ago and its worked flawlessly since

 

I ordered it off the linked site yesterday and not received anything through yet which is a bit worrying.

[Guest Guest]

I ordered it off the linked site yesterday and not received anything through yet which is a bit worrying.

 

We had the same issue if I remember rightly. Took a few days to come through

[bigstan48]

Deploying shared printers by GPO seems to work for us.

[Rob_D]

Does anyone just use Computer Config>Windows Settings>Deployed Printers GPO rather than loopback? I've had equal success with both in the past.

[NeoNebula]

I've tried this method, and I can say that through computer configs, it works, and you can resolve the issue by using this method. But as practice shows, it doesn't work for all cases.

[Disease]

I would say to anyone else not to order Print Mapper as I ordered Monday and I have not had a single thing from them not even an acknowledgement, looks like I will have to try and get the money back from PayPal.

[Davit2005]

Although about 7 years back and on Windows 7 we had all the printers on GPO with loopback processing. It was faultless, we even set it up for enrolment and had the printer networked on each desk which was 100 times better than the previous years where it was plugged into one PC on a table and shared to the other PCs. Literally used to create a OU in AD with a GPO for each table (about 20 tables). Put the PC in the OU for the table and it jus worked, no more urgent call outs during enrolment because someone had knocked the power off on a PC sharing the printer or had not switched that PC on :-)

[MatthewL]

Davit2005 I am doing similar but rather than OU I am using targeting and that seems to be working ok.

[NeoNebula]

OMG! That's horrible! I hope you'll get your money back. Also, you can just report them through PayPal, and they won't get your money.

[Disease]

I would say to anyone else not to order Print Mapper as I ordered Monday and I have not had a single thing from them not even an acknowledgement, looks like I will have to try and get the money back from PayPal.

 

Just an update, they contacted me apologized and sent me through a license, they said they were having problems with their email, so all good in the world again!

[MatthewL]

I've done a couple of real life deployments to computers using the GPO loop back way and it works spot on. My plan is to migrate all our USB printers to network and monitor them through our existing PaperCut.

[kennysarmy]

Still using Con2PRT here !

 

https://ss64.com/nt/con2prt.html

[mrbios]

Papercut Print Deploy. Works brilliantly, and highly customisable. Deploy to users, groups, computers, IP ranges etc.

[NeoNebula]

That's awesome news! Good to know they resolve issues this way!