- Printing from a PC outside domain
- Posted by JohnBates on March 25th, 2008
I have a situation where we have 3 production stations that all have their
own domains and on each there is a Printer attached to one of the PC's and
shared. I have 1 mobile station that has a single PC on it that is used by
each of the 3 prodution stations as needed. It is a stand alone workstation
not joined to any of the 3 domains but...
They occasionally need to print from the mobile station which has no printer
of it's own. Is it possible to print from a computer that is not part of a
domain to a printer that is part of a domain?
If it helps - all 3 of the production stations are clones of each other
including IP schemes. The mobile station has a static IP that is within the
IP schema for the production stations so TCP/IP communication already works
fine.
- Posted by JohnB on March 25th, 2008
If their static IP address is in the same subnet, why not do direct IP
printing? Just create a port with the IP address of the printer in Printers
and Faxes.
"JohnBates" <JohnBates@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C2FEBF5D-C655-42EE-9D2C-3DF00D8F8D7C@microsoft.com...
- Posted by JohnBates on March 25th, 2008
Well that is an idea but the printers are not network printers they are
attached via old fashioned LPT cable to one pc in the station and that
station shares the printer.
"JohnB" wrote:
- Posted by Pegasus \(MVP\) on March 25th, 2008
"JohnBates" <JohnBates@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C2FEBF5D-C655-42EE-9D2C-3DF00D8F8D7C@microsoft.com...
The domain membership is irrelevant. What counts is
a) Can the machines be reached using the IP protocol?
b) Do they have the same account names / passwords?
- Posted by JohnB on March 25th, 2008
Sorry, I didn't read that part.
If you open Windows explorer and enter \\computerName (from one of the WS)
does it show the printer share?
If you double-click on it, Windows should try and "add" it. I will most
likely prompt you for a username/password. Try a local account from that PC
(the one with the printer).
"JohnBates" <JohnBates@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B26A264D-3E07-4365-BBBC-DF3088CEB6B1@microsoft.com...
- Posted by JohnBates on March 26th, 2008
The domain PC that has the printer has no local user accounts save the admin.
Also the seperate workstation accounts are different from the domain
accounts. However I could create a printer user local to the PC the printer
is attached to. I'll try that and let you know.
"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
- Posted by Pegasus \(MVP\) on March 26th, 2008
"JohnBates" <JohnBates@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9E208C4C-E10C-4C56-B362-1B6ED9F0B103@microsoft.com...
You could do this or else you could create an account on the
separate workstation that matches a domain account - perhaps
a low-level account used exclusively for printing.
- Posted by JohnBates on March 26th, 2008
I created a new user on the domain called: printer with a set password and it
certainly works but each user has to add the printer manually. Is there a
way to add it to everyone automatically or do I need to write a script to
connect to it at logon? And could you point me to an article or thread
illustrating how to do that =)
"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
- Posted by Pegasus \(MVP\) on March 26th, 2008
Are you asking about how to add the "printer" account
to each machine or how to install this printer on each PC?
"JohnBates" <JohnBates@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3E9252DF-81A5-42AC-9B27-F5D9E5F9958D@microsoft.com...
- Posted by JohnBates on March 26th, 2008
I'm asking how to add this printer automatically for each user on the mobile
workstation. There are about 30 user accounts on it and I have successfully
added the printer to my workstation profile using the "printer" account I
created on the domain. However each user will have to do this or I will have
to do it for them. A local logon script at the mobile workstation to add the
printer would be best.
"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
- Posted by Pegasus \(MVP\) on March 26th, 2008
You could try this command:
rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /ga /n \\server\printername
Since it works for all users, you could run the command
from your console, using psexec.exe.
"JohnBates" <JohnBates@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:39D5C0EB-4B53-4415-9464-A9CC186A5614@microsoft.com...
- Posted by JohnBates on March 26th, 2008
I'll check that out and let you know. Thanks for your help!
"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
- Posted by JohnBates on March 26th, 2008
Per your hint I also found the printui.dll and it looks very promising!
"JohnBates" wrote:
- Posted by JohnBates on March 26th, 2008
Well it didn't quite work. The problem is that while the printer connection
shows up the printer is inaccessible because the users have not authenticated
to the PC sharing the device.
Would it be possible to write a logon script that connects to the printer
connection as user: printer pass: abc123 and then connects?
While I could have them authenticate the less I leave in the end users hands
the better.
"JohnBates" wrote:
- Posted by JohnBates on March 27th, 2008
Well I think this will work after using the command you referred me to it
works for that sessions after I enter the credentials. On the next login it
shows access denied as the connection is not established. Going to launch
this script as part of the login at the mobile workstation:
Set objLocator = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWbemLocator")
Set objService = objLocator.ConnectServer _
("<station_name>", "root\cimv2", "<username>", "<password>")
"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
