Comments on: Default printer per computer

By: corkill

corkill — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 10:44:05 +0000

What we have done is to utilize the “Location” field in AD for both printers and computer objects. Then as part of our user logon script the script look at the computers “Location” and then queries AD for a printer that matches the same Location. (You could do this as a computer start up script also.) This allows us to change printer assignments on the fly, with just a log in/log out to see the changes. This also does not require us to visit each physical workstation, it’s all done in AD. So as more printers are added to the environment you simply segment up the building more. This takes some scripting and ADSI knowledge, but works very well for us.

By: gforsythe

gforsythe — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 09:53:00 +0000

Please forgive my ignorance. I understand what you are asking me to do, however, I have done nothing with Group Policy (I know, shame on me). I have been looking into it a bit, can anyone give me a step by step guide on what I need to do?

I have done this:
Created a file named print patten.bat and placed it into c:batch. I copy pasted the script into it and changed the printer to the name of the serverprinter in AD(serverprinter).

I am learning alot from this already!!!

By: jimtrouble

jimtrouble — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 04:39:32 +0000

All you have to do then is add that script as a computer startup script in Group Policy and thats your problem solved. Each time the PC starts it will install the nearest printer you have specifed in the script and then set it as def, so no matter what user logs on they are pointing to the nearest printer.
You should create a seperate script for each printer and a seperate GPO for each script.
I have done this in a network of 160 PC’s and it works a treat.
Just disable the GPO whenever the printer has been installed on each PC to speed startup times.
Let me know how u go…

By: gforsythe

gforsythe — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 13:18:07 +0000

Correct me if i am wrong, this would install the same printer and set it default wherever a particular person logged in. I want to set a default printer for anyone who logs onto the particular computer to print, by default, to a particular printer. So if I have a person that usually works on computer 1 can logon to computer 2 and have the printer already setup, or if that person goes from site A to site B and logs onto a computer, the local printer to that computer will already be default when they log in.

A solution my require me to do alot of leg work, accessing each PC, that is ok, I only have about 55 pc’s. I need to tie specific computers to specific printers, as a default printing ability, so that no matter what, when a person sits at that computer for the first time and logs in, they can print to the nearest printer (that I setup) without having to do ANY configurations.