Client printer redirection in terminal services

[hoemee]

OK - bear with me......why do I want printer mapping in a terminal services session? One server, windows 2003, FNP, terminal services enabled - 10 laptops using terminal services....

....when users RDP'd in from a remote location, it duplicated all the printers in the session and created these session printers on the server. The problem was that on the laptop, the new default printer (session created), would not allow printing to the remote printer.....

......so, under Terminal Services settings on the server, I disabled Windows Printer mapping.....no session printers created and printing functionality restored - is this OK? Did I create any other issues?

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

Hi, You'd get duplicated printers regardless of where the 'remote' machine was: in the office, or anywhere else...

I have to admit that I haven't done anything with disabling printer mapping (haven't had the need) but it would seem reasonable to presume that disabling it would only impact printing functionality...so if the remote users can print to their local printers, and those in the office can print too, then it should be fine...

Worst case scenario, you can always re-enable it...

[hoemee]

It seems to be working good.....waiting to hear who can't print to their local printer off site.....I think I will be OK, as I don't think any of the users print locally when off site - they mainly want to print out documents to the office. It has cleaned up all those session printeres created as duplicates on the server when they connect........will post back with any anomolies......

[hoemee]

Figured out a little bit more on this.......it depends on what you are actually trying to accomplish and is contigent on remote vs. local scenarios:

Redirection to a local printer on a local network: this scenario is redundant - if using terminal services to run programs on a local network, printer redirection will just make a copy of your locally installed printer, calling it a session printer (and select it as the new default printer). There are usually no issues with this, because both the server and the client computer have the drivers for the printer installed......in this scenario, there is no reason to enable windows printer mapping in the Terminal services manager.....this is how all those session printer are created....if you are using a server as a print server, no need for redirection - the printer is already accessed in the terminal services session and available. It is also available outside of the terminal services session as it is locally installed.

Redirection to a local printer on a remote network: As stated above, if you use windows printer mapping - the terminal services session will create a session copy of your locally installed printers - but here is where the problem begins.....if your locally installed printer is a network printer (IP) and belongs to the local network, you will not be able to print to the session created printer. Disabling windows printer mapping in this scenario is necessary if you want to print something out to the office printer - that us showing up in the RDP, terminal services session.

Now, if you are on a remote network and want to print to a local printer where you are - you will need to install that printer on your machine (locally) - and the drivers for it on the server - and use windows printer mapping - to grab that locally installed printer in the terminal services session.......

......there are various reg edits that may need to be performed for this - such as a dword to make sure that printer redirection takes place on the client machine....depending on os.....and one to make sure that ports are opened on the client machine for all printer redirection - ie, non LPT, USB, etc......

Does this make sense ?

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

I'll need to re-read that when I'm sober...

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

I've just re-read that, although I have just woken up (I'm glad I don't do hangovers, as I seem to have polished off about 800 ml of vodka lastnight!! ) but it seems to make sense...and yes, your local printer wouldn't be available in/on the TS session if the TS server doesn't have the driver installed, as it wouldn't know how to talk to it....

With regards to IP printers, you've reminded me to mention that you need to consider the potential IP conflicts with users' home networks, as you don't want to have confusion or conflicts when users connect - and this is why a lot of companies will us the 10. or 172.[somethingorother]. IP/network (Class A or Class B private IPs) addresses, but if you're only dealing with a relatively small domain/network, then you can just use the Class C IP subnet, but just use something other than 192.168.0.0 or 192.168.1.0 networks as they're the 'normal' ones that are used in domestic LANs... (Personally, as I have a full domain running at home, I happen to use 192.168.69.0 range...but that is me......... )

[Steve R Jones]

I connect to term serv machines all day long AND have two networked (IP) printers and have never had to do anything special.

The big difference is that "Fallback" printing is enabled on the term serv machine(s). Without it enabled, I can only print to the older HP2200.

[hoemee]

What is fallback printing?

[Steve R Jones]

A Quick Google shows

The EXPTA {blog}: Fallback Printer Drivers in RDP and Terminal Server Sessions

A printer driver must be installed on the Terminal Server that matches the driver installed on the local computer. This is problematic, since you can't always be sure which printer is installed on connecting computers. If there is no matching printer driver on the server, the user will be unable to print to that printer within the RDP session.

To handle this issue without having to install tons of drivers on your server, you can tell the server to use a "fallback printer driver." If the exact driver is not installed, the server will offer a fallback PCL or PS driver (or both) to use instead.