Local Printer in Remote Desktop

  • Thread starter Thread starter jasharpe
  • Start date Start date
J

jasharpe

When I connect from my Windows XP workstation to a
Windows 2003 server via Remote Desktop I cannot see my
locally attached printer. All my XP network printers
show but my local printer is not there. Does anyone know
how to print to the locally attached printer from a
Remote Desktop session?
 
Have you selected printer redirection when you configure Remote Desktop? Go to the "Local
Resources -> Local devices" section when you open the "Options" tab on the RD connectoid...

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Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the mutual benefit of all of us...
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Yes, and it redirects all my network printers that I have
configured on my local PC but it will not redirect my
locally attached (LPT1) printer.

-----Original Message-----
Have you selected printer redirection when you configure
Click to expand...
Remote Desktop? Go to the "Local
Resources -> Local devices" section when you open
Click to expand...
the "Options" tab on the RD connectoid...group for the mutual benefit of all of us...
 
Remote Desktop redirects the port, rather than the printer.

The host machine then must have available an appropriate printer driver for
the remote (client) printer.

LPT ports are redirected by default, so I think you are OK there. The next
hurdle is having the printer driver available at the host end.

Check the system event logs on the host machine around times of RD session
connection and look for error messages indicating a lack of driver. Install
the driver on the host.

You can do this remotely, getting the driver from the printer makers web
site. I typically install the most minimal possible across-the-network sort
of driver, set to print to LPT1.

Once the "printer" has been installed, you can highlight the printer in the
printers folder, and delete it. When prompted whether to also delete the
files involved, say NO.

You should then be able to print fine to the remote client printer, while
not having the printer cluttering up the printers folder at the host end.

If the host is a server, proceed with extreme caution, using only signed
drivers certified for the server OS by the printer manufacturer.
 
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