printer connections

[jas0n]

W2k Single domain over many sites.

We assign printers via a kix logon script based on which site they log
into, this generally works well.

Id like those printer connections deleted when a user shuts down as when
the laptop users move around sites currently they have lots of printers
installed. When you open the printers folder you can see all the
connections back to the printers over the WAN, this is traffic we could
do without. **

** Does this create much traffic? or do they only reach back to the
printers over the WAN when you open the printers folder?

Anyway, how would I delete the printer connections using group policy?
Would a shutdown script be the way? What command would delete the
network printer connections only?

 

[jas0n]

W2k Single domain over many sites.

We assign printers via a kix logon script based on which site they log
into, this generally works well.

Id like those printer connections deleted when a user shuts down as when
the laptop users move around sites currently they have lots of printers
installed. When you open the printers folder you can see all the
connections back to the printers over the WAN, this is traffic we could
do without. **

** Does this create much traffic? or do they only reach back to the
printers over the WAN when you open the printers folder?

Anyway, how would I delete the printer connections using group policy?
Would a shutdown script be the way? What command would delete the
network printer connections only?

I'll probably get chance to test various scripts next week - this weeks
just been too hectic .... so,

Anyone ... ?

 

[Bruce Sanderson]

Network Printer connections have some similarities to persistent mapped
network drives. The printer connection is verfied/re-created when the user
logs on - thus network traffic will be created for each network printer
connection. Whether this is "much" or not will depend on the available
bandwidth over the WAN link.

The /dn option of the rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry command can be used
to delete network printer connections (use the command

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /?

to see all the available options.

The prnmngr.vbs script (described at
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/prnmngr.mspx)
could be used also (use the -d or -x parameter)

Network Printer connections are user specific, not computer specific, so you
would need to delete the Network Printers in a Logoff script, not a Shutdown
script.

If you need additional information, you might try posting in the
microsoft.public.win2000.printing newsgroup.