Printer properties - ports

[Andy]

I hope this is an easy question for you folks to answer.

When I look on a workstation at the printers and right click and select
properties, one of the options is "Ports". What is the significance of the
ports. It says that it prints to the first checked port in the list. My
first question is why I can only select one port? Why are there different
ports available for each printer?

Here are the settings for two different printers:

This one prints directly to the printer (192.168.2.50):
1 - \\GP335\Print - Type: Canon GP300-405 PCL; Where: \\gp335\print

Port: (ticked) - \\gp335\print
Type: Local Port Printer: Print


This one prints through the server ("orange")
2 - \\orange\Canon GP335PCL 5e - Type: Canon GP335 PCL 5e; Where:
\\gp335\print

Port (not ticked): IP_192.168.2.50
Description: Standard TCP/IP Port Printer: Canon GP335 PCL 5e
Port: (ticked) \\gp335\print
Description: Local Port Printer: Canon GP335 PCL 5e


As you can see, both printers have the same port selected and yet one prints
direct to the printer and one prints through the server.
Why is this?

Can anyone help me? I'm new at this game?
Thanks
Andrew

 

[Phillip Windell]

When I look on a workstation at the printers and right click and select
properties, one of the options is "Ports". What is the significance of the
ports. It says that it prints to the first checked port in the list.

It prints to the *only* checked port. You can enable only one.

first question is why I can only select one port? Why are there different
ports available for each printer?

It is possible to have multiple printers on the same port. It is also
possible to move an existing printer to a different port wthout having to
reinstall the printer,...hence the "checkbox list".

 

[Andy]

Thanks Phillip.

Any ideas why when I use one installed printer drivers for the GP335 it
prints directly and yet when I use the other installed printer driver for
the GP335 it prints through the server, even though they are both using a
port called \\gp335\print?

Andy

 

[Phillip Windell]

If they are using the same port, then they are printing the same way.