Server 2k8 RDP printing Problem

Hi,

I installed windows server 2008 standard edition as one of my servers. I can remote desktop the server without a problem but can not print on any workstation. I'm unable to see ant printers that are connected to the workstation both local and network printers. Is there anything That I need to do so i can be able to print. I've tried on both windows xp and windows 7

Hi
Have you installed any of the printer drivers on the server as a network printer. Also, make sure your printer is connected to the LAN to which the server belongs, otherwise you won't be able to send any printing instructions to the printer, if it is locally connected to any workstation. So make sure of the following:

1) The printer is connected to the LAN to which the server and the workstations belong. I am assuming that this printer is network enabled i.e. has a LAN interface NIC.

2 If you can confirm the above, then make sure the printer drivers are installed on the server as a 'network printer'

I'm confused you installed 2008 and all of a sudden no workstations can print? Or you installed 2008 and its a file and print server but your clients cannot print using the new server as it's print server?

If its option 2.

Check you firewall on the 2008 server.

When you install print drivers to this print server you will want to install 2008, win 7, and xp drivers. Your client will pick the correct one.

When you do \\servername\ you don't see the printers? Or does it say its not accessible or something?

Make sure the Print Services Role is installed.

Hi,
Sorry I wasnt very clear, The clients o the network can print without a problem. The problem is when I connect to a widows server 2008 via rdp to print something,, I cannot see any printer that are conjnect to the pc that i use to connect to the server. I've tried to connect using different pc's but its all the same. I hope im clear now

Oh ok, now it's a bit clearer. Can you ensure the 'Printers' check box is ticked under the 'Local Resources' tab of Remote Desktop Connection. If that is not there, then the server might not be able to view any local printers attached to the client pc used. This is actually called 'Printer Redirection'.

Once you have managed to make your local printers visible under the Printers section on your remote server, you need to do a bit more configuration on the server as well. When you select the visible printers on the server, check the ports section of the printer, which should display the relevant port to connect to the local client machine. It will show up as something like TS00x where x will be anything from 1 - n depending on number printers installed on the local machine. Select the appropriate port and you should be good to go.

Let us know how it went after you have done all the above checks.

Ok so were talking about the RDP printer redirection I think. Where local printers on the clients machine appear on the 2008 machine when you login.

Couple quick things.

mstsc.exe make sure of course under local resources you have printers selected. You also have to enable this setting on the 2008 server rd session host configuration on admin tools. Right click on RDP-Tcp and on the client settings tab make sure windows printer is NOT selected.

Also printer redirection requires you to have the printer driver loaded on the 2008 server. I typically login as an admin user then add every printer in my organization. Once its loaded on 1 account then the drivers are loaded. You may have to d/l all of these drivers your self since you may be using xp or 2003 drivers.

Windows 2008 r2 has a cool feature called easy print which I guess requires no drivers on the server side. It truly redirects all printing actions back to the client and the client actually does the printing so there is no need to load all of these drivers on the server.

I haven't used this feature yet personally hopefully soon I will enable it. I already loaded all my drivers so there was no need to test it as of now.