Adding a windows network printer connected via USB to the server

Question

Level 1

0 points

Adding a windows network printer connected via USB to the server

I am unable to add a printer that is connected to the Windows Network at work. The printer is connected via USB to the server. When I plug into an ethernet port at the office and open the Printer Setup Utility on my Mac I then click Add. The Printer Browser window comes up but the printer doesn't show up. So I click More Printers, then I select Windows Printers on the pull-down menu, then I choose Network Neighborhood under the Workgroup pull down menu. I then select my workgroup and click choose. I then see the name of the server. So I highlight the server and click choose. It then wants to add the server as a printer. Does anybody know what I need to do in order to add the printer connected to the server to my list of printers on my MAC. On a side note, my MAC did recognize a printer on our network that we assigned an IP address to. I'm just not able to add the printer connected via USB to the Server. Thanks

2007 iMac 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Oct 2, 2007 5:05 PM

Reply

Answer 1

PAHU

Level 6

16,705 points

Oct 2, 2007 5:17 PM in response to imacwagner

imacwagner wrote:
I am unable to add a printer that is connected to the Windows Network at work. The printer is connected via USB to the server. When I plug into an ethernet port at the office and open the Printer Setup Utility on my Mac I then click Add. The Printer Browser window comes up but the printer doesn't show up.

It won't appear. You have to manually add it as you did next...

So I click More Printers, then I select Windows Printers on the pull-down menu, then I choose Network Neighborhood under the Workgroup pull down menu. I then select my workgroup and click choose. I then see the name of the server. So I highlight the server and click choose. It then wants to add the server as a printer.

If the server really is a Windows server OS, then I would expect that you will have to enter a username and password to see the shares on that computer. If you double-click on the server name, do you see a window prompting you to authenticate? What OS is running on the Windows PC?

Message was edited by: PAHU

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 2, 2007 5:48 PM in response to imacwagner

Just to be clear. The printer is connected to a Windows server via USB (as opposed to a Mac server). Is the printer shared in windows? Sort of a duh question, but just trying to get everything straight. I also ask, because you can connect a printer to a server, but not make it available on the network.
So assuming it is shared, you would need to make sure that you have privileges to the printer. And finally, how do you authenticate to the Windows server - via AD/SMB, or some sort of OD/AD combination?

Jeff

Reply

Answer 3

imacwagner Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 12, 2007 6:27 AM in response to PAHU

The Server is a windows server, running Microsoft Windows Server 2003. When I double click on the server name (Fsa is what it is named). I then get a screen that says "Connect to the printer "Fsa" as:
Then it asks for name and password.

This is the problem. Fsa is not a printer. Fsa is the name of the server that the printer is connected to via USB. Additionally, when I put in the normal user name and password that I use to connect to the server the printer still doesn't appear.

Reply

Answer 4

imacwagner Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 12, 2007 6:32 AM in response to Jeff Kelleher

Yep. The printer is connected via USB to a windows server (running Microsoft Windows Server 2003). The printer IS shared in windows. I have added the printer to the other Windows workstations in the office. However, I am unable to add the printer or see the printer when I try to add it to my iMac workstation.

As far as how I authenticate to the Windows server, I'm not quite sure what AD/SMB OD/AD means. Basically to gain access to the server and the files on it, using my MAC I use Finder, then I click Network. Then I select the workgroup. Then I select the Server Name. Then I click Connect and then I get the screen that says Select the SMB/CIFS shared volume you want to connect to. Then I select the shared hard drive on the server.

Reply

Answer 5

PAHU

Level 6

16,705 points

Oct 13, 2007 2:39 AM in response to imacwagner

imacwagner wrote:
...when I put in the normal user name and password that I use to connect to the server the printer still doesn't appear.

Since it is not visible, then there is either something amiss with the printer sharing, or something with the account you are using to authenticate that does not make the printer visible. If the Server is part of a domain, then you may find that you are authenticating as a local user rather than a domain user, and that could be why the printer share is not visible. Could be worth trying to authenticate with the domain name followed by the account name, such as domain\user. Otherwise check the sharing setup on the server and possibly add the local account that you are using for the Mac.

Reply

Answer 6

imac007

Level 3

845 points

Oct 14, 2007 11:59 PM in response to imacwagner

Mac OS X: Cannot locate a shared Windows printer
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301397

Printing to a Windows (Samba) shared printer from a Mac
http://www.mac-connect.com/smbprintmac.php

Reply

Answer 7

imac007

Level 3

845 points

Oct 15, 2007 12:12 AM in response to imacwagner

The article for Printing to a Windows (Samba) shared printer from a Mac is showing the 10.3 version of the printer setup windows.
In 10.4 you need can click on Finder in the dock.
The Go>Utilities>Printer Setup Utility>Add
Now hold down on the option/alt key and click on More Printers
Now go to the top dropdown menu in the window and choose Advanced from the bottom of the list.
Now from the device dropdown menu choose Windows Printer via SAMBA.

Reply