Printing on a W2k network from XP machines

  • Thread starter Thread starter harg7769
  • Start date Start date
H

harg7769

I would appreciate any help with the situation we have here.

Win 2k Server, XP Pro clients all take IP address via DHCP from ISP
router.

Previously, the Win 2k Server handled IP addresses, but when we got
ADSL installed, the ISP router, which came pre-configured now handles
it all

Since that has happened there are a number of machines that cannot
access printers. I have had a look in the event viewer to seeif that
could give me a start, but when I do a search on Microsoft's site
against the Event IDs, they don't really help.

I was able to resolve this previously by adding all the domain users
to the local Administrators group, but I can't even do that now as the
domain isn't listed in the locations.

If I turn on DHCP at the server again, and release/renew all the PCs
so that they get their IP from the server, thereby allowing me to add
the Domain Users to the Local Administrators group, would this resolve
the issue or is there an easier way to go about this?
 
Sounds like the router is not giving IP addresses in the same network as
your network.

Are you printers network (have NIC) or attached to a local machine? It
network how are the IP addresses configured?

What is the DHCP scope on the router? On your DHCP server?
 
OK, I've sort of fixed it, but it still doesn't really help me as I
think there must be an easier way to do this.

The printers are attached to PCs, ie they do not have a NIC. The DHCP
scope on the server was a private 10.0.0.x whilst the router scope is
192.168.254.x

To fix it, I did this:

Assigned a static private IP address to the server again and turned on
DHCP at the server.

Released and renewed on the pcs, logged in again, and added the Domain
Users from the server domain to the Local Administrators group on each
PC.

Stopped and disabled DHCP on the server, re-assigned it an IP address
from the router via DHCP. Re-booted the router.

Logged into each PC and was able to print as normal.

Fortunatel,we have a very small network, and can do that but I would
have thought that a bigger network wouldn't go about it in this
manner.
 
OK, I've sort of fixed it, but it still doesn't really help me as I
think there must be an easier way to do this.

The printers are attached to PCs, ie they do not have a NIC. The DHCP
scope on the server was a private 10.0.0.x whilst the router scope is
192.168.254.x

To fix it, I did this:

Assigned a static private IP address to the server again and turned on
DHCP at the server.

Released and renewed on the pcs, logged in again, and added the Domain
Users from the server domain to the Local Administrators group on each
PC.
Click to expand...

This shouldn't be necessary....it's true that they couldn't run ipconfig
/renew by default, but they could release and then reboot - local admin
rights aren't needed to get a DHCP address (it happens before they log in
anyway). Local admin rights on workstations can be a huge pain as users have
a tendency to play around with stuff they don't understand....and install
every piece of software junk their friends recommend. ;-)
Stopped and disabled DHCP on the server, re-assigned it an IP address
from the router via DHCP. Re-booted the router.
Click to expand...

You really want to use DHCP on your server instead. I'd disable DHCP on the
router.
Logged into each PC and was able to print as normal.

Fortunatel,we have a very small network, and can do that but I would
have thought that a bigger network wouldn't go about it in this
manner.
Click to expand...

On a bigger network it's also possible that someone would've disabled DHCP
on the DSL router by default & always run DHCP from the server ;-)
 
Back
Top