Renaming NETWORK Printers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Walt
  • Start date Start date
W

Walt

Is there any way to rename a NETWORK printer?

In Printers and Faxes, I can right-click on a local
printer, and be offered "rename" as an option.

However, if I right-click on a network printer, there
is no "rename" option. :(

I would really like to be able to rename, or nick name,
the network printers. I just can't remember if the
printer with a network name like "axd86d9zz1" is the
color printer, or the large 11x17 b&w printer. When I
try to print in an application, it would be a whole lot
easier if I had a selection called "color printer"
rather than "axd86d9zz" in the pull-down list.

Does anyone know a way to do this????
 
Thanks, but unfortunately, that isn't my computer. It
is a network server, and I am sure that these network
names mean something special, and significant, to the
IS support people.

I was just hoping that XP had a way of using a name
that was significant to me. Win 9x allowed to you
name networked printers anything you wanted, and
you just had to associate that with the right
fully qualified network name for the printer as
a separate step. Win 9x didn't attempt to ASSUME
a relationship between the local printer's name and
its network address.

Ah, Win 9x once again proves its superiority. :)
 
I have tested this and found that in fact the right click will not offer
'rename' but if you select properties from the same menu, you can then
rename it. The only problem then is that the current printer will no longer
be valid but that can be corrected by opening the shared printer from 'My
Network Places' and select 'View workgroup computers' from the Network
Tasks. Open the Workgroup computer found on this page that holds the shared
printer and look for the printer you wish to use. By simply double clicking
on it will force WindowsXP to Auto discover this printer and it will now
have the new name you just given it a minute ago. This will only work on
WindowsXP system.


Give it a try and let me know if it worked.
 
What your instructions do is to actually rename the printer on the computer
where it is a local printer.

When you open the Properties of a Network Printer, you are looking at the
properties as known on the print server (computer that has the printer as a
Local Printer).

With Windows 2000 and later, Network Printers do not get a "printer object"
on the client computers, just a reference (connection) to the printer share.

If you are an administrator on the computer that has the printer as a Local
Printer, you can adjust the properties of that printer, including its name.
This allows for simple, remote administration of printers on print servers.

If you are not an administrator on the print server computer (normally the
case in a business or corporate network), you can not change any of the
properties of the printer.

Because a Network Printer does not have a "printer object" there is nothing
to rename on the client.
 
Thanks Bruce. I suspected that this was too easy :) Sorry Walt....you just
going to have to do it the hard way...convince your admin to change the
name.
 
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