Remove printer discovery from users or remove printers from being shared across network?

Dustin Keith 1 Reputation point
2020-11-09T16:29:14.16+00:00

I am not sure if this is a configuration that is best done via the Print Server or Group Policy.

We are currently running into software licensing issues with our printers. We have a max amount of printers we can print to with certain software and have being going over our cap. This is caused by some printers having the domain extension after the printer. Example. We install printers with a direct network path of B2Printer on \Srv01. Some users are adding printers by clicking "add a printer" and then clicking on printers in the "network discovery list" to add their printer. When this happens it causes printers to have a different name and technically use up an extra license. Example is - Printer name is B2Printer.domain.microsoft.com on \Srv01.

We would like to keep the capability for users to be able to add their own printers manually via network path. But remove the auto generated printer list. Which I believe may be causing the domain to be added at the end of the printers? I was thinking that maybe the auto-generated printers with added domain at the end might have been created when people click to "share" the printer?... Open for an advice or suggestions on this.

Btw, we are using GP to try and remove the printers with domain suffix, but users keep reinstalling them back. Hence why I am here lol.

Windows
Windows
A family of Microsoft operating systems that run across personal computers, tablets, laptops, phones, internet of things devices, self-contained mixed reality headsets, large collaboration screens, and other devices.
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Windows Server Printing
Windows Server Printing
Windows Server: A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.Printing: Printer centralized deployment and management, scan and fax resources management, and document services
675 questions

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  1. Philippe Levesque 5,796 Reputation points
    2020-11-09T20:08:51.42+00:00

    Hi

    For the printer with the FQDN, did you tried that setting in the registry ?

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print
    (DWORD) ConnectPrintersWithShortNames = 0x1

    But remove the auto generated printer list.

    For that point, the list is generated when you share the printer on your server and select "list in directory" setting, it's what that make that list. If you want to disable that way, just unselect all your printer setting for that and tell your user to naviguate to the server, \svr1 and double-click on any printer they want to install's one.

    Thanks

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  2. Eleven Yu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 10,756 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2020-11-10T06:18:30.03+00:00

    Hi,

    Please try to disable below group policies and see if it can meet your requirement.

    Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers > Add Printer wizard - Network scan page (Managed network)
    Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers > Add Printer wizard - Network scan page (Unmanaged network)

    Thanks,

    Eleven

    If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it. Thanks.

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