Duplicate Printer Names on Macintosh Clients

ID: Q151254

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51

SYMPTOMS

When you create a Windows NT Print Queue for an existing Apple LaserWriter printer with the same name as currently shown in Chooser on the Macintosh clients, a second instance of the printer appears in Chooser if Services for the Macintosh is installed on your Windows NT Server.

NOTE: This problem will not occur if you choose to capture the Appletalk device when setting up the Windows NT printer.


CAUSE

When the Apple LaserWriter Printer is attached directly to the network and not captured by an Appletalk print spooler, it announces its name to all the Macintosh clients so they can select the printer in Chooser. When the Windows NT Server creates a shared printer queue and has Services for the Macintosh installed, the Windows NT server will broadcast the printer name to the Macintosh clients. If the Windows NT printer name is the same as the original printer name, two instances of the printer will appear in Chooser.


RESOLUTION

There are two resolutions depending on the particular situation.

  • To stop broadcasting All Windows NT printers on the AppleTalk network, disable the "Print Server for Macintosh" service using the Services tool in Control Panel.


  • Use the following steps to stop broadcasting SELECTED Windows NT printer(s) on the Appletalk network:


    1. Create a user account called "Macprint".


    2. In Control Panel, open the Services tool, select "Print Server for Macintosh" and click STARTUP.


    3. Set up the Print Server for the Macintosh to Log On As, select "This Account" and select the "Macprint" account you created earlier. Enter the password for this account, and click OK. Close the Services dialog box.


    4. Open the Printers (Print Manager) tool in Control Panel, select the instance of the Apple LaserWriter printer, select Security, and select Permissions.


    5. Add the user account "Macprint" and set the type of access for that user to be "No Access." Click OK.


This will prevent Macintosh clients from seeing, and printing to, the instance of the printer created on the NT server. Macintosh clients would then be printing directly to the printer, and PC clients would be able to print to the same printer by means of Windows NT.

Additional query words: prodnt nthowto sfm

Keywords : ntprint
Version : 3.50 3.51
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: February 19, 1999
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