Limit of 10 connections to XP Pro

[playsafe]

Two - Buy a network print server for each printer. These devices will connect to your network, and you won't run into troubles of the limited number of connections. These devices are usually pretty cheap - $50-$100 each - and would cost much less than a server licence for each partition (which is what you'd otherwise need). Something like this is what you're looking for.

If it were my office, I'd go for the print servers. It's a bit more expensive, but it makes the printers independent of any systems in the office.

Yes now I am thinking of implementing ur second option. I do have network cards in some of printers, i would also use them.

Many thanks to all for helping me out.

[nmX.Memnoch]

Do you have an actual Windows Server (2000 Server or Server 2003) box? I assume you're doing some sort of file sharing?

[playsafe]

Do you have an actual Windows Server (2000 Server or Server 2003) box? I assume you're doing some sort of file sharing?

Yes I m running Windows 2003 running on IBM x236 which has AD and working as a file server as well for user map drives.

Does the word "actual" have some specific meaning in your question?

[GrofLuigi]

Hi playsafe,

Check if some of these could help you:

this is my best bet

in case you didn't know something

The following are intended to reduce number of network connections/traffic (or the usual tweaking):

here's one

and another one

or even this

Another idea would be to install another network protocol like Netbeui (if it allows printer sharing over it, I don't know) so Windows wouldn't count those connections (yeah, I know this is a limit of number of users, but you could try).

Hope this helps a bit.

GL

[nmX.Memnoch]

Do you have an actual Windows Server (2000 Server or Server 2003) box? I assume you're doing some sort of file sharing?

Yes I m running Windows 2003 running on IBM x236 which has AD and working as a file server as well for user map drives.

Does the word "actual" have some specific meaning in your question?

By "actual" I meant "not a Windows XP box acting as a server".

My recommendation would be to attach all of the printers directly to the network instead of to a workstation. You'll give each printer an IP address when you do that. Then install the drivers on the Windows Server 2003 box. When you set it up it'll ask if you want to use an existing port or create a new one. Choose to create a new one and select Standard TCP/IP Port. In the dialog put the IP address on the first line and a name for the port on the second line (I generally name the port the same as whatever the share name will be). Once the port is created then installing the printer is the same as installing it on any other Windows PC.

Once you've done that and shared them then you can connect workstations/users to the printers.

[playsafe]

By "actual" I meant "not a Windows XP box acting as a server".

My recommendation would be to attach all of the printers directly to the network instead of to a workstation. You'll give each printer an IP address when you do that. Then install the drivers on the Windows Server 2003 box. When you set it up it'll ask if you want to use an existing port or create a new one. Choose to create a new one and select Standard TCP/IP Port. In the dialog put the IP address on the first line and a name for the port on the second line (I generally name the port the same as whatever the share name will be). Once the port is created then installing the printer is the same as installing it on any other Windows PC.

Once you've done that and shared them then you can connect workstations/users to the printers.

Yes I am using win 2003 as server. I will follow your advise to setup printers. I will just have to buy couple of network cards for printers and i will be ready to go. In meantime I will setup the printers with Network Cards.

One more question for current scenario, When a client Win XP system attached with printer is shut down. Other systems which are using that printer as their default printer slow down extremely, because MS Office products look for printer drivers even when saving or opening files or previewing files. It becomes irritating for users. The only solution i see is to switch temporarily to a fake local printer as default printer. Is there a better solution so that drivers are not searched over network but contained locally?

I hope you understand my question.

Edited July 19, 2007 by playsafe

[nmX.Memnoch]

I understand your question.

It's not because the other workstations are searching for drivers, it's because they're searching for a connection to the printer. That connection isn't there anymore because the workstation is offline. One way to prevent that is to remove the ability for "Users" to shutdown the workstation (this can be done with Group Policy...put the workstations with printers in their own container and apply a "No Shutdown" GPO to them). Of course, that wouldn't prevent them from just holding the power button...but that can be changed in the Power settings on the workstation as well. Unfortunately, it's not nearly as easy to control the Power settings with a GPO so you'd have to change that manually on each workstation (open the Power Options control panel, go to the Advanced tab and change 'When I press the power button on my computer' to 'Do nothing').

There's a million different ways you could handle that. Your best bet is to just get them hung off of the server as soon as you can. It shouldn't be a problem anymore since your server should be running all the time.

[Idontwantspam]

Here's a wonderful solution in my opinion for the office thing. Install PDF Creator and set it as the default printer. Then Office will look for it, and find it there locally always there. That way, there's always a printer driver. Better yet, they can all make PDFs now! (Or if you have Acrobat, then you can use that printer instead, but I'll assume you don't. PDF creator is free, last time I checked.)

[playsafe]

@Idontwantspam

Thanks for your suggestion, This is what i normally do. As with MS Office 2003, a printer is installed. So when the system with printer shuts down, i change the default printer to the MS Office Document Printer. That solves the problem.

Otherwise the users are advised, the last person leaving from a specific section is responsible to shut down the printer system.

@nmX.Memnoch

Thanks for your suggestion as well, certainly I am going to act on your advice of hooking all printers through TCP with server because it is always on.

The problem with applying GPO to restrict user from shutting system is that it will remain on through the night. But in that case i can schedule it to go down late at night.

I have been really helped by you people, Thanks a lot for all your suggestions.

[RJARRRPCGP]

The limit is intended to limit the maximum amount of printers and computers per LAN.

While the limit may not apply to third party HTTP servers, such as Xitami and Apache, it DEFINITELY is intended to prohibit more than 10 printers and computers per LAN!

[nmX.Memnoch]

That's so wrong I don't even know where to begin. It has nothing with limiting how many devices you have on a single network. The limit is there to prevent more than 10 connections to a single computer, period. The limit is intended to keep you from using a Windows XP machine as a file and/or print server on a network with any appreciable amount of devices. You can have as many XP machines on a network as you want without having a file/print server, or even a Domain Controller. You just won't get more than 10 connections to a single XP machine.

Edited August 16, 2007 by nmX.Memnoch