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How do I enable printer location tracking?
John Savill
May 17, 2000
2 Min Read
A. Printer location tracking, when enabled, allows Windows 2000 tocalculate a location based on the users subnet and fills in the Location field.
When a user searches for a printer, Windows 2000 uses the specified location (and other search criteria) to find a printer nearby. You can also use this policy to direct users to a particular printer or group of printers that you want them to use.
If you disable this policy, or do not configure it, and the user does not enter a location as a search criteria, Windows 2000 searches for a nearby printer based on the IP address and subnet mask of the user's computer.
To use printer location tracking you must have the following:
Active Directory must be installed on the network
There must be more than one site and subnet
The IP addressing scheme must match the network physical layout within reason
Client computers must be able to query via LDAP 2 or later
Each site must be on a separate subnet
Each subnet must have have its own subnet object in the Active Directory
To enable perform the following:
Start the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in (Start - Programs - Administrative Tools - Active Directory Users and Computers)
Right click on the domain and select Properties
Select the Group Policy tab
Select the 'Default Domain Policy' object and click Edit
Expand Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - Printers
Double click 'Pre-populate printer search location text'
Click here to view imageSelect Enable and click Apply then OK
Close the Group Policy and the MMC snap-in
You then need to set a location for each printer:
Select properties for the printer
Enter a location
Click Apply then OK
To test try and find a printer and a new browse button will be available andyour location found!
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