Mac Printing to a Windows Shared Printer

Owned by Marc Miller
Last updated: Sept 10, 2018
2 min read

Purpose

How to configure a Mac to be able to Print to a Windows Shared Printer on Campus...

Requirements

  • Windows Computer configured to provide LPD Printer support
  • Mac having the appropriate Printer Drivers for the Printer.

Optional

  • Suggested - Windows Firewall set with following:
    • Inbound Rules
      • File and Printer Sharing Rules (Multiple)
        • Scope on all enabled rules
          • Remote IP Address should only have IPs or IP Ranges that you want to allow printing for.

Example:

Campus restriction:

128.111.0.0/16

Campus Wireless:

169.231.0.0/16

Windows

LPD Print Service

This needs to be enabled on the Windows computer.

To set this, do the following:

  1. Click on Start
  2. Type Windows Features and hit Enter
  3. Find Print and Document Services
  4. Expand and check LPD Print Service
  5. Click OK
  6. Restart computer when prompted.

Get IP or Hostname of Machine

This is needed so we can add the printer on the Mac via IP.

Printer

Printer that should be shared needs to be set... To do this...

  1. Click on Start
  2. Type Printer and select Printers and Devices or Printers & scanners
  3. Select the printer in question
  4. Pull up the printer properties
  5. Select the Sharing tab
  6. Check Share this printer
  7. Set share name of printer. NOTE: The Share name is the Queue name that you will use for the Mac side.
  8. Click OK to save.

Mac

Driver

It is important to download the driver for the printer on the Mac if you wish to use special features of the printer, such as Duplexing (Back to back) printing.

Otherwise, you may want to pick Generic PCL Driver for most printer coverage.

Printer

To add the printer:

  1. Pull up System Preferences
  2. Select Printers & Scanners
  3. Select IP
  4. Type in address of computer sharing the printer in Address
  5. Leave Protocol on Line Printer Daemon - LPD
  6. Set Queue to the Printer Share name set on the PC.
  7. Set Name to something easier to remember the printer for.
  8. Set Use to Select Software... and choose the printer it is. Otherwise, set it to Generic PCL Printer if you don't want to use the special features of the printer.
  9. Click Add to add the printer.


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