How to set up a print server on Windows Server 2003 - No Active Directory

Hi!

We need to set up a Windows 2003 as a print server and the printers are
shared on WinXP Workstations.
There are no Active Directory Server.

Is it possible? Can someone direct me to some howto or describe the steps I
need to do?

I shared the printer on the Workstation and i can print directly from the
server that should be the print server.
Then, I shared that printer on the server and mapped from another
workstation. When i send a print job, I get error 5, Access denied on Event
view.

Thankyou in advance.

FM

Fabio Martins <support.ms@fabiomartins.net> wrote:
> Hi!
>
> We need to set up a Windows 2003 as a print server and the printers
> are shared on WinXP Workstations.
> There are no Active Directory Server.

If you have more than a tiny handful of workstations, install & configure AD
and join all machines to the domain. Your life will be much, much easier.
>
> Is it possible?

Yes, of course.

> Can someone direct me to some howto or describe the
> steps I need to do?
>
> I shared the printer on the Workstation and i can print directly from
> the server that should be the print server.

That isn't relevant here ....

> Then, I shared that printer on the server and mapped from another
> workstation. When i send a print job, I get error 5, Access denied on
> Event view.
>
> Thankyou in advance.
>
> FM

You do not share a printer on a workstation if you're planning to use a
centralized print server. You can't "re-share" a shared printer.

All your printers should have Ethernet ports (be natively networkable) if
you want to do this.
Install them on the server using standard TCP/IP ports and the correct
drivers from the mfr.
Share them
Connect users to the shares

AD really has nothing to do with this - but my comments above stand.

> We need to set up a Windows 2003 as a print server and the printers are
> shared on WinXP Workstations.
> There are no Active Directory Server.

Ok, here's the important question, why do you want to do this?

Each workstation sharing a printer has it's own print spooler running.

What would a central print spooler do for you? What problem are you looking
to solve?

> Then, I shared that printer on the server and mapped from another
> workstation. When i send a print job, I get error 5, Access denied on
> Event view.

I'm guessing it has everything to do with not using Active Directory. When
using AD you have the ability for services (like the spooler) to make use of
permissions that are shared and accessible across all machines joined to the
domain. When you use only workstation security it becomes a big hassle
trying to make sure each user and service has the right credentials needed
to access the resources. The trouble is "userA" on "workstationA" isn't the
same as "userA" on "workstationB", nor are any groups setup that way. You
have a real housekeeping nightmare trying to make sure each "user" and
"group" contains the correct one. When you use AD that housekeeping is done
for you. You can setup a share and tell it which groups have access and be
done with it. No additional housekeeping is necessary when you create new
users or change their passwords.

For what reasons are you not running a domain?

-Bill Kearney

Bill Kearney <wkearney99@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> We need to set up a Windows 2003 as a print server and the printers
>> are shared on WinXP Workstations.
>> There are no Active Directory Server.
>
> Ok, here's the important question, why do you want to do this?
>
> Each workstation sharing a printer has it's own print spooler running.
>
> What would a central print spooler do for you? What problem are you
> looking to solve?

I can't answer for the OP but a central print server is nice when you want
to centrally manage your printers.
>
>> Then, I shared that printer on the server and mapped from another
>> workstation. When i send a print job, I get error 5, Access denied on
>> Event view.
>
> I'm guessing it has everything to do with not using Active Directory.

I don't think so. It really sounds like the printer in question is not being
installed as a local printer on the W2003 server - he was trying to re-share
a *network* printer.


> When using AD you have the ability for services (like the spooler) to
> make use of permissions that are shared and accessible across all
> machines joined to the domain. When you use only workstation
> security it becomes a big hassle trying to make sure each user and
> service has the right credentials needed to access the resources.

Yes, but I'm presuming he has security configured such that the workstation
users can access shared *data* folders on the server already. It can be
done. It sucks, and I agree that AD is nearly always a good fit, but this
can be done.

> The trouble is "userA" on "workstationA" isn't the same as "userA" on
> "workstationB", nor are any groups setup that way. You have a real
> housekeeping nightmare trying to make sure each "user" and "group"
> contains the correct one. When you use AD that housekeeping is done
> for you. You can setup a share and tell it which groups have access
> and be done with it. No additional housekeeping is necessary when
> you create new users or change their passwords.

Amen, brother.
>
> For what reasons are you not running a domain?
>
> -Bill Kearney