Disable Remote Desktop Easy Print Driver: A very common situation we’ve seen when we use Remote Desktop Services, and try to print to a Local Printer, the results are not aligned, gibberish, etc. In most of the cases, the reason is the printer driver used by the remote desktop services to accomplish the print job. By default, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012 are equipped with Remote Desktop Easy Print Drivers. When the printer is redirected, it used the default RDEP Drivers to map the printer. This driver supports variety of printers. Also, allows you to printer in most of the cases. However, in situation like above, you may want to disable Remote Desktop Easy Print Driver.
If you do not want to use the RDEP drivers on the remote desktop, there are multiple ways to accomplish the task, like disabling Remote Desktop Easy Print from Group Policy. For: Server 2008, Server 2012, or by installing the required drivers on the Remote Desktop Server.
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Location to Group Policy: Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Printer Redirection
Edit the following group policy objects to make Easy printing as the second priority.
Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Printer Redirection\Use Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver first
– Disable
User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Printer Redirection\Use Terminal Services Easy Print printer driver first
– Disable
You have to do this on all remote desktop host servers if you have a farm. This will make Easy printer driver use as the second option, it will not going to disable easy printing.
Alternate way to avoid the use of Remote Desktop Easy Print Driver:
To my experience, the easiest is to install the exact same driver [if available] on the server. If you can find the same driver and install it on the server, it will always use the Printer Driver instead of using Remote Desktop Easy Print Driver. This task is fairly easy to achieve.
- Go to Printer manufacturer’s website, and locate the printer.
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Download the driver for the Server version you are connecting to.
3.Ensure that you are downloading the exact same version of the driver [PCL, PS, etc] that your desktop is running. You may also consider using another driver for desktop if the same is not available for the server. Note: Please note this procedure will require the exact same driver. If you PC says your driver is Universal Driver, than the driver once installed on the server should also say the exact same name, including the text case [upper and lower]. Please see the screenshot below as an example.
- Extract the drivers if not already done.
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Open Devices and printers.
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Select any device from the list, and click on “Print Server Properties” on the top of the window.
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Click on the Drivers tab, and click on Add.
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Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the install.
Once done, you need to disconnect from the server, and connect again to check. If the printer doesn’t appear, check the Event Viewer to locate any Printer Redirection related event under Application Logs. The event log will show you the reason why it did not connect with the printer.
I hope this article is helpful. Please feel free to reply with your comments, or post your query here if you still need help.
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The remote desktop protocol [RDP] is a popular way for companies to provide their employees with a consistent computing experience. Even though “remote” is in its name, RDP isn’t just for telecommuters and mobile users. Many enterprise organizations use RDP exclusively because it’s easier to manage and more scalable.
Unfortunately, RDP and enterprise printing don’t always see eye to eye. That’s because remote desktop printing is kind of abstracted from the situation on the ground. Whereas users simply have a nearby printer that they want to print to, their actual computing session is hosted on a distant server. To bring the local printer into the current session, it has to be manually mapped or automatically redirected.
In predictable, vanilla environments, these methods mostly work well enough for remote desktop printing. Where things get tricky is when you introduce specialized third-party software or a dynamic user pool. That can cause the number of printer support tickets to skyrocket, adding to IT headache.
The fundamental weaknesses of RDP printing
As a quick analogy, think of conventional computing like talking to someone in the same room. RDP, by contrast, is more like talking to someone over the telephone. That phone conversation is subject to all kinds of interference—static on the line, audio latency or a dropped call.
In RDP, the wide area network [WAN] is like the telephone line. The WAN is the vital communication link between the local workstation and the server that’s hosting the session. If network traffic is heavy [something large print files contribute to], the WAN becomes a bottleneck. The entire computing experience can suffer as a result.
In worst-case scenarios, the WAN can be a single point of failure that interrupts the RDP session. Beyond causing disruptions to remote desktop printing, that can result in widespread downtime.
Printer redirection and issues with printers not showing
On top of potential WAN problems, there’s printer redirection. In enterprise printing circles, this is a standard method for making printers available to RDP clients. But it also creates a lot of opportunity for things to go wrong. The most common outcome is the printer not showing in the remote session.
Briefly, what happens during printer redirection is that the server acquires a list of printers on the local client at the start of the RDP session. Then a print queue is created. As print jobs enter that queue, the local client cross-checks for compatible print drivers on the server.
If there’s a hiccup or a glitch at any point during this multi-step process, you’ve got a printer support issue on your hands. Generally speaking, the first step—acquiring the list of printers—is often the most finicky.
- If printers aren’t identified as ‘Local devices and resources’ in the Remote Desktop Connection settings, the server will ignore them, and they won’t appear in the session.
- They also might not appear unless the ‘Ports’ option is checked under the same settings [click the ‘More…’ button].
- Keep in mind that you can configure both of these properly but still have a missing printer if the correct driver isn’t installed and given a matching name on the RDP server.
- The same vanishing act can happen if the server settings override the local client settings. Make sure those client-server settings are in sync. See below for instructions on how to do that in Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019.
What’s changed in Windows Server 2016 and 2019?
The printer redirection process hasn’t changed much in Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 compared to their earlier counterparts. Which means that they’re still prone to many of the same remote desktop printing issues as older versions.
What has changed is that RDP settings are configured under Group Policy in Windows Server 2016 and 2019. Group Policy is notorious for complicating printer support, and this is unfortunately no exception. Admins will need to:
- Open the gpedit.msc file
- Navigate to the ‘Printer Redirection’ option under ‘Remote Desktop Session Host’
- Then adjust the remote desktop printing settings accordingly.
Another thing to double check is the server-side printer drivers. While Microsoft did try to improve [or just sidestep] longstanding driver shortcomings in Windows Server 2016 and again in Windows Server 2019, admins will still need to vet their drivers for compatibility with their printer fleet and their wider enterprise printing setup.
Solve remote desktop printing frustration
Instead of rooting through buried printer-sharing options and Group Policy settings, you could make the leap to PrinterLogic.
Through its robust serverless printing infrastructure, PrinterLogic doesn’t just enhance remote desktop printing. It also overcomes the biggest hurdles in enterprise printing as a whole. PrinterLogic eliminates print servers, simplifies management and saves IT from having to provide constant printer support.
By combining a centralized web-based admin console with distributed direct IP printing, PrinterLogic delivers the best of both worlds. Its direct IP printing bypasses the WAN and routes print jobs straight to local printers. That helps cut down on WAN dependency along with bandwidth bottlenecks and print downtime.
At the same time, the admin console brings greater oversight and smoother deployments—all without GPOs—to the print environment. PrinterLogic’s consolidated driver repository makes it easy to add, update, troubleshoot and remove drivers.
This isn’t just hypothetical. RC Willey is an established home-furnishings retailer that operates across four states. Its IT network is made up of hundreds of thin clients with around a dozen printing devices, including specialized label and receipt printers, at each of its 14 locations. Without the right solution, printer support was devouring IT resources.
The company’s IT department migrated smoothly to PrinterLogic in one day. RC Willey now saves an estimated 80 hours on each print-driver deployment, thanks to PrinterLogic’s combo of direct IP printing and single-console management. Read the case study here.
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