Print server environments—Set up Print Deploy where computers are joined to a local domain

This topic describes how to deploy classic print server queues using Print Deploy.

Printing via a server lets you charge for printing and ensures all jobs are vetted by the print server before being sent to the printer.

We're assuming that you've already set up the necessary domain environment (Active Directory / Kerberos) with your servers, and that users' computers are authenticated via an on-premise domain.

The high-level steps are:

  1. Set up the print queues on the reference computer

  2. Clone the print queue details into Print Deploy

  3. Connect print queues to a zone

If your computers are not joined to a local domain, check out Print server environments—Set up Print Deploy when computers are not joined to a local domain.

Step 1: Set up the print queues on the reference computer

A reference computer is a Windows and/or Mac computer where you set up and test the print queues before deploying them to the users. It’s also where you set the default settings for print queues (for example, grayscale, 2-sided) and capabilities (for example, finishing options like stapling and hole punching).

Windows drivers often support multiple versions of Windows, for example, Windows 10 and Windows 8. PaperCut NG/MF automatically detects which versions of Windows the driver supports and displays them in its Admin web interface.

Best practices

We recommend you set up Find-Me printing. Find-Me printing enables users to print to a single print queue, and release their print job from any printer. After you’ve set up Find-Me printing, you’ll only need to deploy your single Find-Me print queue to users.

Some organizations choose to deploy a couple of Find-Me print queues, like Find-Me Color and Find-Me Black and White.

When it comes to printer drivers, if you are using a mixed fleet of printers, then the PaperCut Global Print Driver is a great starting point.

If you are using a single brand or model of printers and you want to use more advanced finishing options, use the manufacturer's driver on your Find-Me queue.
When setting up your reference computer, use printer names that will make sense to your end users, for example, 'Find-Me' or '1st floor reception'.
We recommend you set up your reference computers as virtual machines. That makes it easy for you to shut them down after cloning, and then you can fire them up again in the future if you want to tweak some print queues.
NOTE

Reference computers must not have PaperCut NG/MF installed on them.

NOTE

If you're using Windows and need more details than just the summary steps below, some of the most helpful Windows Printing knowledge and experience we’ve gathered over the years is in the Windows Print Queue Configuration knowledge base article. It also contains a handy checklist.

  1. On the designated reference computer, install the network printers that you want to deploy to your users. In other words, pretend that you are setting up this computer for a user.

  2. Configure the printer defaults for each queue.

    • Windows: Printer Properties > Advanced > Printing Defaults

    • Mac: via the CUPS Web Interface, available via: http://localhost:631/ or http://servername:631/

  3. For advanced finishing options, configure the capabilities under:

    • Printer Properties > General > Preferences

    • Printer Properties > Advanced > Printing Defaults

    Some printer drivers may have settings available in the following tabs:

    • Printer Properties > Device Settings (example: hp)

    • Printer Properties > Configuration (example: fuji-xerox)

    • Printer Properties > Optional Settings (example: epson)

  4. Test that printing works on each print queue.

Step 2: Clone the print queue details into Print Deploy

  1. On the reference computer, log in to PaperCut NG/MF (which is installed and running elsewhere on the network).

  2. Select Enable Printing > Print Deploy. The Print Deploy page is displayed.

    NOTE

    • Only users with Access options section admin rights can access the Enable Printing tab. Admin rights are configured under Options > Admin Rights.

    • The first time you open Print Deploy you'll see a welcome video.

  3. In the right panel, do one of the following:

    • If this is the first time you're using Print Deploy, click the Download cloner tool button for your operating system.

    • If you already have print queues installed, click Add or update; then click the download button for your operating system

      The cloner tool (.exe, .dmg) is downloaded with the PaperCut NG/MF server address embedded into its filename.

  4. On the Reference computer, run the cloner tool.

    The cloner tool bundles all of the print queues, printer drivers, default settings (for example, grayscale, 2-sided) and capabilities (for example, finishing options like stapling and hole punching) and uploads the bundle automatically to the Application Server.

    All of the print queues are displayed in the Print queues list at the right of the Print Deploy page.

    For Windows print queues, Print Deploy automatically detects whether the queue type is Print via server or Print direct. However, Mac print queues default to Print via server, so if you have a print serverless (Direct Print) environment, you need to change the print queue type.

    To change the print queue type:

    1. In the Admin web interface, click Enable Printing.

    2. In the Print queues list, click the three dots icon next to the print queue you want to update.

    3. In Type, select Print direct.

    4. Close the pop-up.

Step 3: Connect print queues to a zone

A zone is a location defined by an IPv4 address range, for example, an office, branch, or campus. It also include user groups to help define who can access the printers in that zone.

By default Print Deploy has one zone, called Everyone, that deploys print queues to all computers and all groups in the network. And of course you can add as many of your own zones as required.

NOTE

Before you can add new zones, you'll need to purchase the Advanced Print Enablement Pack.

  1. Click Zones, then in the Your zones list, select the zone you want to connect printers to.

    If you need to add a new zone first, take a look at how to add zones and user groups to Print Deploy.

    Print Deploy admin interface with new print queues and the Everyone zone selected.

  2. In the Print queues list, select which printers you want to be automatically installed on the users' computers; then click Connect to zone. They are added to the list of print queues for that zone.

  3. If required, add print queues to the zone that you want to make optional for users to install on their computer. They can install them via the Add printers tab in their Print Deploy client.

    1. In the Print queues list, select which printers you want to make optional for users to install.

    2. At the bottom of the list of printers, select the Optional install checkbox.

    3. Click Connect to zone. They are added to the list of print queues for that zone.

NOTE

For Chromebooks: Optional print queues aren't applicable for Chromebook users. All Chromebook print queues connected to a zone are available for Chromebook users to print to.

What's next?

If the Print Deploy client has already been installed on some computers, click Save and deploy. The print queues will be automatically installed on the computers within 15 minutes. (This time is configurable.)

Otherwise, decide if you want to: