Print direct to network printer or through server share

[timeshifter]

One of my sites is having delays printing to their HP LaserJet printer on the network. It's one of my larger customers, lots of PCs and printers, Windows Server domain, etc. Right now there's a delay from the time you press print to the time you'll see the doc show up in the queue. Only for the one HP printer. Another similar HP LaserJet doesn't do it, it goes right away. Happens on more than one PC.

In the past I've connected directly to the printer rather than the shared version of it on the server. I tried that today, installed the printer as a direct connect and it prints immediately.

Other than ease of setup I'm wondering if it's really worth it to send jobs through the shared printer?

What do you think?

 

[Sky-Knight]

Print shares are organization stacks. If you do not have a centralized queue the print order is beyond your control. You also cannot set permissions on who gets to control the jobs.

For SMB the difference is minimal. But for larger organizations the control over who can print when is a big deal. Of course for any of that to matter you need some sort of ACL protecting the printer itself from anyone that isn't the device doing the actual printing... but I digress.

Easy Print is on by default and can cause this by the way. Usually means you need to update drivers. That being said most of my clients are direct print now too, because well... they don't have a "Server" anymore! LOL Larger printers have internal accounting systems too, and permissions. So if you need that crap, you still don't need a server.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

If there's a server/domain, I always install it on the server, share it from the server, and then deploy it via Printer Deploy group policy. Makes things easy peasy, all workstations automatically get fed the printer(s)...no need to go install it on workstations.

As for the print delay, shouldn't be one really, maybe a second of three longer...but not really a noticeable delay. I'd be looking at the printer drivers used, and settings within them. I always preferred the "universal" drivers, not the bloated ones. For HP..that's the Universal Print Drivers, you have your choice of PCL5, PCL6, PS, depending on what type of printing they're doing. Or for Canon ImageRunners, the UFR II drivers.

 

[timeshifter]

but not really a noticeable delay

But that's the thing. There no noticeable delay for months, years. The M608 has a big delay now, starting this week. The M604 is instant.

I'm not sure what's changed or where to look.

 

[Markverhyden]

What does event viewer, both client and server, say? Is the Printer Server role installed and being used? Is it being deployed via GP as @YeOldeStonecat mentioned? Printer firmware up to date? Just asking since these were not mentioned.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

But that's the thing. There no noticeable delay for months, years. The M608 has a big delay now, starting this week. The M604 is instant.

I'm not sure what's changed or where to look.

What drivers you using?
Play with printer property settings....those checkboxes for "print direct to printer" or "spool".
How often does the server get bounced? She under-resourced?
How "tight" is the network? All sorts of other broadcast traffic chopped out? Things controlled? Do the printers have all those additional default crap settings turned of? Ya know, default broadcasting IPX, NetBIOS, Appletalk, etc etc.
Any switch management settings being utilized or not? In case you have a Unifi network where you can really manage traffic.

 

[putz]

But that's the thing. There no noticeable delay for months, years. The M608 has a big delay now, starting this week. The M604 is instant.

I'm not sure what's changed or where to look.

Is the slower printer connected to an small hub or switch? Although it doesnt happen often, in some environments where we experience a lot of printing issues it usually ends up being an old/bad small desktop switch in the office. Id start there, check patch cables, try and wire it direct to core switch if you can, verify link speed on the unit and the switch.