Windows Print Server and Catalina

I’ve never seen good instructions for connecting macOS to a Windows Print Server, specifically when you want to manually type in the name of the Windows Print Server and printer, like you can do on Windows. Indeed, you can do this on a Mac too:

1. From the app you want to print from, choose File->Print…->Printer:->Add Printer…
2. This step is necessary once time and you can skip in the future: add an “Advanced” button by following these instructions.
3. Click the Advanced button, change “Type:” to “Windows printer via spoolss”, and in the URL: field, enter the name of your Windows print server and printer name, as shown in my example:

4. Customize the Name: and Location: fields to your preference.
5. For the “Use:” field, choose your printer driver and if it isn’t listed, you may want to install it now – you’ll need to know the Manufacturer and model of your network printer, otherwise try selecting one of the “Generic PostScript Printer” or the “Generic PCL Printer” options.
6. Click Add.
7. Enter details about your printer if prompted, I was connecting to a Konica Minolta network printer, so I had lots to enter, copied from a Windows PC. If you don’t want printer finishing options, leave the options on “none” or go back and choose a generic driver.
8. Click “OK”.

Printing via Bonjour/AirPrint is much easier, but my work is Mac-hostile and disables these protocols, so I’m forced to use the method above or manually enter each printer’s IP address and use LPD.

** UPDATE 5-4-2020**
The dark printing came back along with missing black toner vertically in in each printed page. Turns out my toner cartridge was low on toner.

Also, whatever you do, don’t do like I did and try running paper or cardboard along the toner cartridge’s roller. Seems I shoved a plastic flap in the wrong direction and wrecked the cartridge, so my attempt to refill a demo cartridge failed. I replaced with a high-capacity cartridge comes with the reset wheels. When the behavior above returns, I’ll know I just need to fill the dam cartridge with more toner, but the color calibration steps might help you get a couple more good prints and won’t hurt your printer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *