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Printer Port Update Utility for Windows

THIS INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR TECHNICAL STAFF ONLY

Technical staff may find the following utility and information helpful in preparing for the Zoned Network changes in your department.

Printer Port Update Utility (Download)
Flowchart explaining how the Printer Port Update Utility works (PDF)

Instructions for using the Printer Port Update for Windows

The Printer Port Update utility changes a Windows XP or Vista machine's printers to print to the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) instead of an IP Address.

Silent Mode

The utility can be run in a totally silent mode by including a “-s”, “/s”, “-silent”, or “/silent” command-line switch at launch time. It performs all functions of the configuration utility without user prompts or messages. If it encounters a situation where user input is required, the script will continue processing and end silently. This mode is useful for those departmental administrators who wish to deploy the utility via GPO or SMS. An SMS package is already created in the Packages Utilities folder for use with options to run silently or interactively.

User Context

The utility makes changes to the configured printer port and does not require a user to be logged in, so it can be run either as part of a startup script (via GPO) or an SMS advertisement running with system credentials.

Program Functions

Running the utility performs the following functions:

OS Version Check
Collects printer information
Compares configured printer ports to DNS
Displays printers connected to ports not verified in DNS*
User selects desired printers and presses button to repair**
If printer port not found in DNS message is displayed regarding contacting support*
New printer ports installed
Finished message displayed*

* Suppressed with “-s”, “/s”, “-silent”, or “/silent” command-line switch
** Selects all printers for repair with “-s”, “/s”, “-silent”, or “/silent” command-line switch

OS Version Check

Utility exits if OS version is earlier than Windows XP. Application started status message written to Application event log.

Collects printer information

Computer is queried for installed printers connected to TCP/IP ports, and the connected port information.

Compares configured printer ports to DNS

DNS is queried for each printer port connection. If the port connection and the DNS name returned match the printer is removed from the list as it does not need changing.

Displays printers connected to ports not verified in DNS

All remaining printers in the collection are displayed for potential user intervention. Not displayed if silent switch is used. List of printers is also written to the event log.
Printer Port Update Utility

User selects desired printers and presses button to repair

User selects one or more printers from displayed list and clicks Fix Selected, or clicks Fix All to fix all displayed printers. If silent switch is used default is Fix All.

If printer port not found in DNS message is displayed regarding contacting support

Printer Port Update Utility

Not displayed if silent switch is used. Printer and port information written to event log.

New printer ports installed

New printer port based on FQDN is created and assigned to the printer old port is not deleted but is no longer assigned to a printer. Printer, new port and old port information written to event log

Finished message displayed