Multiple Entries for Multiple Printers

Question

Multiple Entries for Multiple Printers

Brian Havinga 21

I am uncertain if this is by design, and if so, I understand.

I support a traveling comms team that supports a VIP user. Part of their travel procedure involves setting up a comms room at the various hotels they stay at, and as part of that they connect various printers via USB. The team has multiple HP Mobile 250 printers, and multiple different laptops that they get connected to. All laptops are running Windows 10 1909 (our Windows version is limited by our enterprise).

The team complains that when one of the users we support connects the printer to their computer, they can see multiple copies of the same printer. I'm guessing that this is down to the fact that each printer has a unique hardware ID, so Windows installs each one as a new and unique device.

Is it possible to have windows only show one printer, regardless of which physical printer is connected?

Reza-Ameri 15,516 Reputation points

2021-09-13T16:52:31.293+00:00

Are these printers connected to a network?
It is recommended to share printers with network instead of USB.
Have you verified what printers are being displayed?
For example sometimes when you connect one printer it shows is as multiple one , for example in case it is All-in-One printer, it will show like Fax, Print, Scan devices in the device manager.
Brian Havinga 21 Reputation points

2021-09-13T18:33:29.077+00:00

The printers are not connected to the network, as this is a traveling comms setup. We do not have the ability to connect these printers to the network.

When connected to the computers, they display has HP Mobile 250, HP Mobile 250(1), HP Mobile 250(2), etc. These printers are single function, so they only show as a printer. The issue is that they're all showing up as different printers in the print menu.

While I'm fairly certain it's not possible, the goal is that there be only one printer in the print select menu regardless of which printer is connected.

Reza-Ameri 15,516 Reputation points

2021-09-13T16:52:31.293+00:00

Are these printers connected to a network?
It is recommended to share printers with network instead of USB.
Have you verified what printers are being displayed?
For example sometimes when you connect one printer it shows is as multiple one , for example in case it is All-in-One printer, it will show like Fax, Print, Scan devices in the device manager.
Brian Havinga 21 Reputation points

2021-09-13T18:33:29.077+00:00

The printers are not connected to the network, as this is a traveling comms setup. We do not have the ability to connect these printers to the network.

When connected to the computers, they display has HP Mobile 250, HP Mobile 250(1), HP Mobile 250(2), etc. These printers are single function, so they only show as a printer. The issue is that they're all showing up as different printers in the print menu.

While I'm fairly certain it's not possible, the goal is that there be only one printer in the print select menu regardless of which printer is connected.

Answer 1

Hello @Brian Dunnington H,

As I understand the issue here is that all laptops have the capability to see the printers that are available in other PCs of the network.

My recommendation in this case, would be to stop sharing the printers with the rest, which should be a very easy maneuver:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/disable-file-and-printer-sharing-for-additional-security-3713fb7e-7c34-e60a-01f4-20f34ba38154

Other option would be through GPO, but disabling the printer communication in Windows Firewall:
Path: Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Network > Windows Firewall > Domain Profile / Standard Profile > Windows Firewall: Allow inbound file and printer sharing exception = Disabled.

Hope you find it useful,
Best regards,

Brian Havinga 21 Reputation points

2021-09-15T18:24:39.233+00:00

Good afternoon,
In this scenario, the printers are not on the network and are direct connected via USB. The team travels with 3 different HP Mobile 250 printers that will connect to our laptops via USB. The computers all have multiple copies of the printer listed, as it is the same hardware, but each printer is a unique device. The question is whether or not its possible to have all 3 printers show up as one device when connected to a laptop.

Multiple Entries for Multiple Printers

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