Printer Redirection from client to server

Question

I have two mobile networks, one backend is running on windows server 2025 and one is running windows server 2008. Our client pc is running on windows 11 and windows 10. Both client are installed with individual network printers with ip supplied and installed Esets endpoint and server security.

So I’m using Remote Desktop to remote into the server to use an application for invoicing, so I have to select the printer and print and there are no redirections from the client machines.

I can confirmed that the eset endpoint firewall is turned off, but I did not allow port connections because rdp will auto port forward as what I know.

I have tried to ask AI for help and I did everything like changing the GPO, check the share printer box is checked in RDP session.

Do you guys have any idea to resolve the problem?

Thank You

Answer 1

Hi Jaycee_Law,

Based on what you’ve described, the issue is not with the firewall alone but with how RDP printer redirection is configured between your client PCs and the servers.

First, please make sure that the “Printers” option is checked in the Remote Desktop client under Local Resources > More. This ensures the client printers are redirected into the RDP session. On the server side, confirm that the Remote Desktop Session Host role service is installed and that Group Policy allows printer redirection (Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection).

Since you’re connecting to both Windows Server 2025 and 2008, keep in mind that older servers may not fully support redirection from newer Windows 10/11 clients. In those cases, you may need to install the matching printer drivers on the server itself. Also, while RDP handles port forwarding automatically, printer redirection still requires that the drivers be recognized by the server.

If ESET endpoint security is installed, double‑check that no hidden rules are blocking RDP printer channels. Even with the firewall off, endpoint security can sometimes interfere with redirection. Testing with a clean RDP session and default settings can help confirm this.

I hope the response provided some helpful insight. If it clarified the issue for you, please consider marking it as Accept Answer so others with the same issue can find the solution.

Jason.

Answer 2

Follow these steps on both servers and clients to restore printer redirection.

1. Verify client-side redirection is enabled

• In the Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) on each Windows 10/11 client:
  • Go to Local Resources tab.
  • Under Local devices and resources, make sure Printers is checked.
  • This corresponds to redirectprinters:i:1 in the RDP file.

2. Confirm Easy Print / printer redirection Group Policy on the servers On each Windows Server (2025 and 2008):

• Open gpedit.msc (or the applicable domain GPO) and browse to:
  • Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Printer Redirection.
• Check these policies:
  • Use Remote Desktop Easy Print printer driver first
    • For Easy Print redirection, set to Enabled.
    • For legacy print drivers, set to Disabled.
    • If Not configured, Easy Print is used by default.
• Also ensure no policy is explicitly disabling printer redirection (for example, “Do not allow client printer redirection”).
• If connecting via RD Gateway, verify any RD Gateway policy that disables printer redirection is turned off.

3. Check server registry flags for printer and drive redirection On each server, in Registry Editor:

• Navigate to:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\Wds\rdpwd
• Verify these values are set to 1 (enabled):
  • fEnablePrintRDR
  • fEnableRDR
• If either is 0, set it to 1 and restart the server or at least the Remote Desktop Services service.

4. Confirm print spooler security descriptor (especially on the newer server) If the print spooler’s security descriptor is missing the Authenticated Users ACE, printer redirection can fail. On the server, run an elevated Command Prompt:

sc sdshow spooler

• The default descriptor should contain an ACE similar to:
  • (A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)
• If the AU ACE is missing, rebuild the descriptor by:
  1. Redirecting the current descriptor to a file:

          sc sdshow spooler > C:\temp\spooler_sd.txt
     

  2. Edit the line in the file to prepend the missing ACE, for example:

          sc sdset spooler D:(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)
     

     (Use the exact output from the server and add the (A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU) ACE at the beginning.)
  3. Run the edited sc sdset spooler ... command.
• This restores Authenticated Users access to the spooler, which TS/RDS needs for redirection.

5. Test printer redirection from a client

• Ensure the local network printer works normally on the client.
• Connect via Remote Desktop from that client to each server.
• In the remote session:
  • Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (or Devices and Printers on older OS).
  • Look for printers named like PrinterName (redirected n) where n is the session ID.
  • Alternatively, in a PowerShell prompt in the session run:

        Get-Printer | ? DriverName -eq "Remote Desktop Easy Print" | Sort-Object | FT -AutoSize
    

  • Print a test page from the invoicing application to a redirected printer.

6. Check that local device is not explicitly blocking redirection If printer redirection was disabled on the client via registry, it will not redirect even if mstsc has Printers checked. On each Windows 10/11 client:

• In Registry Editor, check:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client
• Look for DisablePrinterRedirection (REG_DWORD):
  • If present and set to 1, printer redirection is disabled on that device.
  • Set it to 0 or delete the value to allow redirection.

7. Re-test with security software fully disabled Even if ESET firewall is off, other protection modules may still interfere.

• Temporarily disable ESET Endpoint and Server Security (all protection modules) on one client and one server (in a maintenance window).
• Reconnect via RDP and test printer redirection.
• If it works only when ESET is disabled, configure ESET to allow RDP printer redirection components rather than leaving it disabled.

These steps cover the main server-side ACL/registry causes and client-side redirection/registry blocks that prevent printers from appearing in Remote Desktop sessions.

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References:

• Windows Server printer redirection isn't working
• Printer redirection and drive redirection don't work in a Terminal Server session
• Configure printer redirection over the Remote Desktop Protocol (dev-box)
• Configure printer redirection over the Remote Desktop Protocol (azure-virtual-desktop)
• Invalid redirected printers may be available in a Remote Desktop Services session that connects to a RD Session Host server that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2