Capture a Printer Port
Windows 2000/XP Instructions
Unfortunately under Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP there is no easy way to “capture” a printer port from within the Printer’s properties dialog. To use a network printer under Windows NT/2000/XP you must use the NET command from a command prompt (or batch file) to redirect the printer port to the shared printer on the network.
The NET command’s syntax is shown below.
NET USE LPTx: \\<computer_name>\<printer_share_name> /PERSISTENT:YES
The LPTx: refers to the printer port you wish to capture, and is that defined within the Performer Series. For example LPT2: refers to Printer Port 2. The /PERSISTENT:YES option makes the capture persistant, ie when you restart Windows the port capture is retained.
For example NET USE LPT2: \\SERVER\P1 /PERSISTENT:YES will capture printer port 2 and redirect print jobs to the P1 shared printer on computer SERVER.
Notes
- Of course you must share the printer before you may use it on another computer.
- Enclose the computer name and/ or printer share name in quotes if it contains spaces, eg “\\ACCTG SERVER\LASER PRINTER“.
- To cancel the port capture issue the net command with a /D option, eg NET USE LPT2: \\SERVER\P1 /D
More articles on this from Microsoft’s Knowledgebase.
Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314499
