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Note: You can replace pmanager in the instructions below with pmanager1 or pmanager2, depending on how you set up your Windows accounts on your laptop. For example, W500 laptops will use pmanager2.

To use a campus network printer, you need to install the driver intended for that printer on your computer. Windows Vista can take advantage of Rensselaer's pmanager servers, which makes installing a printer very easy. Note that, if the printer has special features such as two-sided, color, or large paper sizes (B size paper or the large-format, roll-feed plotters), you will then need to configure the printer driver to select those features.

Before installing the printer, you will need to know the name of the printer you want. Check the list of public printers.

You will find it helpful to first configure your Windows account for pmanager. Doing this avoids having to supply your User ID and password when you print.

Configuring your Windows account

Note: When you configured a Rensselaer laptop, you probably did the steps below. If so, you can skip to the next section on installing a printer driver.

• Start (windows icon) -> Control Panel, click on User Accounts and Family Safety, then click User Accounts
• On the left of the screen under Tasks, left click on Manage your credentials.
• When "Store Credentials for Automatic Login" window appears, click on Add a Windows Credential.
  In "Internet or Network Address" field, enter      pmanager.win.rpi.edu.
  In the "User" name field, enter: win\youruserid (for example, win\smithq3)
  In the "Password" field, enter: your 8-character RCS user ID password.
  Click OK.
  

Adding/installing printers

From the Start menu, select Devices and Printers.

1. When the Printers window appears, select Add a printer; located at the top of the window.

2.     When the Add Printer window opens, click Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer.
Note: If no printers were found appears, click The printer that I want isn't listed.

3.      In the find a printer by name or TCP/IP address window, enter the network address of the printer in the “Select a shared printer by name” field. This  requires the network address of the printer, which is defined by the server name followed by the RCS printer name.

The server name is \\pmanager.win.rpi.edu\.

If you do not know the printer name, after either selecting or typing the server name, simply type the ending backslash ( \ ). After you do this, a drop-down list of printer names will appear, allowing you to select one.

5.    Next, a window will open asking if this should be your default printer. Unless this is the printer you use most often, remove the check. Click Next.

6.    On the final screen, click Finished to complete the installation. The printer is now installed and can be selected from within application programs in Windows.

Last modified: August 27, 2010