Bizhub C550, Citrix, network Printing

[Guest]

We have an ADSL based WAN. At one location, we have a Bizhub C550. We can print to this printer locally using laptops without problem. Our main servers (Win2003) are hosted in a datacentre and normally we'd all use Citrix desktops. We have a central print server which has the C550 installed as a printer. On the C550, we have user tracking enabled. And all the servers are Virtual which shouldn't make a difference.

We have tried to print to the device, to user boxes and to the system user box without success. Locally, we'd get the Account details pop-up to enter. We don't get the popup from our Citrix (Presentation Server 5) desktops nor when we print from the print server (using notepad). We've installed the latest PCL6 drivers even though we'd prefered PCL5 but still can't get anything. The PS knows its there as we can get an update from it using the printer driver control panel. The print job disappears.

We have implemented QoS on the link to ensure that the device doesn't hog the line so it will us max 5% of an 8Mb ADSL line (est 1.5mb upload).

Any ideas?

[TheOwl]

How are your print queues install on your Citrix server? Are they installed locally on your Citrix server, or are they virtualised through the local machine that created the session?

You say that the PS driver knows that everything is there. Does this mean that the PS driver works or doesn't?

[johnj_01201]

R you using Account Track or User Athentication? Whichever, your print jobs will be ignored by the copier (default setting) if you do not have the correct user\password. You said it use to pop-up and ask for a name and\or password, but doesn't now? You will have to enter them in the driver then. It sounds like you are trying to print with Account Track enabled and not using a user\password, so the copier ignores your print job.

You could set the copier to allow printing without athentication to test this. If you prints go threw, then you know that is the problem.

[Dav]

TheOwl: We have a print server that shares its printers to the network - its not a Citrix server but a standard albeit vritual Win2003 server. We then map them to the virtual Citrix Servers using Group Policy scripts although we can add printers manually which only last for the length of session life.

Johnj_012: When we print to the C550 locally, ie on the same LAN as the C550, we get the user authentication popup that you can set on the Settings tab, "Verify authentication settings before printing" and "Popup Authentication Dialog when printing". In the Citrix desktop hosted on a different LAN, we've included these settings on the printer drivers. We've also tried entering the details into the printer properties when it gets mapped to the machine, Printer drivers, Printing Prefs but "Account Authentication" is all greyed out. We can use "user Settings" which allows for Secure Prints and User Boxes, and then set up a user box and entered the job but it never gets there.

I'll try again but remove the request for any authentication.

Thanks to both.

[Dav]

With no authentication of any kind it prints instantly. Will keep playing

[Dav]

We are trying to get to the stage where we can use "Account Authentication" ideally in password only mode to print to the device. That way its easier for the users. We can print easily when we have AA set and use "Print without authentication" but need AA enabled. Only problem is that on the print server, it's greyed out...

[johnj_01201]

This is important. You need to know for sure if you are using "Account Tracking" or "User Authentication" they are completely different.

You can do passwords only on this machine if you are doing AT, but Authentication I believe always requires a name\password.

When you allow printing without authentication, it is just worded that way, even if you are just using account track.

There is a chance that you are filling in the name\password on the non-printing computers under AU, when you are actually using AT.

[Dav]

We're definitely using "Account Tracking" only and we've tried it by not entering any information in anywhere. The option to define an Account in the printer driver is greyed out. Printing Preferences, (Basic Tab), "Authentication/Account Track"

[TheOwl]

If the Account Track option in the printing preferences (or properties from an application) is greyed out, it means that the options aren't carrying over.

Can you set the options from the Citrix session or the server?

[Dav]

Neither. When we print to it, its within a second where normal HP Laserjets take 4 seconds for the same job so the servers can see the printer. We can get properties on paper trays etc just not the Account Tracking.

[Dav]

We've sorted it.

In the printer driver control panel:
Click on configure
Click on Acquire Settings
Remove the Tick from Auto
Click OK
On the Device Option list, scroll and highlight "Account Tracking".
Using drop list, change to Enable.
Apply.
OK.

When you print, you will be prompted to enter your account details (Department/Password). Click OK.

[johnj_01201]

Oh right, the new copiers do not allow AT unless it is added as a device option (like finisher, trays,etc.) We installed a c451 about 2 months ago and were stumped for a day.

[charris@fry]

I love/hate my Konica C451

okay So am I to understand that we cannot have AT/UA both?

this is a confusing setup, we have a C451, and I'm the "new guy." Never worked with something quite like this before.

What if we want it to auntenticate to our Exchange Server? but also disable/track color printing for users.

any suggestions

[Stirton.M]

okay So am I to understand that we cannot have AT/UA both?

this is a confusing setup, we have a C451, and I'm the "new guy." Never worked with something quite like this before.

What if we want it to auntenticate to our Exchange Server? but also disable/track color printing for users.

any suggestions

Refer to the following link for user manuals...

Konica Minolta Knowlegebase

Refer to the user guide, chapter 11, for specifics.

In short, you can use both server authenticate and copy track simultaneously. The copier can sync the information to the appropriate users. I suggest you do the reading before you attempt to use this. There are several applications on the User software cd (Data Administrator) that allow you to easily administrate how all of this works.