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Troubleshooting
Problem
This document helps you configure a printer on a PC to a printer that is shared via IBM® iSeries® NetServer™.
IMPORTANT:
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IBM i NetServer print sharing requires the client and server to support SMB1 to allow the client to fall back to supported versions of print flows. IBM i NetServer does not support the Windows services necessary for supporting print over the SMB2 protocol.
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This is also documented in:
MA48963: OSP NETSERVER PRINT SHARES WILL ONLY WORK IN SMB1 ENVIRONMENT: https://www.ibm.com/mysupport/s/defect/aCI3p0000008tisGAA/dt306601?language=en_US
There is also an Idea:
NETSERVER PRINT SHARES WILL NOT WORK WITH SMB2: https://ideas.ibm.com/ideas/IBMI-I-2489
Resolving The Problem
The following instructions will help you configure a printer on a PC to a printer that is shared via the IBM i NetServer.
Adding a Printer that Uses an IBM i NetServer Print Share on Microsoft Windows XP
Step 1: It is recommended that you right-click on the My Network Places iconon your desktop and select Search for Computer to find the name or TCP/IP address of the iSeries NetServer.
Step 2: Double-click on the iSeries NetServer name to find the shared object (printer) that you want to use:
If you receive a message stating that the computer was not found, refer to Rochester Support Center knowledgebase document 11600129, Getting Started with iSeries NetServer. To link to 11600129 immediately, click here .
Step 3: After you get the list of shared objects from the iSeries NetServer, double-click on the printer that you want to use:
Step 4: The printer driver will not be found on the IBM System i products, so just click OK:
Step 5: Select the correct printer, then click OK:
Step 6: If you already have the driver installed, select Keep existing driver and then click Next:
Step 7: If requested, type in a user-specified name:
Step 8: It is not necessary to share this printer, so just click Next:
Step 9: You might want to print a test page at this point:
Your iSeries NetServer printer is now installed.
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Historical Number
14323730
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Document Information
More support for:
IBM i
Component:
Print->Printer Configurations->NetServer
Software version:
6.1.0, 7.1.0, 7.2.0, 7.3.0, 7.4.0, 7.5.0, 7.6.0
Operating system(s):
IBM i
Document number:
644757
Modified date:
12 May 2025
UID
nas8N1019656
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