Resolving an Offline Shared Printer in a Windows Domain

Overview

This lab simulates a scenario where a network printer shared from a Windows Server goes offline, helping demonstrate how the print spooler service affects printer availability for client machines.

Skills Demonstrated
Installing and sharing a virtual printer between server and client
Connecting to a network-shared printer via UNC path
Simulating real-world printing issues by stopping the Print Spooler service
Diagnosing printer offline status from the client system
Restoring printing functionality by restarting Windows Print Spooler
Understanding printer-client-server communication within a domain

Tools Used
Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
Windows 10
Control Panel – Devices and Printers
Command Prompt (net stop spooler, net start spooler)
Run Dialog
Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)

1. Environment Setup

Installed a Windows Server VM
Created a local Administrator account
Installed Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
Promoted the server to a Domain Controller with the domain name: lab.local

Created a domain user:
- Name: John Doe
- Logon Name: j.doe

2. Set Up and Share Virtual Printer

On the Windows Server, opened:
Control Panel > Devices and Printers
Added a printer using manual settings and a fake IP: 10.0.0.199

Selected generic printer drivers
Named the printer LabPrinter and enabled sharing

3. Connect Client to Shared Printer

On the Windows 10 Client, opened Run dialog
Connected to shared printer using path:
\192.168.56.101\LabPrinter

4. Simulate Offline Printer

On the Windows Server, ran the command:

net stop spooler

This stops the Print Spooler service, making the printer go offline

On the Client, attempted to print a test page and observed the printer was offline

5. Restore Printer Functionality

Back on the Windows Server, restarted the Print Spooler:

net start spooler

The printer came back online, and printing resumed successfully