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Printer Setup

To allow SiteKiosk to make use of its full printer monitoring capabilities, features other than just regular printing, e.g. paid printing, as well as limiting print jobs require a special printer setup if the printers you are using are network printers. This setup is necessary because monitoring and charging for print jobs will otherwise not be possible.

Note:
Due to the large number of different printers and system configurations, we cannot guarantee that printer monitoring or paid printing will work flawlessly on your particular system. Please make sure, therefore, to test these features on your system using the trial version of SiteKiosk before purchasing any licenses.


1. Installing printers
SiteKiosk always uses the printer set up as the default printer of your Windows system.

Note:
If you set up your printer after installing SiteKiosk, launch the System Security Manager and set it to Unprotected.
Proceed by launching the System Security Wizard again and reset the SiteKiosk user to Protected to ensure that the changes to the Windows printer settings will also be applied to the SiteKiosk user.
1.1 Installation information for local printers if SiteKiosk printer monitoring is enabled
Install the printer as any other printer under Windows and make sure that the printer is set up as the default printer of your Windows system.
If you want to charge your users for printing, configure your payment devices and enable printer monitoring.
1.2 Installation information for network printers if SiteKiosk printer monitoring is enabled
When using network printers with printer monitoring enabled, you will need to set up these network printers in a specific way. Furthermore, you will have to distinguish between a printer that is shared over the network by a computer (A) and a standalone network printer or print server (B).

Note:
Network printers may
NOT be set up as any regular network printer, but must be configured separately as a local printer on each individual client.

A. Steps for shared network printers made available by a computer:
I. On the server (the computer to which the printer is physically connected)
Perform a regular Windows installation of your printer, set it up as a network printer, and make it available under a shared name (e.g. Brother).
After that, set up the printer a second time and proceed as follows:
  1. Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Printers -> Add a printer (Wizard opens) or Start -> Printers and Faxes -> Add a printer (Wizard opens)
  2. Next
  3. Check Local printer attached to this computer
  4. Disable automatic detection
  5. Next
  6. Create a new port
  7. Choose type of port: Local Port
  8. Next
  9. You will see the following dialog box: "Enter a port name" Enter the printer name under which you want to share the printer on the network. Stick to this format: \\Computer\Share Name, e.g.: \\MAJESTIX\BROTHER
  10. Click OK
  11. Now, select the correct driver
  12. Next
  13. Enter the printer name and set the printer as your default printer
  14. Next
  15. Print test page (optional)
  16. Finish
This may not seem to make a lot of sense, as there will be two printers installed on the server. However, this is necessary for SiteKiosk to monitor the printer.

Important:
1. Make sure to set the simulated Local Port network printer as the default Windows printer.
2. Open the SiteKiosk configuration file on this computer, and turn off printer monitoring for the non-simulated printer (the "real" printer). However, leave printer monitoring enabled for "All installed printers."
To do so, open the SiteKiosk configuration file and add and edit this printer as a standalone printer. Click on Add and select the "real" printer. Now, select this printer and click on "Edit." Turn off the checkbox "Monitor printer and make it available for SiteKiosk Object Model."
ATTENTION: Since SiteKiosk has no control over the printers that are displayed in external applications (e.g. print dialog box of Acrobat Reader), it is possible that an unmonitored printer will be made available there as well.
As a consequence, we generally recommend that you use a standalone network printer or connect the printer to a so-called USB print server.

II. On the clients
  1. Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Printers -> Add a printer (Wizard opens) or Start -> Control Panel -> Printers and Faxes -> Add a printer (Wizard opens)
  2. Next
  3. Check Local printer attached to this computer
  4. Disable automatic detection
  5. Next
  6. Create a new port
  7. Choose type of port: Local Port
  8. Next
  9. You will see the following dialog box: "Enter a port name" Enter the printer name under which you want to share the printer on the network. Stick to this format: \\Computer\Share Name, e.g.: \\MAJESTIX\BROTHER
  10. Click OK
  11. Now, select the correct driver
  12. Next
  13. Enter the printer name and, if desired, set it as your standard printer
  14. Next
  15. Print test page (optional)
  16. Finish
Repeat these steps for all clients.

B. Procedure for setting up access to a network printer or print server:
  1. Go to Start - Control Panel - Printers - Add a printer (Wizard opens) or Start - Control Panel - Printers and Faxes - Add a printer (Wizard opens)
  2. Next
  3. Check Local printer attached to this computer
  4. Disable automatic detection
  5. Next
  6. Create a new port
  7. Choose type or port Standard TCP/IP Port
  8. Next
  9. You will see the following dialog box: "Enter the Printer Name or IP address, and a port name for the desired device" Specify the IP address or the name/URL of the network printer in this dialog box. Example: 192.168.10.40 or laser.domaene.de
  10. Click OK
  11. Now, select the correct driver
  12. Next
  13. Enter the printer name and, if desired, set it as your standard printer
  14. Next
  15. Print test page (optional)
  16. Finish
Repeat these steps for all clients.
Information about the problem that only administrators (initial start of SiteKiosk) will be able to print:
Some printer drivers require full access rights to function properly. Thus, you might want to grant all user accounts on the network full access to the corresponding printer (Full Control/Everyone). Make sure that each client computer is able to control (e.g. stop) all print job processed by the printer. If selected under a limited SiteKiosk user account, this option does not represent an immediate security risk when used in combination with the SiteKiosk print dialog box or direct printing.


2. Linux server with attached network printer
Establish a connection between, for example, LPT2 and the network printer on all clients (e.g. by startup script). Simply enter 'net use lpt2: \\<print server>\printer /persistent:yes' (without the quotes!). You can now set up a workstation printer (local) which is connected to LPT2 and can be controlled and used for paid printing by the computer and SiteKiosk .


3. Information about the use of restricted user accounts
3.1 SiteKiosk user account
If you set up SiteKiosk user account automatically, the security manager will assign all required printer access rights. If you run into any problems, simply execute the security manager application one more time.
3.2 Other restricted user accounts
If you have set up a Windows user with limited access rights, make sure to also grant this user the corresponding printer access rights. For the necessary settings, go to Printer Properties under the tab Security. Select the user and assign the corresponding access rights.

Under XP, you may have to open Folder Options -> View and turn on the checkbox Use simple file sharing to reveal the Security tab.

If you operate in administered networks which require you to set up the access rights on the server, you will also have to assign a user account to the service named "SiteKiosk Privileged Call Dispatcher Service" (START / CONTROL PANEL / ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS / SERVICES) under Properties (right-click) and the tab "Register", which possesses the necessary access rights. If you are not sure what to do, ask your system administrator.


See also



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