We have recently rolled out 100 laptops running Windows 8.1, some of our users are having a problem with printers being offline.
It appears to happen when they take the laptop home to no WiFi and then return to work and are reconnected to the WiFi. Restarting the print spooler doesn't always fix the issue, nor does restarting the pc.
It only seems to affect the users who don't connect to a network at home.
To replicate the problem:
- I took one of the problem laptops.
- confirmed that printing was working.
- Shut it down.
- Walked a block off campus until I was well out of WiFi range.
- Started the laptop, and logged in as the owner.
- Shut it down again.
- Walked back onto our campus.
- Started the laptop again and relogged in as the owner.
- Network printers were now offline.
- The Event Log didn't show any thing obvious.
- Restarting the spooler didn't bring them back online. Nor did restarting the whole pc.
- After several further restarts the printers came back online.
Any idea?
Best Answer
Open the Services console.
Start (or restart) the Printer Extensions and Notifications service.
Stop, wait for 5 secs and the Start the Print Spooler. Normally not enough to Restart.
Voilà the printers are online again - until your next network change or dropoff...
Tor