I have a Windows Server 2019 configured to be AD, some Windows 10 clients and the server pushes multiple printers using GPO/GPP to the clients. This in itself seems to work, but there's a problem with the shown names in classical printer and devices dialog of control panel on the clients. The important thing is that I have multiple of the same printer models in different places and EACH of that models is available as multiple printer devices on the server, because those are pre-configured to print differently. The actual model is a HP LaserJetPro MFP M426-M427. That exists at "place1" and "place2". So the following printers exist at the server:
place1 setting1
place1 setting2
place2 setting1
place2 setting2
Though, control panel on the client shows one and the same icon named "HP LaserJetPro MFP M426-M427" multiple times instead of the concrete names the printers and their shares have. OTOH, when looking into the printer settings of each of those client side printers, even though they have the same name, they are all properly associated with DISTINCT server side printers in e.g. the tab for connections.
Additionally, when actually printing in apps, their printer list seems to use proper names as well. Though, what is shown depends on the actual app. Adobe Reader e.g. provides a list like the following:
\\ad-name\printer1 setting1
\\ad-name\printer1 setting2
\\ad-name\printer2 setting1
\\ad-name\printer2 setting2
MS Word provides the following list instead:
printer1 setting1 at ad-name
printer1 setting2 at ad-name
printer2 setting1 at ad-name
printer2 setting2 at ad-name
So, the most important thing is that the individual apps seem to work this. Though, when debugging printer problems or even printing a test sheet, having multiple of the same names in the control panel at the clients makes things unnecessary difficult.
Is there something I need to configure in the GPO/GPP to use a special name? I would have expected Windows to behave like when installing printers manually on clients, that e.g. the name of the share is used by default. But doesn't seem to be the case for me.
Thanks!
