Adding a Printer to a Cluster

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After creating the group, resources, ports, and printer drivers, you can add a printer to the cluster. Each node must have connectivity to the remote print server device (port). A locally connected computer cannot be used in a cluster configuration because the printer is connected directly to the node and does not fail over if that node goes down.

Adding a printer to a cluster is the same as adding it to any other computer, with the following exceptions:

  • Never start from the local Printers folder. The cluster always appears remote, even if you are working on the active cluster node. Instead, type the cluster name (for example, \\Cluster-prn) in the Run menu. Then click the remote Printers folder that is displayed.

  • If the Add Printer Wizard does not appear when the remote Printers folder opens, you cannot continue. One of three things is wrong:

    • You do not have administrator permissions on each cluster node.

    • The spooler service is not started on the current computer (unlikely).

    • The cluster does not have at least one Print Spooler resource online.