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Question
Friday, July 7, 2017 4:48 AM
Hi,
I'm looking for a means of disabling network discovery of printers, so only Active Directory printers are returned when adding a new printer under the new "Printers & Scanners" settings page . I also don't want network-discoverable printers from appearing under "Network" in File Explorer. All the GPO options I've applied don't seem to work for Windows 10. I've even got network discovery completely disabled under Network & Sharing Center, but printers and other computers still show up under Network in File Explorer.
Does anyone know how to disable discovery of network printers in Windows 10? Preferably a method I can apply via GPO, such as a registry settings.
Tom Wardrop
All replies (6)
Friday, July 7, 2017 5:06 AM
Can't you just turn off sharing in those individual printer's settings or properties?
Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP - Windows and Devices for IT - Windows Insider MVP : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.
Friday, July 7, 2017 5:48 AM
In theory, I could probably log into the web interface of each printer and disable bonjour and all the other network discovery services. Though I consider that a last resort. I'd much rather Windows 10 not discover these printers in the first place, and instead only look at Active Directory. Windows 7 seems to manage this just fine. In fact, there's a GPO under Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Printers / Add printer wizard - Network scan page (Managed network). Windows 7 respects this setting, but Windows 10 seems to ignore it completely.
Tom Wardrop
Monday, July 10, 2017 3:15 AM
Hi Tom,
Please check this similar case for a hint, try the registry method.
Regards
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Monday, July 10, 2017 4:17 AM
Thanks for that, but none of the advice given in that thread, or in the pages it links to, have helped. The core problem is that Windows 10 is not respecting the GPO's it should be, specifically the GPO: Computer Configuration / Policies / Windows Settings / Printers / "Add Printer wizard - Network scan page (Managed network)". Windows 7 respects that, and thus only shows directory printers which is how we've configured this particular policy.
Tom Wardrop
Wednesday, July 12, 2017 4:00 AM
I am running into the exact same issue. Windows 10 does not seem to respect the "Add Printer wizard - Network scan page (Managed network)" either in the legacy printer add dialog or in the "Metro" version. Very frustrating, as users can arbitrarily add a printer directly or via the directory, and it's confusing them.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017 6:07 AM
Indeed. As a work-around for the time being, I've disabled WSD (Web Service Discography) on all our printers. It's normally a hard setting to find on most printers web interface. Took me at least an hour to do just that.
Tom Wardrop