I'm helping a school transition from their DC server to a Workgroup setup, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to manage printing. I'm thinking of using Windows Server 2022 as a Workgroup print server and sharing the printers from there. However, I'm running into issues. My test clients can't connect to the shared printer on the server. When I try to access it through the network, it asks for access rights, and using the local admin details doesn't seem to work. I know cloud printing solutions exist, but they're too pricey for this small primary school. So, what steps can I take to successfully set this up?
1 Answer
It's a bit strange that the school is removing the domain only to set up a Workgroup server. In my experience, without a domain, you'll have a lot of challenges managing printers. Honestly, I'd suggest just letting Windows 10/11 handle printer discovery and installation since it's decent at that. Inform the school that removing the domain means they won't have centralized management, so users will need to add printers individually moving forward.
I get that you have experience in educational IT, but removing the domain could complicate the login process for teachers and TAs. It's critical to consider what accounts and mapped drives will be available for them. It's going to require a lot more effort on everyone's part.