Printing

Adding a Printer

    To use a campus network printer, you need to install the driver intended for that printer on your computer. Windows 8 and 10 64-bit can take advantage of Rensselaer's printers.win.rpi.edu server, which makes installing a printer very easy. Note that, if a printer has special features such as two-sided, color, or large paper sizes (B size paper or the large-format, roll-feed plotters), you will then need to configure the printer driver to select those features.

    Before installing the printer, you will need to know the name of the printer you want. Check the lists of public printers, which are sorted both by type and location.

    ou will find it helpful to first configure your Windows account for printers.win.rpi.edu. Doing this avoids having to supply your User ID and password when you print.

Configuring Your Windows account

Note: When you configured a Rensselaer laptop, you probably did the steps below. If so, you can skip to the next section on installing a printer.

  • Open the PC setting tile and then the Control Panel.
  • Select Small icons from View by drop-down list. Click on User Accounts.
  • On the left of the screen under Tasks, left click on Manage your credentials.
  • Click on the Windows Credential icon
  • In the Stored credentials for automatic logon window appears, click on Add a Windows credential.
  • Enter printers.win.rpi.eduin the Internet or network address field. In the User name field, enter win\YourUserID (for example, win\smithq3). Be sure to use a backslash (\). In the Password field, enter the password for your RCS userID. Click OK and close the various windows.

Installing a Printer

  1. Connect to the campus network via either a wired or wireless connection.
  2. Press the Windows key (bottom left of your computer) + R on the keyboard.
  3. Type \\printers.win.rpi.edu
  4. If prompted, log with win\YourRCSuserID and your RCS password.
  5. Double-click the printer you would like to install.

From Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks

Note that the following printing method also works for Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite.

  1. Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
  2. Choose Print and Fax from the View menu.
  3. Click the + button to add a printer.
  4. Press the Control key while clicking the "Default" icon (or any other icon on the toolbar), then choose Customize Toolbar from the contextual menu that appears.
  5. Drag the Advanced (gear) icon to the toolbar.
  6. Click Done.
  7. Click the Advanced icon that was added to the toolbar.
  8. Choose the Windows printer via spoolss option in the Type: field, and the Generic PostScript Printer option in the Use: field.
  9. In the URL: field, type smb://printers.win.rpi.edu/printer_name , where printer_name is the printer you would like to set up.
  10. In the Name: field, type the name under which you would like the printer to display.


Service Status

  • balw: Scheduled Maintenance
  • eccomlw: Functioning Normally
  • li4f1lw: Unexpected Outage