Clean install of Monterey 12.6 can't print to Windows Print Server

[MrRoboto]

With a clean install of macOS 12.6 we are unable to print to Windows Server 2022 print queues over SMB. Local printer gets paused and CUPS shows error “unable to connect to printer”. Updating from 12.5.1 to 12.6 does not experience this issue, so far only clean installs are affected.

[geoff_widdowson]

I had this issue last year. SMB for print is now deprecated  in Windows Server. You will need to move your printers to lpd. Problem here is lpd is no longer installed by default on Windows servers so you will need to get lpd protocol installed by those that look after your windows servers. Then push out a replacement queue using lpd.

If you used a script install of the printers, you just need to change the part with smb to lpd.

[MrRoboto]

We also had an issue last year and was resolved by changing the RpcAuth via registry entry on the windows print server. Also we have to use encryption=no setting on Mac clients for some time but not after version 12.3. Now with version 12.6 none of the workarounds allow printing. On upgrades from 12.5 to 12.6 printing works however sending the jobs are very slow unless we disable smb multichannel. 

This week I started testing LPD printing as a replacement for SMB. Installed the PaperCut LPD Service on our windows server and then re-added print queues to Mac clients with “lpd://” instead of “smb://“. Works great, no delays, pausing or authentication issues.

[RobbG]

Were you printing by adding a device through Open Directory or the SMB tab? And what is the value of the entry of the RpcAuth registry entry? We recently added some new printers to the network and they worked for a day until the print server crashed and had to be restored. When the server came back, the Macs could no longer printer via OD.

[MrRoboto]

Our users install printers via Self Service script that calls the lpadmin command.

https://geekygordo.com/2018/10/20/2016-10-8-deploying-printers-via-shell/

I think that SMB printing has been deprecated in up to date Windows Server installations. The RpcAuth registry entry or other workarounds no longer work. You can read about the past workarounds here...
https://community.jamf.com/t5/jamf-pro/mac-printing-issue-after-microsoft-windows-print-server-updat...

https://community.jamf.com/t5/jamf-pro/smb-printing-to-windows-print-server-failing-to-connect-to-se...

[RobbG]

Thanks for the info! We made the call to go back to direct printing and publish the devices in Jamf using an lpadmin script. Not a ton of printing in our organization anymore, but frustrating when it stops working,

Thanks again!