ezeep is awesome because of how easy it is to share your printers without the need for drivers to be installed on every user’s computer. That is great, but now how do you get everyone to only use the (e)Printer[s] and stop using the printers that was shared previously?
There are some options for you to look into:
Un-share your printer from the network. You probably shared your printer in your PC or Server so that people could have access. Go to your Control Panel and select Devices and Printers. Right click on the printer that you want to un-share and click on Printer properties.
Go to the Sharing Tab, uncheck the “Share this printer” option.
Disabling sharing is the part of Microsoft networking that enables you to share local printers with other users on small networks.
The printer may still be discoverable on your Local Area Network (LAN). Change the IP address of the printer so that any configured print driver cannot reach the printer. There are 2 places that you may want to make these changes: on your Printer and in your Router/DHCP Server.
Router/DHCP Server
When setting up your DHCP network router there were options to have some static IP addresses. You may have already setup your printer[s] with non-changing/static IP addresses. You will assign new IP addresses in here now. Often, after entering your Router’s management software you will go to the Setup page and see an area with DHCP Server settings. In the Server Settings you can add or edit the “DHCP Reservations” to assign IP addresses to the devices on your Local Area Network. Here is where you might have set the printer[s] IP addresses. If that is the case then set these IP addresses to a different address number. An IP address will appear as four sets of numbers separated by periods.
For example, you might see 192.168.10.11 - HP Printer. Change it to 192.168.10.21, anything other than what you were using and not being used by another device currently. Be sure to create an IP address that does not conflict with the Gateway IP Address and the number must be between 0 and 255
Printer IP Address
There can be a few different Menu options depending on your printer manufacturer. Look in the Printer Manual to find out the specific Menu options.
Generally, enter in the printer control panel and navigate by pressing and scrolling to the Home Menu, select Network Settings, then View Network Configuration. This area will tell you what IP address your printer is on currently. This IP number should be changed. If you changed it in the DHCP Router/Server then use the same IP address that you used there.
There is usually an option to select Advanced IP Address Setup in the Menus. This is where you will be given access to change the IP address for the printer. The number that you choose must be between 0 and 255 and not the same as your Gateway IP address.
Change IP address on your device
Change the IP Address in your printer object so that your PC can print to it. Go to Control Panel and select Devices and Printers. Right click and go to the Printer Properties.
Go to the Ports Tab, select Add Port button
Click on Standard TCP/IP, then select the New Port button
You’ll see the Add Standard TCP/IP Port Wizard, Select Next
Type in your printers new IP address, select Next.
It will search for the printer. Click Finish on the next screen, then it will be listed in your Ports Tab
You will be able to print to your printer on its new IP address now.
Change the password and/or WiFi name:
Some printers have an access password especially if you are using its WiFi capability. The easy fix here is to just change the password. To make it even more secure, change the WiFi Printer name in the Wireless settings. That way, people have to find the printer and its password to gain access.
Have a separate Local Area Network (LAN):
There are ways to easily have or create a secondary network. If you have a newer cable service providers router, it has 2 networks on it. One for your use and one for a Guest. You can easily have your members be on your Guest Network with a password and you can have your office equipment all on the other network; total separation from one group to the other. Since ezeep works through the internet, you can be on a totally different network or IP range than your members and they can still print to the “Local” printer.