Cannot find network printer (aka Where is \\winprint in Windows 10?)


  1. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Home
       #1

    Cannot find network printer (aka Where is \\winprint in Windows 10?)


    Hi everybody! Sorry for crossposting this from the Drivers and Hardware forum, but after a bit of investigation I found out that this forum could be more appropriate for the question.

    I remember with Windows 7 and 8 I used to be able to discover network printers going on \\winprint, and then double-clicking on them so that they would install (fetching the drivers from the network) and then appear in the control panel under "Devices and printers".

    I can't seem to be able to do the same in Windows 10 anymore. If I type "\\winprint" in the explorer search bar, I get the error: "Windows cannot access \\winprint" (Error code 0x80004005, Unspecified error), as if the location doesn't exist. I guess \\winprint got removed in Windows 10, and the only way of adding network printers is via "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers" -> "Add a printer", which unfortunately cannot find any network printer. The printer is there up and running as other computers in the network can regularly print.

    The printer is a relatively new Canon iR-5255i for which Windows 10 drivers exist, and are installed on my machine. Hence, I don't think this is a driver-related issue.

    When I was using Windows 8 some time back, I used to be able to discover the printer via \\winprint. When I upgraded windows from 8.1 to 10, the printer was still visible in Device and Printers and correctly working. Now I removed it by mistake, and cannot add it anymore.

    Ideas?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,169
    64bit Win 10 Pro ver 21H2
       #2

    The option to add printers on a network is still there:

    Cannot find network printer (aka Where is \winprint in Windows 10?)-2016-04-20-1-.png

    Select "The printer that I want isn't listed"

    Cannot find network printer (aka Where is \winprint in Windows 10?)-2016-04-20.png

    then let Windows search and connect....
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Home
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Yes, that's the issue. "Add a Bluetooth, wireless or network discoverable printer" cannot find the printer. By the way, is this functionality different at all from that saying "Add a device"/"Add a printer"? It doesn't look so.

    Moreover, are you sure this functionality exactly equivalent to the old \\winprint? I remember having trouble with this automatic discovery in the past, while \\winprint always used to work fine.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5,169
    64bit Win 10 Pro ver 21H2
       #4

    OK, you are right the Add device does the same type of check but doesn't have the link that says The printer that I want isn't listed. By using the link you also get the options to try a manual setup. I'm not sure what the old winprint did that was different.

    Is the printer wireless only or can you connect via a cable? Can you verify that the wireless printer is turned on and discoverable via the settings on the printer? If it is new and in warranty can you call Canon support?

    Sorry but I am not able to help any further.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Home
    Thread Starter
       #5

    So, after a lot of testing I found out it was a problem in the wireless network (that didn't have anything to do with my configuration). Apparently, \\winprint (which is still working in Windows 10) wasn't connecting because of a DNS configuration problem in my network.

    Thank you anyway!
      My Computer


 

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