This article provides instructions for connecting to departmental network printers at Ithaca College. These printers are hosted on Windows print servers and are available for departments that manage their own printing resources outside of the campus-wide PaperCut system.
Audience
This article is intended for faculty and staff who need to connect to departmental network printers that are not part of the PaperCut printing system.
Platform
Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS
Contents
About Departmental Network Printers
Departmental network printers are printing devices managed outside the campus-wide PaperCut printing system. These printers are:
- Hosted on Windows print servers (caslon and icprinters)
- Used by specific departments around campus for their unique printing needs
- Often older, Ithaca College-owned printers (many are HP) that are outside the Toshiba maintenance contract
- Supported by Information Technology for setup and basic troubleshooting
Departments are responsible for ordering supplies (toner, paper) for their departmental printers. Information Technology will assist with repairs within reasonable limits, but aging printers may be retired if repair costs exceed replacement value.
Prerequisites
Before connecting to a departmental printer, ensure you meet these requirements:
- Your computer is connected to the Ithaca College network (on campus) or connected via VPN
- Your department has authorized you to use the specific printer
- You know the name of your departmental printer (contact your department if unsure)
Connect to a Departmental Printer on Windows
- Open the Windows Start Menu from the Taskbar and enter run in the search field.
- Type \\caslon or \\icprinters and press Enter.
- A File Explorer window displays available printers on the print server.
- Locate your departmental printer in the list.
- Right-click the printer name and click Connect to install it.
- Windows automatically downloads and installs the necessary printer drivers.
- The Windows User Authentication Control (UAC) window will pop up for approval to install the printer driver
- You will see a progress indicator during installation.
- Verify the printer installation by printing a test page or document
The printer is now ready to use from any application on your computer.
Connect to a Departmental Printer on Mac
- Click the Apple menu and select System Settings (macOS Ventura or later) or System Preferences (earlier versions).
- Click Printers & Scanners.
- Click the + (plus) button to add a new printer.
- Click the IP tab (the globe icon) at the top of the Add Printer window
- Enter the following:
- Address: caslon.campus.ithaca.lan or icprinters.campus.ithaca.lan (whichever server hosts your printer)
- Protocol: Choose Line Printer Daemon - LPD
- Queue: Enter the exact share name of your departmental printer (ask your department if you are unsure; leaving this blank will not connect to the right printer)
- Name: a friendly name for the printer (optional)
- Next to Use, select your printer model (most departmental printers are HP). If the model is not listed, choose a generic driver such as Generic PostScript Printer, or contact the Service Desk for the correct driver
- Click Add
The printer is now available in the Print dialog of any application.
If your department restricts the printer to authorized members, you can add it over SMB instead: in the Add Printer window, use the address smb://caslon.campus.ithaca.lan/[share name] and sign in with your Ithaca College credentials.
Troubleshooting
Cannot connect to the Print Server
- Verify network connection: Ensure you are connected to the campus network or VPN
- Check printer server name: Confirm you are using caslon or the correct server name provided by your department
- Firewall settings: Some personal firewall settings may block printer connections
Printer Not Appearing in List
- Confirm printer availability: Contact your department to verify the printer is online and available
- Check permissions: Ensure you have been granted access to the specific printer
- Try alternate server: If caslon does not work, ask your department if the printer is hosted on icprinters
Print Jobs Not Printing
- Check printer status: Visit the physical printer location to verify it is powered on and has paper
- Review print queue: Open your computer's printer queue to see if jobs are stuck or paused
- Contact department: The printer may be out of toner or require maintenance
Support and Supplies
Supplies and Maintenance Responsibility
- Supplies: Your department is responsible for ordering and replacing toner, paper, and other consumables
- Repairs: Information Technology provides repair support within reasonable limits
- Basic troubleshooting and configuration
- Hardware repairs for printers under warranty or with reasonable repair costs
- Printers requiring expensive repairs may be retired and replaced
Requesting Support
For technical issues with departmental printers, contact the Service Desk with the following information:
- Printer name and location
- Description of the issue
- Any error messages displayed
Getting Help
For assistance with departmental network printers, please reach out to the Ithaca College Service Desk.