When is a Server 'ON'???

[TheBramble]

This isn't a problem, more of a curiosity.

I have a number of desktops and laptops networked via a wireless router.

One of the desktops acts as a Print Server.

After printing something off on it this morning I realised I had only turned the PS on, but not actually logged on any user name - it was just sitting there - booted up - but not in a specific user account. And it still printed stuff for me.

Should this surprise me? It does! I thought the router app and printer drivers would need an active account for it to work.

All m/c running XP Pro.

Strange.

 

[ardhill]

The print server doesn't need you to login, it automatically recognises the machine.

Your login in used to access information on YOUR account in the terminal - either on that PC or an a file server if you are using one. So, if I had a file on my PC and it was not set to be 'shared', then only I could access that file when I logged onto my PC.

Normally a print server is set up accept any print signal from any machine on your network.

Does that make sense?

 

[TheBramble]

Sort of. I just thought the wireless netowrking app was only fired up from a user account startup - obviously it's the initial boot-up that takes care of it.

 

[fowkesp]

Sort of. I just thought the wireless netowrking app was only fired up from a user account startup - obviously it's the initial boot-up that takes care of it.

Tony,

If XP is like NT, then there is a System account that logs on when the machine is booted. The system account doesn't use the display, so you never knows it's there. The printer server will be running under the system account.

Paul