5 Benefits of the Internet Printing Protocol and Its Implementation in Windows

IPP is a seamless solution for network printing with built-in encryption, user authentication, and many other features.

Published: Oct 28, 2024

Network Security

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This article delves into the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) and its implementation in Microsoft Windows. We’ll explore what it is, the fundamental concepts, functionality, advancements in Windows 11, and essential troubleshooting techniques. It aims to offer you a comprehensive understanding of IPP.

Introduction to Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)

Microsoft announced support for the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) in 2018 in Windows 10. But what is it exactly?

What is Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)?

The IPP is a robust network printing protocol for communications between client devices (IPP client) and what will be called IPP printers. It uses HTTP to handle printing tasks over local and wide area networks (LAN and WAN respectively). From the print job submission, the encoding used to encapsulate the network data of the print job, the different operating systems used, and printer attributes all have to be taken into account when you click ‘Print.’

IPP offers a standardized method for managing print jobs and running queries for printer capabilities. The IPP simplifies the printing process by allowing users to submit print jobs, check the status (print queues) of those jobs, and receive notifications about said jobs. Often you can browse to the printer’s URI in your web browser to check the basic status of your printers.

Importance of IPP in modern printing environments

In today’s digital and hybrid landscape, IPP has grown in importance immensely. It provides a secure and seamless method for printing from various devices, including computers, tablets, and even smartphones, regardless of the operating system. With built-in encryption and user authentication, you can be assured your sensitive documents are being printed securely. Purchasing and incorporating an SSL certificate for your printer’s URL (on the Internet) is highly recommended so all data transfer is secure.

Next, let’s learn more about how IPP is utilized in Windows.

What protocols are used in network printing?

I stated above that IPP uses a form of the HTTP protocol to communicate. But, there are several acronyms and legacy protocols you are likely aware of. Here are the most common and their use cases.

  • lpd / lpr – Line Printer Daemon (LPD) and Line Printer Remote (LPR). This was developed for Unix systems – still used for sending print jobs to printers these days.
  • TCP / IP – Transmit Control Protocol / Internet Protocol – we all know this is the de facto standard in networks today. Print jobs are sent via TCP/IP to network and remote printers.
  • SSL / TLS – These are encryption standards that are often utilized, whenever possible, with sending print jobs encrypted.
  • PCL / Postscript – These legacy protocols were very common back in the day. Printer Command Language was developed by Hewlett Packard (HP). It provided a standard way for printers to interpret print jobs and print them.
  • PDF – Portable Document Format, developed by Adobe. No, this is not a network printing protocol. However, it essentially became a printing standard. Especially related to desktop publishing, PDF files were often generated and sent to print shops so newsletters, banners, etc could be accurately and precisely printed from computer screen to print device. Colors and object placement were crucial, as you can imagine.

Understanding IPP in Windows

Microsoft set out to integrate IPP seamlessly into Windows 10. Users are blessed with a standardized and efficient method for managing print jobs. Windows supports IPP out of the box, allowing users to connect to network and USB printers without needing printer drivers. Yes, you read that right. More on that in a bit.

5 key features, integrations, and compatibility of IPP

IPP in Windows offers a set of features with efficiency as one of its key goals. Here are some of the best features and integrations IPP offers.

  1. User Authentication – Windows IPP is configured to require user authentication (by default), adding an extra layer of security by authenticating the identity of the user sending the print job.
  2. Secure Printing – IPP supports encrypted communication, validating that sensitive documents are sent securely over any configured network.
  3. Printer Discovery – Windows 10 and Windows 11 automatically detect and list available IPP-enabled printers on the network. This is a huge simplification compared to previous versions of Windows and network printing in general.
  4. Easily Connect – Quickly and easily connect to network printers using the Windows inbox printer class driver that’s based on the Mopria printing protocol.
  5. Job Management – Users can submit, cancel, and monitor print jobs directly from their Windows machine, making it easier for end users to see job status and handle the printing management process, taking it off your IT Pros. Print job attributes can also be gathered and reported on in real-time.
Windows Settings app - searching for printers with Internet Printing Protocol
Windows Settings app – searching for printers with Internet Printing Protocol – Image Credit: Michael Reinders

Two noteworthy advancements in printing more securely in Windows are the Print Support App (PSA) and ‘Point and Print.’ Let me explain.

The Print Support App is a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) application designed to enhance the printing experience in Windows. Windows ships an inbox printer class driver based on the standards-based Mopria printing protocol. This enables a simple and seamless printing experience and eliminates the need for users to install print software or custom drivers.

Built and engineered by printer manufacturers, PSAs provide a customized interface for managing print jobs and printer settings (and capabilities). These apps utilize the Microsoft IPP class driver to simplify the printing process. This app offers a more secure container development framework (UWP) than legacy and error-prone Win32 printer drivers. How many times did you cringe when troubleshooting a user’s printing issues and discover 13 entries in Control Panel’s Programs and Features describing home-based print driver software?

Point and Print is a nifty feature in Windows that allows users to connect to a remote printer without needing any install media. When a user selects a specific printer, Windows (behind the scenes) automatically downloads the necessary drivers and config information from the print server. This eases the end-user experience immensely.

However, with recent security measures being integrated into Windows (especially Windows 11), your users may be saddled with requiring admin privileges to install these drivers.

Advancements with Windows 11

Very soon after Windows 11 was released to the public, the ‘Printing Subsystem team’ published several blog posts about printing advancements in and coming to Windows 11. In the past year, they also announced the end of servicing plan for third-party printer drivers in Windows. Why are they taking relatively stringent measures? Let’s find out.

Enhanced security measures

Throughout 2023, the MORSE team has been collaborating with the Windows Print team to modernize and secure the Windows Print System. This is one of the largest and bold changes to the Windows Print stack in more than 20 years. Their goal was and is to build and maintain a secure print system that maximizes compatibility and puts users first. I’ll touch more on this in another article soon.

Encryption protocols have been upgraded in Windows 11 ensuring print jobs and communications between clients and printers remain secure. User authentication has become more robust, and enhancements to help protect sensitive information have been incorporated into the print stack in Windows.

UI/UX and performance improvements

Windows 11 optimizes the performance of the Internet Printing Protocol reducing latency and boosting the overall speed of print job processing. Recent PSAs have offered enhanced driver support and streamlined communication protocols resulting in faster printing, even in high-demand enterprise environments.

The user interface (UI/UX) in Windows 11 has been redone providing a cleaner, intuitive, and more streamlined interface for end users. One of the biggest efficiency enhancements has been a much easier and quicker way to add new printers and configure them. Using a universal driver greatly simplifies the process of modifying how a job will print; much cleaner with less to learn than prior legacy and proprietary printer drivers.

Troubleshooting IPP

As with any new technology, things don’t always work as planned. Users may encounter a variety of issues when working with Internet Printing Protocol. Let’s go through the most common scenarios.

Common issues and causes

Here are the most common issues encountered by end users. Next, we’ll deal with some step-by-step troubleshooting procedures.

  • Print Jobs Stuck in Queue – For reasons, print jobs can get stuck in the printer queues.
  • Printer (Device) Status – Users can discover print devices being offline or unavailable
  • Connection Errors– Network connections or Internet/VPN connections can sometimes go down
    • Also, verifying that port 631 (the default port number for IPP) is open
  • Slow Printing – Network congestion might be slowing down print jobs.

Next, I’ll list some troubleshooting tips for you and your IT Pros.

  • Verify the physical printer is online and operational. I know, but this needs to be validated.
  • Verify the correct printer driver is configured. Even though this should be a low-usage issue, it still needs to be checked and validated.
  • After installing a specific Windows patch (KB5005565), the installation of printers using IPP might not be completed successfully. Devices that had connected to and installed the printer prior to the installation of that KB are unaffected.
  • Installation of printers might fail when attempted over some network connections – Devices that attempt to connect to a network printer for the first time might fail to download and install the necessary printer drivers. This issue has been observed in devices that access printers via a print server, using HTTP connections.
  • Point and Print default behavior change requires administrator credentials to print – after installing KB5005033 or later updates, certain printer drivers using Point and Print might prompt for admin credentials.
    • The resolution is to verify you’re using the latest drivers for all printing devices used.

Use Cases and Examples with IPP

There are several specific and helpful use cases for Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) in Windows, especially in larger environments. Let’s go through some of them here.

Remote printing for telecommuters

With hybrid and remote work becoming ‘the standard’ across many enterprises, employees often need to print documents from remote locations, including their homes. IPP supports remote printing by letting users send print jobs over the internet to office printers. As an example, a user at home can print to a branch office printer, and retrieve it when he next visits said office.

Enterprise printing solutions

In large organizations, managing a fleet of print devices can be challenging. IPP simplifies the process by giving a unified method of connecting, configuring, and managing network printers across varying locations.

This inherent flexibility reduces the need for local print servers and enables centralized management of print resources.

Mobile printing in the educational segment

Higher education and schools often have diverse needs, from admin tasks to custom student projects related to their curriculum. Students can benefit from mobile printing with IPP – they can utilize it from their tablets, smartphones, and laptops. A university can deploy IPP-enabled printers throughout the campus, making it easy to print assignments from their devices without needing to hassle with printer drivers.

Healthcare sector secure printing

In healthcare settings, patient confidentiality (HIPAA) is paramount. IPP provides secure printing solutions that ensure patient records and sensitive information are safely printed.

For example, a hospital can use IPP to authenticate users before allowing them to print private patient records. This system ensures that only authorized and validated personnel have access to patient documents, maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other privacy regulatory standards.

Tips & tricks with IPP

Let’s round out this article by offering you some Tips and Tricks to use IPP to its fullest potential.

  • Enable Secure Communication – Always configure IPP to use secure protocols like IPPS (IPP over HTTPS) to encrypt all data transfers.
  • Use Static IP Addresses – Please use static IP address assignments (or DHCP Reservations) for your print devices. This is crucial to maintain communications, especially over the Internet.
  • Firmware Updates – Keep your print devices’ firmware up-to-date to boost the reliability and feature set of your printers.
  • Monitor Network Bandwidth – Monitor and validate your network has sufficient bandwidth to handle IPP traffic. High-latency WANs may pose a problem.
  • Leverage Print Support Apps (PSAs) – I already mentioned this,. but please incorporate these into your plans for IPP. A more user-friendly experience and better security are always welcome when managing your print environments.

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