IPP is a seamless solution for network printing with built-in encryption, user authentication, and many other features.
Published: Oct 28, 2024
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.
Microsoft announced support for the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) in 2018 in Windows 10. But what is it exactly?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here are the most common issues encountered by end users. Next, we’ll deal with some step-by-step troubleshooting procedures.
Next, I’ll list some troubleshooting tips for you and your IT Pros.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let’s round out this article by offering you some Tips and Tricks to use IPP to its fullest potential.