Fix: Windows Cannot Connect to a Shared Printer

When connecting to a shared network printer, users may receive a ‘Windows can’t connect to the printer’ error with codes 0x0000011b or 0x00000002. This post explains common ways to fix shared printer connection errors in Windows.

Error 0x0000011b: Windows Cannot Connect to the Printer

In 2021, Microsoft released a series of security patches to fix the PrintNightmare vulnerability in the Print Spooler service. After installing these updates, Windows users may receive error 0x0000011b when connecting shared network printers.

Connect to Printer
Windows cannot connect to the printer.
Operation failed with error 0x0000011b.

Microsoft recommends using only Type 4 User Mode printer drivers on the print server. (the computer sharing the printer). These drivers do not require client-side administrative permissions to install. Update your printer drivers to Type 4.

If only Type 3 drivers are available for your printer, you can reduce the security level on the print server by creating the RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled registry entry with a value of 0:

REG ADD "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print" /v RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Restart the print spooler service on a host computer:

Restart-Service Spooler -Force

Then try connecting the shared network printer on the client computer again.

After connecting the shared printer to the client, set RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled =1 on the server to protect against the vulnerability.

0x00000002: Unable to Connect Shared Printer, Operation Failed

0x00000002 is another common shared printer connection error. This error can occur when you trying to connect a shared printer using a UNC path (using the format \\computername).

Connect to Printer

Windows cannot connect to the printer.

Operation failed with error 0x00000002.

Error 0x00000002 usually indicates that the driver installed on the computer for this printer is corrupt. Remove this driver from the driver store. Open the list of installed printer drivers:

printui.exe /s /t2

Find the printer driver you are trying to install and remove it (Remove -> Remove driver and driver package).

If any printers use this driver, you will also need to remove such printers first.

Restart the spooler (net stop spooler & net start spooler) and try connecting your shared printer again.

If the printer connection error occurs again, delete the old driver entries from the registry:

Otherwise, try the following:

1. Run the regiedit.exe and remove the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations;
2. If there are any subfolders with names from 1 to 499 in c:\Windows\System32\spool\prtprocs\x64, directory, delete all of them except winprint.dll;
3. Delete all Print Processors and drivers (except winprint) from the reg key HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments;
4. Restart your computer and connect to the shared printer.

Connect a Shared Printer via a Local Port Using the UNC Name

A workaround for most shared printer connection errors is to try connecting the printer using a local port with a UNC path.

To do this, you need to know the UNC name of the shared printer. Open a command prompt and list the shared printers on the remote computer using the command:

net view \\192.168.13.200

In this example, the shared printer’s UNC name is  \\192.168.13.200\HPM2727_1 (instead of the IP address, you can use the computer name).

Install the Printer Management snap-in in Windows:

dism /Online /add-Capability /CapabilityName:Print.Management.Console~~~~0.0.1.0

Open the print management console (printmanagement.msc) and navigate to Print Servers -> Printers. Create a new printer.

Select Local Port as the port type and enter the UNC path to the shared printer as the port name..

Continue installation. Select (or install) a printer driver.

Set the printer’s name.

Check you can print to a shared remote printer.