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# Err Msg: Could Not Connect to the Printer: The Printer Name Is Invalid

Article ID: 100362

Article Last Modified on 2/20/2007

APPLIES TO

- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1

This article was previously published under Q100362

## SUMMARY

You cannot use the server name in Print Manager to browse print servers. For example, if you want to browse the server "PrintServer" from Print Manager, if you click Printer, click Connect to Printer, type `\\PrintServer` in the Connect to Printer dialog box, and then press ENTER, the following error message is displayed:
Could not connect to the printer: The printer name is invalid.

## MORE INFORMATION

### Windows NT 3.1, 3.5, 4.0

To browse print servers, double-click on the domains in the Shared Printers box. When you double-click the servers, you will see the printers. Also, the complete UNC path (\\PrintServer\Printer) will connect to the printer.

### Windows 2000

Printers should be published in Active Directory, and then the directory can be searched.

Additional query words: prodnt ntnetserv

Keywords: kbprint kbnetwork KB100362