Change port name of printer

[ajglass]

Kindly explain how this done. I can change the ip address of the printer but not the port name.

 

[abekl]

The port name is not changeable.

 

[Seanza]

Yes, but why is it not "changeable"?

Is this a special name that is more than just a name and is maybe some kind of "identifier" and changing it will sever one or various virtual connections that would impede it's function? Is the port name a unique name that ties in with some other communication protocol, or an identifier or something?

What is the reasoning? It shouldn't be as easy as that the programmers simply forgot to allow a post edit of a name in this particular field. But if it is, then maybe it's simply an issue that needs to be brought to the attention of those who can make changes to the software.

Does this issue apply with all updated versions of windows?

Can it not be changed in the registry? What, if anything, does this port name do if it does more that provide the user with a visual text reference? And if I wanted to, what possible steps could then be taken to make the necessary changes to whatever is effected by the change in the port settings name?

 

[pol098]

Old thread, but for anyone who, like me, comes via a search: I had this problem with a Brother HL-L2340DW laser printer that was replaced with another of the same model. I didn't want to reinstall everything, so simply plugged in the replacement and set it up to connect to the network (took longer than I thought, probably better to uninstall and reinstall). After the printer was connected to the network, printing always failed. I discovered that the printer port was still set to the old value, and, as discussed here, wanted to simply edit the name to the new value. I discovered that I could change the PRINTER NAME to the new one (the NetBIOS name shown in the printer settings, based on the MAC address), but I couldn't change the PORT NAME. The printer name is used to find the printer, and is necessary; the port name is basically just for display as far as I can see. I looked in the registry and found the port name in many places, which is probably why it can't just be changed. If I really wanted to change the name I would have made a system backup, then edited the registry to replace the old name with the new name throughout; I'd expect this to work, but it wasn't important enough.

In my particular case the quickest solution to the whole printer exchange would have been to remove the printer software entirely (with the associated port name) and reinstalled it for the new printer.