Microsoft will soon deprecate the Line printer daemon (LPR/LPD). Here's what you need to do

Microsoft has just reminded Windows users that the line printer daemon (LPR/LPD) will be deprecated soon. The line printer daemon protocol (LPR/LPD) is an old way that computers send print jobs to printers.

Starting with Windows Server 2012, this old printing method has been marked as outdated, and Microsoft plans to remove it. Doing so, however, means that some computers, like those using UNIX, won’t be able to print using this old way.

What to do? In its announcement, Microsoft says UNIX computers should switch to a newer way of printing called IPP (Internet Printing Protocol). Windows computers can still connect to UNIX shared printers using another method called the Windows Standard Port Monitor.

Deprecation reminder: The line printer daemon protocol (LPR/LPD) was deprecated starting in Windows Server 2012. As removal of the line printer daemon protocol nears, we’d like to remind customers to ensure their environments are prepared for removal. When these features are eventually removed, clients that print to a server using this protocol, such as UNIX clients, will not be able to connect or print. Instead, UNIX clients should use IPP. Windows clients can connect to UNIX shared printers using the Windows Standard Port Monitor.

Microsoft doesn’t really specify when the deprecation will take place, but judging by the announcement on the list, it will happen in the next months.