• Navigate to the "Devices" tab and click "Add Device".
• Enter the IP address or hostname of the network printer you want to monitor.
• Provide authentication credentials (if required) for accessing the printer.
• PRTG will automatically discover available sensors for printer monitoring.

Configuring Printer Monitoring Sensors:

• Select the appropriate printer monitoring sensor (e.g., SNMP Printer Sensor, WMI Printer Sensor).
• Configure sensor settings such as monitoring intervals, thresholds, and authentication details.
• Define specific parameters to monitor, such as printer status, ink or toner levels, and paper jams.

Adding Print Queues for Monitoring:

• Navigate to the "Devices" tab and click "Add Device".
• Enter the IP address or hostname of the print server hosting the print queues you want to monitor.
• Provide authentication credentials (if required) for accessing the print server.
• PRTG will automatically discover available sensors for print queue monitoring.

Configuring Print Queue Monitoring Sensors:

• Select the appropriate print queue monitoring sensor (e.g., SNMP Custom Sensor, WMI Custom Sensor).
• Configure sensor settings such as monitoring intervals, thresholds, and authentication details.
• Define specific parameters to monitor, such as queue status, pending print jobs, and print job completion times.

Dashboard Customization:

• Customize the dashboard to display printer usage and print queue metrics.
• Add widgets for real-time and historical data visualization.
• Arrange the layout for easy monitoring of printers and print queues.

Setting Up Alerts:

• Configure alerts for printer errors, low ink or toner levels, and print queue issues.
• Define thresholds for acceptable printer and print queue statuses.
• Choose notification methods (email, SMS) for alerts to ensure timely awareness of printing issues.

Historical Data Analysis:

• Analyze historical data to identify trends in printer usage and print queue performance.
• Generate reports to gain insights into printer utilization, ink or toner consumption, and print job trends over time.
• Compare data across different printers or print queues for performance evaluation and troubleshooting.

Maintenance and Updates:

• Keep PRTG updated to access the latest features and security patches.
• Monitor PRTG health for optimal performance.
• Perform routine maintenance tasks like database cleanup and sensor optimization.

By following these steps, you can effectively monitor network printer usage and print queues using PRTG Network Monitor, ensuring that your printing infrastructure remains operational, efficient, and capable of meeting the printing needs of your organization.