How to rename network printer on Windows 7?

This question is similar to How do you rename a printer device in Windows 7 64 bit, except the answers there do not work, and I'll provide more information.

This is a home network, not a domain. I have set up a Brother HL-5170DN. It is a network printer connected directly to an Ethernet hub. I can connect to it with Windows 7, but on Windows 7 it defaults to the name "binary_p1 on Brn37415f", which isn't very useful. And I cannot seem to change the name.

I have it working with several Windows XP and Vista machines, and I can change the name on those machines.

On Windows 7 Printer properties:

• I can see the "binary_p1" name on the General tab. I can select the text, but I cannot change it. The field is not grayed out, but I cannot type anything into it.
• On the Ports tab, all of the controls are grayed out (disabled). The selected Port is called "\\Brn_37415f\binary_p1", and it's described as "Client Side Rendering Provider" and the printer field says "binary_p1".
• On the Security tab, I can see that my account has "Manage this printer" permissions.

If I choose Printer Server Properties, I can select the port and click Configure Port, but I get a dialog that says, "An error occurred during port configuration. This option is not supported."

I have found many forums with people asking the same question without getting an answer.

Update: No more bounties to offer, but I'm still looking for a solution to this problem.

Here's the way to do this on Windows 7 and 8.1 for non-IP based printers:

1. Add a printer
2. Add a local printer (not network)
3. Create a new port (local port, not TCP/IP)
4. Fill in portname (\server\printer syntax)

Follow the rest of the steps (you likely will have to manually pick the printer driver, you can find this easily if you already mapped the network printer by viewing its properties).

This will let you do this.

This worked for me:

1. Stop the print service
   net stop spooler

2. locate the printer in the registry under
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\$device
   Network printers usually have a key which starts with to commas, like
   ,,http://example.com:555,nameofprinter

3. Be $new the desired name of the printer. Change:
   value of "Name" in $device to $new
   value of "printerName" in $device\DsSpooler to $new
   value of "uNCName" in $device\DsSpooler to \\$computername\\\$new
   finally rename the printers registry key from $device to $new

4. restart printer service:
   net start spooler

Info gathered from
http://sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/89521-rename-network-printer.htm http://virtualroadside.com/blog/index.php/2007/10/17/prnrename-an-autoit-based-utility-to-rename-ipp-printers-in-windows/

I just did it on my Windows 7 installation.

Go to Device and Printers, right click on the printer you want to change, select "Printer Properties", not properties or printing preferences. Change the name in the top box. Hit OK when done.