Topic: PPTP & Printing

[Sterling]

I've searched high and low and have been unable to come up with an answer. Is printing to a remote Windows XP Pro PPTP client's printer over the tunnel from a Windows XP Pro workstation on the local side of the SME box supposed to work?

If so, what could be causing it to fail (the message I get is "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Operation could not be completed")? I've had this message from three different XP Pro machines on the local side when trying to map to the remote client's printer.

 If not, is there a workaround to enable printing to the PPTP client?

Thanks much,
Sterling

[ryan]

Sterling,

I have experienced this exact problem you are describing.  Your problem is likely permissions.  XP will only allow remote users access to the printer if those users have local accounts on the XP system with the printer.  Another option is to set your group/local policy to allow the everyone group to include annoymous users, but THIS IS A BAD IDEA!!!!

I have found another solution:

1.  Set system w/ printer to static lan IP, or use dhcp reservation (set remote host name with SME).
2.  Install 'other print services' on the XP/2k system w/ printer.
3.  Change tcp/ip printer server service on system w/ printer from 'manual' to 'automatic start' in your administration/services.
4.  Share & give a share name to the printer attached to the system.
5.  Under advanced printer properties, set to NOT use spool, use 'print directly to printer'.

On remote clients:

1.  Install LOCAL printer using a new standard tcp/ip port.
2.  Use IP address of remote system w/ printer.  Enter IP address for port name as well.
3.  Select Custom (not generic) port type.
4.  Set port type to LPR (port 515).  
5.  Set queue name to shared printer name on remote system.
6.  Check LPR byte counting enabled.
7.  Install the same identical driver used on the shared system.
8.  Dont print test page, when done, open printer properties and change advanced spool settings to 'spool all pages before printing'.

If you can ping the remote system, you should be able to print to it using tcp/ip (unix printing).  Windows permissions do not apply when using tcp/ip print services.

good luck

ryan

[Sterling]

Thank you very much for your reply Ryan.

Your lpd/lpr suggestion is exactly how I solved it

Regards,
Sterling

[ryan]

Glad to hear it worked.   You can experiment with your advanced setting for the server spooler.  The settings I gave you proved most stable for my situation since only one spool service was involved instead of two for a print job.   If your printer is slow or is low on RAM, changing the server spooler to "print first page, then start" might help...but I would leave the client side to "spool entire, then print" so it sends the entire job at once.  

Then again, I follow KISS, and one spool is simpler than 2, therefore it is my choice regardless of performance...unless it makes a really big difference.

By the way...if you put a printer on lpt1 on an SME server, set up your print clients with LPR and you won't have any connection issues to the printer, even if the user does not have a user account on SME.   I have found the samba printer on SME to have issues with permissions when the client is 2k or XP.  

ryan

[cydonia]

2.  Install 'other print services' on the XP/2k system w/ printer.
3.  Change tcp/ip printer server service on system w/ printer from 'manual' to 'automatic start' in your administration/services.

good luck

ryan

Could someone give me a hand with the above points?

Where/how do i install "other print services"?

And, where is 'administration/services'?


Thanks
Tristan

[mbachmann]

2.: well hidden windows setting: add additional file and print services for networks/print services for unix (i translate from german, might read diffrent on your machine). Find it using F1->search for "unix print service" or under "network connections" "advanced" "optional networks components".

3. Windows too has services, right click your computer -> manage -> services. There one can change the type of start.

[cydonia]

2.: well hidden windows setting: add additional file and print services for networks/print services for unix (i translate from german, might read diffrent on your machine). Find it using F1->search for "unix print service" or under "network connections" "advanced" "optional networks components".

3. Windows too has services, right click your computer -> manage -> services. There one can change the type of start.

Thanks .  got it.  Mine was already set to automatic actually...

And for others who look at this, i got confused here, with regards to "optional networks components".  Its under advanced on the top nav bar of network connections window.


Thanks again.  now gotta get someone to test this.

[cydonia]

Hi,

Sorry, having a bit of trouble here getting it to work.


I have tested from a remote client.  Added the printer to port 515 etc, specified the ip address of the comp on remote network with printer attached.

But, in the printers & faxes, the printer comes up as:

------------------
Canon-Lbp 800 on Tk-desktop -  Unable to Connect.
------------------


All other printers are like:

----------
abc printer - Ready
----------


Also, i cant access the computer "Tk-desktop" from the network browser anymore.

Any ideas?