Remote printing- outside network

[Casual_Shooter]

Hi all,

I'd like to allow employees outside of my home network to print to my printer.

e.g. Employees who work from home would generate invoices in our database system and print them to my printer.

Printer is an HP M602 and is connected via ethernet to my home network. All computers are Macs. I've set up HP's e-print, but it's a bit goofy. It's basically a way to email a document to the printer. It works, but I'd like a direct print option.

I've heard I can set this up via IPP or setting up a VPN but have no experience. VPN seems like the safest/ most secure route but more difficult to set up.

I've looked at Google Cloud Print but that seems to be more of document sharing option v.s. a direct print option.

Anyone have experience in this area and willing to share their knowledge?

[pluke the 2]

If you have a decent router on your network you could open up a VPN where you will have to assign user and password credentials via the routers vpn portal.

Go into your router and see if you have the ability.

[pluke the 2]

You could use a paid vpn such as gotomypc as well.

[Pandanin]

This might work for you. We're investigating it so our offshore team can print into one of our offices for ppl to pick up in the morning.

Install instructions

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/share_remote_printers_with_printershare.htm

the software itself

http://printershare.com/index.sdf

[Casual_Shooter]

If you have a decent router on your network you could open up a VPN where you will have to assign user and password credentials via the routers vpn portal.

Go into your router and see if you have the ability.

Using an Airport Extreme. It has a VPN that seems like it should do what I want, but I don't know how.

Just purchased a Buffalo N600 to possibly set up a separate "work"' network. Doesn't seem too complicated to set up a separate network but that router would definitely have the VPN option.

You could use a paid vpn such as gotomypc as well.

Is that similar to LogMeIn? If so, I've used that before but this would be different. It's not so they can access my computer, just my printer.

[pluke the 2]

Airport extreme should allow you to set up a VPN. So should the Buffalo N600.

LogMeIn and Gotomypc are the same thing.

With the two, you should be able to setup a printer port without taking control of a computer remotely.

On the cheap, I would go the router vpn.

On the stable / secure way, I would set up a cheap $400 stationary desktop and setup either gotomypc / logmein portal.

[ambiguous216]

Buy a HP printer that supports eprint

Simple and no vpn fuss

[Casual_Shooter]

Buy a HP printer that supports eprint

Simple and no vpn fuss

I have one (explained in the first post). eprint is emailing a document to your printer. It's "ok" but not direct print. In other words, I would have to add a script to our database so that when they clicked print, it would generate a pdf, attach it to an email and send. Not a big deal since that's how we send bills to some customers, but not what I'm looking for here. Not to mention, I'd get two pages every time they did that. 1 page for the body of the email and another for the attachment (invoice).

[BuddyBoy]

Look into Google Cloud Print.

[Casual_Shooter]

Look into Google Cloud Print.

Looked into it. Seems more like a print sharing option v.s. direct print.

In other words, from my understanding, with Google Cloud Print and others, someone would upload a file to be printed. Then someone else could print that document, or it could be printed on their printer... but it must be uploaded first.

I'm sure those options have their place. I'm looking for a way for a remote user to click "print" and have the document go straight to my printer as if they were on my LAN.

Would have thought this could be done with a setting in the JetDirect or IPP step when adding a printer, but maybe not.

[cvigue]

A lot of modern printers are Google Print enabled. Look into it.

[SkyHawk]

I can direct print to my home printer from the corporate network, but I have a point to point hardware VPN tunnel.

The only other option (for direct print) is to expose your printer to the internet and use PAT on your firewall to redirect traffic coming to your public IP and a certain port so it goes to your printer. But this would require you to have a static IP or dynamically updated public DNS entry.

[Casual_Shooter]

A lot of modern printers are Google Print enabled. Look into it.

I will (again) if you can explain to me how it is a direct print option.

[Casual_Shooter]

I can direct print to my home printer from the corporate network, but I have a point to point hardware VPN tunnel.

The only other option (for direct print) is to expose your printer to the internet and use PAT on your firewall to redirect traffic coming to your public IP and a certain port so it goes to your printer. But this would require you to have a static IP or dynamically updated public DNS entry.

That's what I've heard is possible (both of the above)- although I don't know what PAT is. Unless it's port forwarding? In which case, I've done that for our database software.

Was hoping someone here would know the steps for a printer. I have a static IP address (cox cable). In the event Cox changes our IP (has happened twice in 5 years), I could easily update the remote user's information.

Opening the printer to the world would not be ideal, of course. That's where I've heard VPN comes in.

Might be time to hit up the IT department contacts at one of our larger customers.

[ambiguous216]

Then your best bet will be to hire a IT professional