Cannot Print over Network when VPN tunnel active

[Jaymzx]

Here's one that's got me stumped. I'm contracting for a company and this issue has come up.

The users in this office use a PPTP tunnel to their ASP that hosts their Exchange email. They're using a mixture of various 9x and NT machines, however most of the desktop machines are Windows 2000.

One user who is using Windows XP Pro SP1 cannot access the network printer while the tunnel is connected. If she opens, say, a Word doc, and attempts to select the network printer from the print dialog box, Word will hang. If she drops the VPN connection, Word's print dialog will resume and she can select the network printer and print normally. Note that she can print normally over the network, as long as the VPN tunnel is not active. I considered some problem with RPC connectivity but she has a mapped drive connected to another machine (2K Pro file server (small office)) and it functions normally when the tunnel is up.

Within the VPN 'connectoid', Client for MS networks, File and Print sharing and TCP/IP are enabled for that connection. The machine is devoid of any extra protocols (just TCP/IP). NETBIOS over TCP is enabled. Binding order looks good. 'Default Gateway on Remote Network' (within connectoid) has been disabled. Route Print shows nothing out of the ordinary. Local network name resolution works fine. User can ping print server even when tunnel is active. I've tried removing and recreating the VPN connectoid. I've also tried running 'repair' on the LAN interface.

I considered Q307754 (Cannot Print from a Window XP-Based Computer to a Shared Printer on a Windows 95-Based Computer) because the print server is indeed a Windows 95 machine connected to an HP LaserJet 3300. I didn't think this applies since she is running SP1 and she can print normally when the VPN is not active.

Let me know if anyone has any questions. Any help with this idem would be appreciated!

-Jaymzx

 

[Marcs41]

I had the very same thing.
I changed the printer to point to an IP address,, not a name. Also, i added an alternative gateway, and 2 DNS entries, in the search order, LAN first.
In your network setting, if using DHCP, enable Netbios. The solution is out there.

 

[Jaymzx]

Since it's a very small network (5 machines) they are using NetBios for name resolution. All machines are DHCP with the exception of their 'file server'. When pinging the print server, I'm pinging it by name, so it resolves correctly. Since it's all on the same subnet, I didn't think any gateways were involved (but I will check out the table entry for the local subnet mask gateway..if I recall it looked good, but it's worth a second look). The DHCP server is the SonicWall SOHO2 that was recently installed. I'll see if there are any scope options that are pertinant.

You did give me one idea, however. I'll take a look into the ports on the printer config (client side) and rebuild them (create new port). It could be that the original port was 'fried' by the limitation mentioned in the Q article, above.

I'll take a second look and keep everyone informed.

-Jaymzx

 

[Marcs41]

Same here, 7 PC's , similar setup, but I had the same problem until I 'forced' that on the PC using VPN. The solution is out there.