Mapping remote printers via Linksys WRV54G VPN

[mwecomputers]

Hi. I have setup a client with a Linksys WRV54G (VPN Endpoint Router) and able to successfully login to their network from a remote site (in this case, my home) using Linksys QuickVPN software. I can map to the client's server drives, however I cannot map to their printers that are hooked up via USB and LPT1 on the Win2K server (WINS name lookup: server = 10.1.1.2).

When I try to map to the printers, I get an "Could not connect to the printer. You either entered a printer name that was incorrect or the specified printer is no longer connected to the server" error.

The client's site has the printers shared as the local users at the client site can map and use the printers w/o any problems. I can easily map to the \\server\c$ disk share easily. It just won't allow a VPN user to map to the printers. I have even tried doing a direct IP to printer map (\\10.1.1.2\deskjet), but this gives the same error (as seen above) as well.

Client site: Windows 2000 Server w/ SP4 (IP: 10.1.1.2)
Client WRV54G Router: External Static IP address;
Client Internal IP info: 10.1.1.x layout
Client Printer Maps: \\server\deskjet ; \\server\okadataM
Client Domain: TESTGROUP

Home Workstation: Windows 2000 Pro w/ SP4 (IP: 192.168.1.2)
Home WRT54GS Router: Dynamic IP Address
Home Internal IP info: 192.168.1.x
Home Domain: MSHOME

Anyone got an idea on how to resolve the printer mapping issue?

-- Michael

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q302361

 

[mwecomputers]

I read the link information and don't fully understand. I am using Linksys' QuickVPN to connect through the Linksys WRV54G VPN endpoint then map to the remote Windows 2000 server.

I am not running any type of remote desktop or terminal services session on the main server on the remote side. The only connection is via the QuickVPN session.

If those changes to the registry are to be made, is that on my workstation side or on the remote server-side?

 

[bcastner]

QuickVPN is an odd duck, as it does not use the tunnelling feature of the WRV54G.

See:

http://www.broadbandreports.com/r0/...7b5f7093986a2f3af21/AbsoluteVPNnutsnbolts.zip

 

[mwecomputers]

This document is primarly for mapping drives, which is what I don't have a problem with. I have a working connection to the remote client site as I am able to map the drives and download/upload files easily. Remoting mapping the server-side printers is the problem.

 

[bcastner]

I understand your issue.
But have you done anything on the server side to correct the inablility of Windows to share remotely printer port assignments that raise the error message: "Could not connect to the printer. You either entered a printer name that was incorrect or the specified printer is no longer connected to the server" error."

You do not specify if you are using DNS or WINS or Netbios to resolve names. Have you made machine level entries for the printer shares? Have you redirected USB native to logical shares on the server?

 

[mwecomputers]

I have tried using IP address to map to the printers (ie. \\10.1.1.2\deskjet). I thought about using lmhosts, however have no idea on setting this up on my client workstation (the windows helpfile on this REALLY sucks).

This is a straight Windows 2000 Server build on the remote client side -- strictly being used as a file/storage server. The Linksys router (WRV54G) is handling the DHCP side of things. There is no internal DNS or WINS server.