Printing on a wireless printer through Remote desktop (using XP)

[Drzeto]

Hi, I'm trying to print to my local printer connected to my local wireless printserver, while logged into my computer at work using remote desktop. Both are XP machines.

When I connect the printer directly to my desktop at home, I see it as available printers on my computer at work, and can print without problems. But when I share the printer through the wireless printserver (at home) Remote Desktop doesn't redirects the printer. So I cant print, it's not there anymore as a choise amongst the different printers. My guess is that RDP can't redirect IP_XXXXXX printers. Any ideas if there is a workaround?

 

[cdogg]

General info:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457106.aspx

Remote Desktop provides printer redirection, which routes print jobs from the Remote Desktop session to a printer attached to the client computer. When the user logs on to the remote computer, the remote computer detects the client’s local printer and automatically installs the appropriate printer driver. If the local printer requires a driver that does not ship with Windows XP Professional, you will need to manually install the driver on the remote computer. Remote Desktop also redirects network printers on the client computer.

Check to make sure it's not a driver issue. What I would try is maybe to install a generic print driver (one that comes with Windows XP) for your networked printer. Then I would select it as your default printer making sure Remote Desktop is closed. Then open it, reconnect and try it again.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[Drzeto]

Thanks for the reply. From what I understand using the generic /text only print driver results in printing to a file. I use an accounting program on my work computer, that har special layouts and stuff when printing. My fear is that the generic /text only driver is to simple and will not be compatibel with that accounting program. But I can try. Maybe taking my home printer to my work, installing it there with the same driver as I use at home, then returning it at home might make a difference?

Maybe it's a routing conflict since I use Cisco VPN program when connecting to my work through RDP?

I'm quite confused at the moment

 

[cdogg]

Well, what type of printer is it? I wasn't actually suggesting you use the generic/text driver. The HP Laserjet 4 print driver actually works with a lot of different makes/models for example.

Manually installing the correct print driver though is probably the best option. You shouldn't need to take your printer in, just the CD:

1) On your work PC, install a local printer (uncheck the "automatically detect" option).

2) On the next screen choose local port and select "Standard TCP/IP" from the dropdown.

3) Type the IP address of an existing printer and click Next

4) Click "Have Disk" and point to the driver folder on the CD to finish the install

Name the printer whatever and keep it installed until after you get the one from home working. If it continues to give you trouble, it could very well be the VPN connection. Try to get a network printer to work in the office by remoting from one work PC to another as a test.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[Drzeto]

Hi, the printer is a HP LaserJet M1522nf, it's a multifunction printer, but I'm only interested in it beeing able to print when I'm logging into my work computer from home through RDP.

Your solution lookes interesting, even though I don't quite understand the science behind it, how this is going to make my wireless printer at home appear on my computer at work during the RDP session.

In step 3 I guess you mean the IP adress of one of the network printers at work: 192.168.X.X something?

 

[Drzeto]

I stumbled across this:

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

Don't know if the above solution helps. My printer uses port: IP_1 Standard TCP/IP Port at home.

I'm at a friends place right now so I can't check if I even have Windows Terminal Service under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\

My friend is usig XP home and is missing this.

 

[cmeagan656]

1. Install the print driver for the HP LaserJet M1522nf on the Server that you log into.

2. Make sure that you are using the latest version (6.0.?) of RDP.

3. Edit your RDP connection. On the "Local Resources" tab makes sure that the check box next to "Printers" is checked in the "Local Devices and Resources" section.

Cheers.

 

[Drzeto]

Thanks cmeagan656. However, to make things clear, when you say install drivers on the server, do you mean on the host computer (i.e. the one i log into at work from home) or do you mean install drivers on the Linux server at work?

 

[cdogg]

In step 3 I guess you mean the IP adress of one of the network printers at work: 192.168.X.X something

Yes, whatever the IP address of a network printer is at work.

What this accomplishes is that it installs a printer with the correct driver in your list of printers. It doesn't matter what it's pointing to. Then when you go to link your home printer through RDP, it should be able to locate the correct driver since it's properly installed on the host (work PC). After you get it to work, you can go back and delete that "dummy" printer I had you install.

I'm sure there are other ways to accomplish what you're looking for (and perhaps less complex ways), but that was the first to come to mind. Good luck!

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[cmeagan656]

when you say install drivers on the server, do you mean on the host computer (i.e. the one i log into at work from home)

You need to install them on the host computer. If you're using Terminal Services then you would install them on the terminal server.

Cheers.