Printing via VPN 2

[usuallyconfused]

I am trying to connect to a printer in a remote office via our VPN link, something that has never been a problem in the past.

However, since some of the remote computers have been upgraded to XP Pro, and one has the printer I want, I get the "A policy is in effect on your computer which prevents connecting to print queue" error message when using the Add Printer wizard.

I have done a bit of searching and I have found some Microsoft articles to do with Group Policies, but it does not seem to work. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks.

 

[AlexIT]

Does your remote user have permission to print on the XP box?

Alex

 

[usuallyconfused]

Thanks for the reply.

There are no particular permissions set on the printer other than to share it, but other PCs in the local office can print without problem - just the ones in the remote office can't.

 

[bcastner]

Add the Group REMOTE INTERACTIVE to the permitted users of the printer.

 

[AlexIT]

Star for bcaster!

 

[usuallyconfused]

Thanks for your comments. However, the problem is not solved.

I should say that this involves terminal services running on 2003 server. Having connected via TS to the main server from a remote office, I then want to add a printer in the remote office to my printers for use during a TS session. (I have also tried sitting at the remote server and trying to add the printer using the VPN link originally mentioned.)

Apart from the usual permitted users, I have tried adding REMOTE INTERACTIVE LOGON and have tried adding a few other groups but no luck. If I am on the PC with the printer attached, and then use terminal services to link to the remote server, at least I can see the printer, even if I get the "A policy is in effect on your computer..." error. But on other PCs, I cannot even see it.

This all works fine in the other two remote offices where they are running W2K, and we have had plenty of experience in getting it working well. It is only with some new XP computers thaty this problem has arisen.

 

[bcastner]

usuallyconfused,

There can be a few tricks to what you want to accomplish. I hope the following reading materials help to sort the issue:

.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312135

.

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q264/0/39.asp

. And this one to watch out for:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302361

. This link in particular my resolve the issue under Windows 2003 and XP RD client:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...G9Mgu9XDHA.1068%40cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl&rnum=4

. But see the discussions here:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=terminal+server+redirect+to+local+printer&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en

 

[rgzimmer]

The user must have rights to install print drivers on both the terminal server and the workstation. By default, only Administrators have this right. No one else, not even power users, can install printers.

The only way around this is to have an admin log in with the workstation and server to get the drivers on the system so that the end user can get them in place.

I have had to do this for remote clients when new printers are shipped out that don't have drivers already loaded in the OS.

 

[bcastner]

rgzimmer,

But there are alternatives. It is tough to generalize but see:

.

http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/NetPrinterAllUsers.htm

. Using the native rundll32 service, a very nice job by a Tek-tips forum member:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?SQID=581142&SPID=779

. A slightly different approach:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?SQID=791155&SPID=779