Printer Does Not Work When Connected to a VPN
Computer users can make use of VPN
usually known as virtual private networks, to remotely connect to a distant network and make use of the resources on that network as if they were local. Printing across a virtual private network, or printing to a local printer while connected to a VPN, can present a host of challenges, though, as the VPN reconfigures the computer’s network connection.
Function
When a user connects to a virtual private network, special VPN software establishes a dedicated connection known as a tunnel to a point of presence, or POP, in the remote network. According to networking professionals at Alliance Datacom, the POP device on the remote network acts as a virtual presence, allowing the user’s computer to reroute data that would normally traverse the user’s local network to instead pass across the remote network.
Local Printing
Because VPN software intercepts local network traffic and reroutes it to the remote network, users may experience some difficulty printing to devices on the local network. Though printers directly connected to a local computer should continue to work just fine, according to the University of California at Berkeley, printers on a local area network may become unavailable while connected to a VPN. To print locally, users may need to enable an “Enable Local LAN Access” setting in the VPN software.
Network Printing
Some users who can print to local printers while connected to a VPN may experience difficulty printing to devices on the remote network. To print remotely, users should first ensure that the “Enable Local LAN Access” setting is disabled in the VPN software. Users must also have the proper printer drivers installed on the local computer to use remote printers, according to the technology company InterWorks. Users who still cannot print to remote printers even with the proper drivers may need to contact a server administrator to ensure that servers in the remote network also have the proper printer drivers installed. Administrators may also need to adjust the server configuration to allow remote printing.
Considerations
Though VPN software packages typically allow users to toggle the use of local network resources, some virtual private network applications do not offer this option. In many cases, users will need to know specifics about the remote printer in order to configure it for use, and a VPN administrator may need to provide configuration details or a specific printer driver. Printer configuration may also differ somewhat between Mac, Windows and Linux computers.