Can I print to a printer at home from work?

B

BobD

New member
Is there a way, I thought there was, for me to set something up so I could print to my home printer from other location other than home? And if there is a way would it open me up to a bunch of security issues?
 
Would e-mailing the thing to be printed be an option? Just send it to your e-mail, then open it and print it when you get home. :nixweiss
 
BigLeegr said:
Would e-mailing the thing to be printed be an option? Just send it to your e-mail, then open it and print it when you get home. :nixweiss
Click to expand...

No, that would not work. Well it would work but my reason for wanting to do this is because I wanted everything sitting there ready for me when I get home. :)
 
I would think that there would also be a way to do this if you had a remote desktop connection set up. That enables you to access files on your home pc from another pc. So theroretically you could email it to your home email. then use the remote desktop connection to open the file on your home machine, and then therefore print it.



Just an idea.
 
Mike's post has you headed down the right path. The informit article looks especially good....



I have no idea what type of network equipment you have at work, or at home, any more details?



You would need to setup a SSL VPN connection to your home computer/network, enable file and print sharing on your home PC (connected to the printer) and configure that printer as a network printer on your work PC.



To answer your security concerns:

1. If you go the VPN route is a good idea to setup the VPN to "listen" on a port other than the default port



2. If you enable file and print sharing you need to have a hardware firewall protecting the network or a software firewall (Windows Firewall) running on the machine.







You might also try "printing" all of your print jobs to a print file instead of a printer - e-mail that to your house and print them all in one shot while you grab a beer or QD the ride when you get home. Might be easier than the VPN print sharing solution.



Hope this helps.
 
Thanks everyone! I don't think it would work too well for me. I was hoping there was a program or something I could buy to do it.
 
Have you thought of getting a fax machine? Some computers/printers can act as a fax machine as well, so this may be an option. :nixweiss
 
If Windows Go to start menu goto settings then go to open “printers and faxes� you will see printer icon/s left hand click the printer icon that you want printed then go to properties OK now goto sharing you will see network setup wizard it should or will guide you though it. Make sure you set a password vary important you do and its vary important that you not leave your home computer printer networking port open all the time because of security reasons. Set available time at your home computer to open printer networking port so your work computer to send file at that set time too.

Before you do this get all the current windows updates and find out your work IP address and make sure when you go though the wizard to ONLY use one IP address that is allowed and set limited access to that IP address assuming you have a permanent internet IP address at work. Windows XP is a networking OS it can handle it fine but security might be an issue using a printer networking port if not done right.
 
It will depend on how and if IP printing is setup. I use that on Novell and Microsoft Networks I manage and users can print from anywhere in the world to those printers. But then that's on a network (which you may not be running at home).



Go to MS Support Knowledge base and do a search on "IP Printing or Internet Printing". The technology exists but whether or not you meet the requirements to deploy it is another matter.



Morbid
 
simplest way w/out worrying about VPN configs and such is to use VNC. set your home router to forward the VNC port(s) to whatever pc is sharing the printer. connect from your work pc to your home pc via VNC...that allows you to remote control the home pc like you are sitting in front of it.



to make it even easier (and not have to worry about keeping track of your home IP address since that will most likely change now and then), use a free dynamic DNS service like www.dynu.com



so:



www.realvnc.com



and



www.dynu.com



.02
 
I believe you can do that type of thing with www.logmein.com



It's a remote desktop VNC type thing all through a webpage. So, assuming your target computer has logmein setup on it, you can log into it from anywhere that has internet access. I've found it to be much simpler to use than VNC -- REALLY easy to setup.



Tom
 
Cuda444 said:
I believe you can do that type of thing with www.logmein.com



It's a remote desktop VNC type thing all through a webpage. So, assuming your target computer has logmein setup on it, you can log into it from anywhere that has internet access. I've found it to be much simpler to use than VNC -- REALLY easy to setup.



Tom
Click to expand...



Thanks to everyone.

I looked into the Log Me In but it says "Remote Printing: Automatically print remote files locally" and I think I need just the reverse. I need to print local documents remotely.
 
At your home computer, setup a VPN connection (to accept incoming connections) via windows and share your printer. Use a dynamic dns like no-ip.info.



On your office computer, setup a VPN connection to make a connection. You are now on a VPN. Browse your home computer through the VPN and find the printer. Right click it and select Connect.



It is now installed in your office printer. When printing, just select to print to that printer.



That's pretty much it.



If you want to do this route, let me know the OS of each computer and we can start from there. I can write step by step instructions
 
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