RDP Printing

[devham]

I have a client that has a unique situation for printing requirements.

We have a Remote Desktop Services server setup at their office. During day to day work all the users connect locally to the remote desktop server and print to a large multi function printer in the office. This works great for most users and there are only a few situations where the user can 't use specific software on the server.

4 times during the year the customer will host events that have the entire office move to another location. During this move we have a the servers stay at the office and our local ISP drops a temporary line so we can connect. The local printing company also donates a different copier/printer for them to work with during their move. Again, this works for the most part, except for printing.

Right now if they are printing large documents through the redirected printer it takes forever for documents to print. As well, since it can be a different copier that shows up when they move each time I have to go and setup a local printer on each of the laptops.

I was wondering if anyone knows of a better way to print from a remote desktop server to the local IP printer instead of redirecting it? Preferably something that I don't have to change on every laptop when they move.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Is this an active directory environment, including the remote temporary location?
Else...here's a remote print manager I've used years ago....
http://www.tricerat.com/products/printing-solutions/screwdrivers

 

[TurricanII]

Forward in tcp port 9100 to the temp printer wherever it is. add an IP printer to the terminal server/rdp server, to print to the outside IP address of the modem/router at the remote site. Ideally set a firewall rule so that only the main office IP address can access port 9100.

You might also reduce the print jobs to 600dpi if you can, to shrink the size.

For some clients I have configured a draytek router as an IPsec vpn endpoint in aggressive mode, so it tries to vpn into hq via nat wherever it is plugged in. once you have a remote location with Internet, plug in the Draytek and bam you have a routed site to site vpn. this way you can also add an IP printer across the VPN instead of the internet

 

[fencepost]

@TurricanII has the simplest option right there if you have an adequate router at the temporary site - forward 9100 through, with connections to it only allowed from the IP of the main office. For better security, make sure the locations aren't using the same IP scheme (Just Say No to 192.168.1.x!) and set it up like you'd set up any other remote site. Since it happens several times a year if you're working with an inexpensive router (e.g. Mikrotik) you can just preconfigure it once and add it to the equipment that goes to the temporary sites.

 

[devham]

Is this an active directory environment, including the remote temporary location?
Else...here's a remote print manager I've used years ago....
http://www.tricerat.com/products/printing-solutions/screwdrivers

The client computers are not joined to the domain. The laptops that the users use are just dumb clients pretty much.

I will look in to Screwdrivers. I have set it up for another software package but never implemented it myself.

 

[devham]

@TurricanII has the simplest option right there if you have an adequate router at the temporary site - forward 9100 through, with connections to it only allowed from the IP of the main office. For better security, make sure the locations aren't using the same IP scheme (Just Say No to 192.168.1.x!) and set it up like you'd set up any other remote site. Since it happens several times a year if you're working with an inexpensive router (e.g. Mikrotik) you can just preconfigure it once and add it to the equipment that goes to the temporary sites.

I have done this before a couple weeks ago when I set up their temp site. I wasn't sure of the security but only allowing our main IP would be a good idea!