Printer sharing over the internet?

[Spode]

I have a modem connection to the net. So does my friend.

Is it possible to set up a connection so he can print to my printer? And would the printer spolling data be too big?

[Random Nonsense]

Ok this seems to have all the info!

Print sharing over the 'net

[Spode]

I saw that in the search engines. Thats basically about the securoity issues of it, becuase 98 enabled it by standard.

I think what I need to do is just somehow get a VPN set up?

[Áedán]

I'd advise against opening NetBIOS to the world... Running a VPN would limit the risks down to a more manageable level. Also, some ISPs filter out NetBIOS, so even if you do have NetBIOS open, it's not usable.

The size of printer spooler data depends on level of complexity of the stuff sent. Laser printers and heavy graphics tend to generate files in the multimegabyte range. Inkjets tend to render most things as graphics.

What is your server machine going to be? If it's Windows 2000 Server, then you've got a good chance of being able to run VPNs via RAS. You could try using PPTP, which stands a better chance of working first time. If both ends are Windows 2K, you could use IPSec instead, but that would require no NAT between the server and the client. (ICS is NAT). IPSec is more difficult to set up as well!

AidanII

[Spode]

both machines are XP. And I want it not to interrupt my normal internet sessions.

And yes, it is a laser printer.

[Áedán]

If both are XP, then the chances are good. You can try setting up IPSec, but it's not the easiest thing to set up. You may have more luck with PPTP.

Not sure how XP handles VPNs, if it tries to use the remote as a default gateway, or if it's happy enough to work both the real network and the VPN network. When you set up the adapters, use an RFC 1819 address (ie 10. or 172. or 192.168.)

AidanII

[Spode]

ok.

XP machine with ICS going to my machine with the printer on.

does that make it any more difficult?

And I'm startying to wonder this is probably a bad iea, and also annyoing becuase ip's change when modem logs on.

[Phiber]

Originally posted by Spode
ok.

XP machine with ICS going to my machine with the printer on.

does that make it any more difficult?

And I'm startying to wonder this is probably a bad iea, and also annyoing becuase ip's change when modem logs on.

its not very safe either...you might come home one day with 20 pages of pr0n printed out...

[Áedán]

Originally posted by Spode
XP machine with ICS going to my machine with the printer on.

does that make it any more difficult?

And I'm startying to wonder this is probably a bad iea, and also annyoing becuase ip's change when modem logs on.

I wouldn't consider spooling printer data over a modem, that much doesn't seem particularly smart to me. Couple it with the dynamic IP, and it's starting to look a lot of work.

The Dynamic IP can be overcome by using one of the dns alias type services. Only the machine with ICS would require the DNS alias, as the client would connect to it.

Basically, the machine with ICS would act as the PPTP tunnel terminator. The remote machine would end up with an IP address that is on your private network, so would effectively be part of it. This would allow the remote machine to access your machine with the printer. It would require some experimentation, to provide the PPTP tunnel.

Not sure what Phiber is on about though...

AidanII

[Spode]

I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't such a good idea. Maybe if I had broadband.

it's probably easier if he just e-mails me stuff he wants printed...

sorry for the trouble Aidan!

[Dr_Romulus]

Originally posted by Phiber

its not very safe either...you might come home one day with 20 pages of pr0n printed out...

Thats only a problem if its TEH UGLIE PR0N... if it was 20 pages of Jenna Jameson I'd be quite pleased...