Tunnel to Network Printer

I have a Linux and XP machine on a home network, and a network printer.
When I use VPN to access work with XP, I lose the ability to use the
printer.

Is there a way to use SSH and port-forwarding to get to the printer,
without attaching it to the parallel port of the linux machine? I'd
prefer to avoid using CUPS, and just use linux as a pass through.

Thanks.

Buck Turgidson <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I have a Linux and XP machine on a home network, and a network printer.
> When I use VPN to access work with XP, I lose the ability to use the
> printer.

I suspect this is a server-side VPN configuration issue. You'll need to
talk to your work colleagues to see whether they'll allow you to access
your local network while connected to the VPN.

> Is there a way to use SSH and port-forwarding to get to the printer,

Not if all network routes are being pushed down the VPN. You simply
won't be able to contact your local network. Period.

Chris

"Chris Davies" <chris-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:lii0e3-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Buck Turgidson <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> I have a Linux and XP machine on a home network, and a network printer.
>> When I use VPN to access work with XP, I lose the ability to use the
>> printer.
>
> I suspect this is a server-side VPN configuration issue. You'll need to
> talk to your work colleagues to see whether they'll allow you to access
> your local network while connected to the VPN.
>
>> Is there a way to use SSH and port-forwarding to get to the printer,
>
> Not if all network routes are being pushed down the VPN. You simply
> won't be able to contact your local network. Period.
>
> Chris

Chris,

Having seen this before, my solution was to add the IPX protocol
back into the Windows boxen. Although some VPNs may
decide to muck with the IP routes, they usually don't
tamper with other protocols. :-)
Add the IPX protocol to the Windows clients, and the Windows
boxen that has the printer. Reboot the Windows boxen and
start the VPN. In my case, the printer is now working fine
while the VPN is up. (Without IPX, it became inaccessible, but
adding IPX routed nicely around the VPN route table hacking.)

Enjoy,
Postmaster

> Having seen this before, my solution was to add the IPX protocol
> back into the Windows boxen. Although some VPNs may
> decide to muck with the IP routes, they usually don't
> tamper with other protocols. :-)
> Add the IPX protocol to the Windows clients, and the Windows
> boxen that has the printer. Reboot the Windows boxen and
> start the VPN. In my case, the printer is now working fine
> while the VPN is up. (Without IPX, it became inaccessible, but
> adding IPX routed nicely around the VPN route table hacking.)

When you say add IPX to "the windows box that has the printer" do you
mean the box to which the printer is attached? If so, it is a network
printer, and it is just connected to a Linksys router.

Thanks.

"Buck Turgidson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:lhq0e3-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Having seen this before, my solution was to add the IPX protocol
>> back into the Windows boxen. Although some VPNs may
>> decide to muck with the IP routes, they usually don't
>> tamper with other protocols. :-)
>> Add the IPX protocol to the Windows clients, and the Windows
>> boxen that has the printer. Reboot the Windows boxen and
>> start the VPN. In my case, the printer is now working fine
>> while the VPN is up. (Without IPX, it became inaccessible, but
>> adding IPX routed nicely around the VPN route table hacking.)
>
> When you say add IPX to "the windows box that has the printer" do you
> mean the box to which the printer is attached? If so, it is a network
> printer, and it is just connected to a Linksys router.
>
> Thanks.
>
>

Buck,

Add IPX to the Windows client, then reboot, start the VPN,
and see if you can still see the printer. It works for me.

Hopefully, the network printer will support IPX and pass
it through the Linksys router. If so, you should be a happy
camper.

Enjoy,
Postmaster

Buck Turgidson <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I have a Linux and XP machine on a home network, and a network printer.
> When I use VPN to access work with XP, I lose the ability to use the
> printer.

"Chris Davies" <chris-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I suspect this is a server-side VPN configuration issue. You'll need to
> talk to your work colleagues to see whether they'll allow you to access
> your local network while connected to the VPN.


Postmaster <postmaster@127.0.0.1> wrote:
> Having seen this before, my solution was to add the IPX protocol
> back into the Windows boxen. Although some VPNs may
> decide to muck with the IP routes, they usually don't
> tamper with other protocols. :-)

Arrgghh! That's an amusing (?) oversight for the VPN clients. Windows
workaround noted for future use.

FWIW, my solution for a GNU/Linux based network is to use the wonderful
vpnc utility instead of the official CISCO client software. This gives
routing control back to the user (and it "does the right thing" when I
create an iptables NAT MASQ rule too). The only thing I haven't got
sorted is how to get it to "dial on demand". I looked at diald but got
nowhere fast.

Chris

"Chris Davies" <chris-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:5eo2e3-(E-Mail Removed)...
snip...
>
> Postmaster <postmaster@127.0.0.1> wrote:
>> Having seen this before, my solution was to add the IPX protocol
>> back into the Windows boxen. Although some VPNs may
>> decide to muck with the IP routes, they usually don't
>> tamper with other protocols. :-)
>
> Arrgghh! That's an amusing (?) oversight for the VPN clients. Windows
> workaround noted for future use.
>

The takeover of the route table is to prevent
a bastian host from being created and possibly bridging
a secure network to a non-secure network. Imagine
what might happen if the VPN did not take over the
route table, and someone had IP forwarding enabled.
Now add a propagating virus on the non-secure side,
and watch how fast it jumps into the secure LAN.

Enjoy,
Postmaster

Postmaster <postmaster@127.0.0.1> wrote:
> The takeover of the route table is to prevent a bastion host from
> being created and possibly bridging a secure network to a non-secure
> network. [...]

Oh yes, I'm fully aware of the reason behind the routing table
adjustments. Doesn't mean I don't think there are good reasons (sometimes)
for me being able to override it locally, though. ;-)

Chris