asked on

No Connection to Printer While on VPN

Hello and Good Day!

I am having an issue printing to a shared printer while on VPN. The office in question is a remote site, there are 5 Windows clients that are connected to a local gateway. The Windows clients are required to use Cisco VPN client 5.0.05.0290. The Windows clients OS are Windows XP embedded SP3. The printer is an HP OfficeJet 8500. I will refer to the Windows client that is not able to print on VPN as WINA and the Windows box that has the shared printer as WINB.

The printer is conencted locally to WINB and then shared via machine name on the local network. We do not have any issues communicating/printing from any of the clients when the VPN client is not connected. Once WINA is connected to the VPN, no traffic goes from WINA client to WINB, including no response to pings.

Split tunneling is enabled on the VPN and within the VPN client itself on WINA, I have ensured that the "Allow local LAN access" option is enabled. While on VPN on WINA, I can ping the local network gateway, however for some reason no pings or communication goes past the local gateway to WINB.

I have done some basic googling and troubleshooting. here is what I have tried.

1) In the advanced settings of the Windows box, I have adjusted the networks in the adapters and bindings section to have both the local network and the vpn network connection the highest priority in spearate tests.
2) Edited the local LMHOSTS file on WINA to ensure that the IP addy and NETBIOS name of WINB that has the shared printer were included.
3) Deleted, readded and shared printer from WINB using IP addy rather than name.
4) Added route to the routing table on WINA using the route add command from the command line.

Here is where the problem gets more interesting. Once the route is added at WINA in the format

route add [IP addy of print server] MASK 255.255.255.255 [IP addy of gateway]

the printing then worked while on VPN. However after I rebooted WINA the printing no longer worked as the route was not persistent. I then attempted to add the route persistently in the format

route -p add [IP addy of print server] MASK 255.255.255.255 [IP addy of gateway]

After adding the route persistently at WINA I double checked the registry at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\PersistentRoutes

I could verify that the persistent route was there, however printing did not work from WINA. I rebooted and verified the persistent route once again, still no printing from WINA. At this point I am not sure what to do next as it appears that there is no route from WINA to WINB while WINA is connected to VPN and it does not seem that the persistent route is working.

I can create a batch file and add it at each Windows client inlcuding WINA that adds a non-persistent route, however each user would have to add the route by clicking on the batch file each time that they connect to VPN so that they can print locally. That is not a real ideal solution.

Part of the problem here is that the office is leased from a office provider and they own the local gateway so I am not able to make any changes to it. I would normally ask them to see if they can ensure a proper route from WINA to WINB when WINA is on VPN, however they are terrible to respond and last time I engaged their support they made the problem worse. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be changed so that this would work?

Below is a snapshot of ipconfig/all from WINA when connnected to VPN. I have also added the routing table from WINA while connecte to the VPN as well. Thanks in advance to anyone that can help!

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : TC305
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethern
et #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 9C-8E-99-D3-6C-A3
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.106
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::9e8e:99ff:fed3:6ca3%4
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 168.95.1.1
192.168.0.1
fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, January 23, 2013 12:29:05
AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, January 30, 2013 12:29:05
AM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Cisco Systems VPN Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-05-9A-3C-78-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.253.200
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::205:9aff:fe3c:7800%9
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . :

fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . . . . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::ffff:ffff:fffd%5
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>route print
===========================================================================
Interface List
0x1 ........................... MS TCP Loopback interface
0x2 ...9c 8e 99 d3 6c a3 ...... Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet #2 - Pack
et Scheduler Miniport
0x40004 ...00 05 9a 3c 78 00 ...... Cisco Systems VPN Adapter - Packet Scheduler
Miniport
===========================================================================
===========================================================================
Active Routes:
Network Destination Netmask Gateway Interface Metric
0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.106 20
63.160.218.158 255.255.255.255 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.106 1
127.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 1
192.168.0.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.106 192.168.0.106 20
192.168.0.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.0.1 255.255.255.255 192.168.0.106 192.168.0.106 1
192.168.0.106 255.255.255.255 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 20
192.168.0.255 255.255.255.255 192.168.0.106 192.168.0.106 20
192.168.2.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.3.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.4.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.9.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.11.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.12.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.20.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.30.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.40.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.50.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.51.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.52.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.60.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.95.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.100.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.104.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.107.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.110.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.111.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.112.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.113.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
192.168.253.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 20
192.168.253.200 255.255.255.255 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 20
192.168.253.255 255.255.255.255 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 20
224.0.0.0 240.0.0.0 192.168.0.106 192.168.0.106 20
224.0.0.0 240.0.0.0 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 20
255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 192.168.0.106 192.168.0.106 1
255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 192.168.253.200 192.168.253.200 1
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
===========================================================================
Persistent Routes:
Network Address Netmask Gateway Address Metric
192.168.0.159 255.255.255.255 192.168.0.1 1

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>

JJG

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Levi Gwyn

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

Ess Kay

is the printer only connected to the network, or is it assigned to a particular computer

Ess Kay

if its connected to the computer, then you can navigate to the compuyter through network neighborhood and find its devices, you should see printer there

helpdesk_compsych

ASKER

robcambra,

I am going to meet with my networking expert tomorrow, I will certainly bring the addition of the access list up. After we do this, I will update the post.

Thanks, much apprecaited!

helpdesk_compsych

ASKER

esskayb2d,

The printer is not networked. It is added locally via USB cable to one of the Windows clients and then is shared on the local network. I can print to it and see it in network neighboorhood from any Windows client on the network while none of these clients are on VPN.

When a Windows client is connected to VPN, I am not able to get to any other of the Windows clients on the local network inlcuding the Windows client that has the sahred printer via network neighboorhood or any other means. I hope that answers your question. Thanks for you help.

JJG

Ess Kay

try though vpn connecting to the server, and from there view the other machines

hdhondt

Check that ports 137, 138, 139 and 445 are open on the router. These are used for M$ file and print sharing.

Of course, the HP OfficeJet 8500 is a GDI printer, which are notoriously hard to network.

Ess Kay

you can also try to map through the router the direct port to the computer with the printer