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    LAN (192.168.44.x)
      |          |
      |          |
   openVPN     WinXP ws1 (
  |          |
  |          |
  VPN1      VPN2
10.8.0.x   10.9.1.x
           remote winXP openVPN GUI client ( - USB shared printer

i would like to print from WinXP ws1 to remote winXP openVPN GUI.

I can successfully connect to the VPN from remote winXP box and obtain a tun1 IP. I can also ping from winXP ws1 to remote winXP using: ping

I can also remotely view remote winXP box from winXP ws1 with realVNC viewer. I connect to remote winXP by typing in

Why can't I map a printer from winXP ws1 to remote winXP? network print wizard, connect to printer: \\\shareName <--window cannot find printer


tcpdump -i tun1 on openVPN server, when printer map is initiated

07:10:55.263641 IP > Flags [S], seq 2980844745, win 65535, options [mss 1460,nop,nop,sackOK], length 0
07:10:55.263748 IP > Flags [S], seq 2907893867, win 65535, options [mss 1460,nop,nop,sackOK], length 0
07:10:55.265304 IP > Flags [S.], seq 3332919477, ack 2980844746, win 16416, options [mss 1368,nop,nop,sackOK], length 0
07:10:55.265448 IP > Flags [.], ack 1, win 65535, length 0
07:10:55.265510 IP > Flags [S.], seq 1316159431, ack 2907893868, win 16416, options [mss 1368,nop,nop,sackOK], length 0
07:10:55.265526 IP > Flags [P.], seq 1:138, ack 1, win 65535, length 137WARNING: Short packet. Try increasing the snap length by 101
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Are you allowing those ports to be forwarded through? When you do a tcpdump on both sides of the tunnel, do you actually see that traffic passing through? –  Eric May 29 '12 at 14:04
tcpdump -i tun1 on server...as soon as I try and map to the tun1 printer from winXP ws1, response posted above –  dan May 29 '12 at 14:14
If you're mapping by name, you may need a WINS server configured. –  cjc May 29 '12 at 15:36
\\\shareName this is what's used to define the map; tun1 IP not remote winXP computer name, so I wouldn't think WINS is needed? –  dan May 29 '12 at 15:40
i created a share on remote winXP vpn client, then successfully mapped to it from winXP ws1 using \\\sharename....just can't fig. out why the printer map won't work?? –  dan May 29 '12 at 17:26
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1 Answer

up vote 1 down vote accepted

ugh...finally found the problem, I was mapping the printer incorrectly from winXP ws1. In the add printer wizard, I need to select 'local printer' then add a 'local' port, which was \\\printer.

All is working now.

Guess I figured that since remote winXP clients on remote LAN mapped to the printer using the wizard's 'network printer' option, you'd do it similarly through the vpn tunnel, but I guess not.

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