Print to a different LAN

[dimastro]

Hello,
I would like to be able to print to the network printer(s) at work from home (or elsewhere on the internet). The printers at work are behind a router with firewall protection and they have their own IP addresses.
Ideally there is a way to connect to the printer directly (not through a computer sharing it. VPN is not set up either.

 

[singemagique]

I am no expert when it comes to networking, but if the work LAN is firewalled you're not going to be able to access any network resources behind it unless you have permissions on the correct ports.

I currently use OpenVPN to print to my networked printers at home while I am at work.

 

[dimastro]

I am no expert when it comes to networking, but if the work LAN is firewalled you're not going to be able to access any network resources behind it unless you have permissions on the correct ports.

I currently use OpenVPN to print to my networked printers at home while I am at work.

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Thanks Singemagique (magic monkey? I like it)
I guess I was wandering whether VPN is the best / only option for printing to a remote networked printer...
In other words, do you HAVE to connect to the network using VPN tunneling to connect to the network first or can you somehow connect to the printer straight from your Print window?
e.g. Could the Remote Router/Firewall devise be setup with the printer's IP, and a user name & password for a specific port that gives access to the printer? (Of course different routers have different capabilities ... I am speaking generally). If so, how would you address that printer?

...It would just be so much easier if I could print without having to install VPN clients on my 3 multiple platform devices...

 

[singemagique]

VPN is the only way I know how to achieve remote printing capabilities. Honestly, setting up the VPN is straight forward and adds the benefit of encrypting all your traffic, allowing you to tunnel your network traffic through the VPN, and share files.