Local network printing with a VPN

I don't know the possibilities of Cisco VPN - there may be a way to access local machines on the same subnet as the VPN. A lot depends on the VPN policy too - what traffic is allowed where. You should consult your administrator who set up the VPN - he can tell you what is allowed and can be done.

There may be a hard way to do this in Windows too.. Basically, the VPN client creates a new network adapter and routes all "local" traffic through that.

You could create a specific routing table entry for your printer instructing windows to send packets to that address to your real local network instead of the virtual one. Whether you can actually do this depends on the intelligence of the Cisco software.

Another thing to try is to use a diferent network for your home. For example if you have 192.168.x.x network at work and 192.168.x.x network at home then VPN will happily hijack all your local addresses and redirect them over the VPN connection to your workplace. If you set up your home network to be 10.x.x.x then this shouldn't happen.

printing to a local/network printer when connected to a vpn.

MYOB said:

Are you using a VPN client to connect to the system? That would complicate matters, a lot.

I'm using a VPN here, with a Cisco router. However, to "log on" to the VPN I just use the Windows logon system with my username/password. I just had to add my network printer (HP LaserJet 6 on a DLink server) to the system as a local administrator, and it was available and working under the VPN account.

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Typically, when you are connected to a vpn, the local network is inaccessable, due to most vpn clients disallowing split-tunneling. Meaning that if you are conneted to the vpn, you are connected to the other network not your local one.

CORRECT

think about it; while connected to a VPN, it any other network is accessible, then
the remote system hosting the VPN can be attacked via your local network!