Question How to print to 3 network printers in LAN from a remote WAN network?

[Chatak]

On my LAN I have 3 network printers. 2 printers are connected via StarTech.com PM1115U2 Print servers and 1 printer is directly connected to the LAN as it is a network printer.

All printers are printing from all computers within the LAN but I need to print from a remote network. To do that, I have attempted to configure port forwarding on the LAN router.

The router has one static WAN IP. So to print to 3 different printers from remote network we need 3 different external port numbers.

First I tried with direct networked HP printer having IP 192.168.1.64. HP printers listens to TCP port 9100. So port forwarding on router is External WAN IP to internal IP 192.168.1.64 port 9100.

On a remote computer I installed the printer as network printer giving WAN IP, printer found, driver installed and printer printing normally.

But I need to install 2 more printers. So, port forwarding on router is modified as External WAN IP port 9101 to internal IP 192.168.1.64 port 9100.

Installing the printer on remote computer as WAN_IP:9101 but the printer is not found, installed the printer manually. Printer status showing as idle but not printing.

I need 3 printers as follows.

WAN_IP:9101 to LAN 192.168.1.64:9100 (HP Network Printer)
WAN_IP:9102 to LAN 192.168.1.65:9100 (HP Printer connected to Print Server)
WAN_IP:9103 to LAN 192.168.1.66:9100 (TSC Thermal Barcode Printer connected to Print Server)

Print servers are LPD servers so I understand that I need to open different ports for LPD. But If the first printer works with WAN_IP:9101 then 2 others can be figured out.

Any idea what am I doing wrong? How this should be done?

Thanks in advance.

 

[alceryes]

Is VPN to this internal network an option? Router/firewall make/model that the printers are behind?

Otherwise, maybe look into unattended access to one of the computer on the LAN, that are always on, to use as a jump box for printing.

 

[bill001g]

Not so sure how secure printers are. Hackers scan every ip and all the common ports so they would likely find your printers. Even using uncommon ports does not really solve much since sometime they scan all the ports.

I would use some kind of vpn instead. The type you run on the router make the remote device appears as a local lan so you would not have to do anything special with your printers.

 

[Chatak]

The router is

Is VPN to this internal network an option? Router/firewall make/model that the printers are behind?

Otherwise, maybe look into unattended access to one of the computer on the LAN, that are always on, to use as a jump box for printing.

I am open to VPN idea. Will explore that route. Router is ISP provided. But can you post any link to how to do the jump box for printing thing with a Raspberry Pi ?

 

[alceryes]

The router is

I am open to VPN idea. Will explore that route. Router is ISP provided. But can you post any link to how to do the jump box for printing thing with a Raspberry Pi ?

What OS will you be jumping from?
I haven't made a Raspberry Pi jump box yet. I was thinking more along the lines of a cheap Windows system with Teamviewer, GoToMyPC, or something similar on it. You would just dial into that PC, send over your files, and print locally. I'm sure Raspberry Pi jump box can be done, you'll just have to do your own research. 😉

 

[Chatak]

What OS will you be jumping from?
I haven't made a Raspberry Pi jump box yet. I was thinking more along the lines of a cheap Windows system with Teamviewer, GoToMyPC, or something similar on it. You would just dial into that PC, send over your files, and print locally. I'm sure Raspberry Pi jump box can be done, you'll just have to do your own research. 😉

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I will explore the jump box with raspberry pi option.