Question Sharing a printer on the internet

[stevenm56]

Not long ago, maybe 25 years, I remember when I had an old epson printer that I could share it with friends on the internet by setting a static ip and loading the drivers onto their pc's

Now jumped to 2023. Has the internet changed that much so that we can no longer do this. If so, what has changed. Especially since last week I was at a friend's house and they sent me a photo via sms which I then told my phone which was connected to the cell network to print it on my Canon printer at home, 30 miles away and it did, without a hitch.

Now, everyone is telling me I can't share a printer with a static IP over the internet anymore. What has changed?

 

[punkncat]

Mostly along the lines that ISP have quit using static IP unless you pay extra for it, and have closed all the open ports unless you pay for that as well.

Consider using a printer that has a cloud print option. Brother, for instance, has this. Surely all the big names have something usable.

 

[stevenm56]

I don't have a static ip from my ISP, how am I able to pull up my synology nas and access anything I want on it via cell service. Same with using Remote Desktop on my Pc at home from work.
Am really confused here.

 

[punkncat]

I cannot comment on the Remote Desktop thing.

The Synology, along with things like Plex are not connecting 'directly' back to your device. Your device is broadcasting to their service, if you will. Back some years ago it was "open port 80 and set the IP" and you were connected to the hardware.