Print or Scan using a VPN Connected Printer

Print or Scan using VPN

Can I print or scan using my printer while I am connected to a VPN?

Details:

While connected to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or other secure corporate networks, your computer (PC/smart device) will be given a new IP Address for that network. Once it has been given the new IP address, it will no longer be able to communicate on the local network (LAN) that your printer is connected to. Because of this, any print or scan requests you make cannot find a path to the printer & printing/scanning will not commence.

Once the VPN connection is disconnected (& your computer reconnects to your local network), printing/scanning functions will resume.

There are a couple of ways to enable printing & scanning whilst connected to a VPN:

• Some VPN client software has a setting to “Allow local (LAN) access when using VPN” (example below). Which if checked, allows you to print/scan through your local network (LAN) while simultaneously remaining connected to the VPN:
  For help in changing your computers’ (PC/Smart device) configuration to access both your local network and VPN network simultaneously, please refer to your VPN client software documentation or contact your network administrator.
• You can set up your printer with a direct physical connection, using a USB cable.

Alternatively, you can spool print jobs whilst connected to the VPN. Once your computer has disconnected from the VPN & reconnected to your local network (LAN), printing will resume.

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