[6.9.2] HOW TO PRINT FROM VM OVER VPN TO LOCAL PRINTER (SOLVED)

[nerbonne]

My unRaid installation is at a remote location, and I connect to it via the OpenVPN server that is built into my ASUS router.  I use OpenVPN gui on the local computer.  I have a printer on the local computer, and I want to print from the VM (Windows 10) to the printer on my local computer.  Currently I am using TightVNC viewer to connect to a TightVNC instance running on the VM (I don't use the QEMU VNC because the ports change and I need it to be the same each time, not sure which VNC I'm using matters...)

 

I've looked at TSSPrint, as this has a client/server that installs and is driverless, and is highly recommended, but only works with RDP.

I've looked at the Professional Real VNC client, but the $4 fee a month is not really what I want to pay.

I've looked at trying to use an actual Remote Desktop Connection, but I don't know how to configure it.  My local computer does not see the hostname for the VM over the VPN.

 

I'm sure this is easy and I'm just being a doofus.  Can anyone help.

Edited April 21, 2021 by nerbonne
Marking sovled.

[Michael_P]

Share your local printer in windows-

Add a printer on the VM to connect to local computer's printer share using the IP address as the \\computername\

 

 

 

[nerbonne]

I did share the printer on the local PC, and tried mapping it as you suggested, using both the hostname and the IP address of the local computer and the local computer VPN adapter.  I am connecting over a VPN, therefore the VM computer cannot directly see the local computer.  I was not able to map the printer.

 

Local computer: 192.168.8.157

Local computer VPN adapter: 10.8.0.6

Gateway IP: 10.8.0.5

unRaid IP: 192.168.6.2

Win 10 VM: 192.168.122.4

 

In the unRaid network settings, could I change virbr0 to match br0?  Seems like that would solve this problem?

[Michael_P]

Probably need a firewall rule to allow traffic between the networks

[ken-ji]

@nerbonne The VM should be connected to the br0/eth0 network interface instead of vibr0

This will then allow you to enable the Remote Desktop function (which presumes you are using Windows 10 Pro).

You should also assign the VM a fixed IP address either via a DHCP reservation on the remote router, or a statically assigned setting.

Then you connect to it via the IP address from your local Windows and set RDP to map your printer over.

 

[nerbonne]

@ken-ji Thanks.  That seems logical, but when I go to add a new VM, only the virbr0 is available?  Do I have to stop the VM service and make a change somewhere?

 

[ken-ji]

I'm not sure about this, but i think bridging must be enabled so br0 has to exist.

Enabling it means that you need to stop the array and mess with the network settings

Depending on your actual config, there might some other changes that you'll need to implement

[nerbonne]

Ok, I got the VM's on br0.  I had to stop the array and change it to allow bridging.