Home Forums Quick Advice - Remote Desktop + or - VPN

My setup
I have 2 offices and we use server based amazing charts. In the small office we use Remote Desktop to access AC. It works well so far. We are expanding to outsource our receptionist and need RDC access to another PC for the answering service which will be at another separate location. We have reliable cable internet at both locations and one office uses a SONICWALL and the other office uses a ZYWELL UTM. Our biggest problem is printing from AC while at our remote office .

Do I 'need' to set up a VPN between my two offices [I have multiple users with various MS Windows versions and configurations] ?

or, should I continue using MS Remote Desktop Connection [taking into account security, no onsite IT personnel if VPN fails, etc]?

Thanks to all who offer any opinions ....

Hi ?, (you might want to put a nickname in the signature box under you user profile in My Stuff above, cause NY2GA sounds like a very large transition of cultural experience in your past)

Until you get the professionals to chime in, my guess is no. You will take a significant speed hit, so if you are really worried about identity theft, upgrade your router security/password and your encryption/password. Possibly with a hardware solution, so you don't have to remember or write down a really long random password.

Thanks Dan. I did just that.

There are reasons to run a VPN, but if we can get your RDC configured correctly, that shouldn't be necessary.


If you go to options in the RDC client, there is an Options Button (lower left) to set what is passed through the encrypted session. Third tab is Local Resources. Are your printers checked?

I'd start with tuning up your RDC settings.

Printers is checked, but none work consistently except when I am in the host office.

Thanks to all for the advice

The drivers for the remote printer need to be installed on the host computer. This is what causes 90% of the printer issues with RDC. That's why people use applications like TS Print to avoid installing the drivers.

The drivers have been installed, but we still have printer problems

Did you check the eventvwr?

I did not. How do I do that ? I will look that up.

Start>Run>type "eventvwr"

Press Enter

Check the logs as soon as you connect. There's lots of information in that log. Look for something related to printer drivers/remote desktop.

Roger,

Resolving printing issues with RDP can be a complex problem. It works much better with Server 2012. In a perfect world, you just check "printers" under Local resource options of the RDP client. With older printers, it just works. The driver for the printer has to also be installed on the Terminal Server of the remote computer as well. Some are native to Windows so you do not have to manually install, others are not.

That driver must be named EXACTLY the same on local and remote machines. Even an extra space in the name will cause it to fail. USB printers and especially multifunction printers can be a problem, so a single printer connected by Ethernet gives you the best chance. If not an Ethernet printer, go to Printers and Faxes or Printers depending on your OS, on the menu bar go to file -> server properties -> ports. Look at the port type, and if it is a Dot4, you will need to use the following Microsoft fix:

http://www.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q302361

Then there are issues with 32 and 64 bit drivers on host and client. If using a VPN, there are additional issues to look at.

A simple solution, but not often necessary, is a 3rd party solution like ThinPrint, but it is not free. http://www.thinprint.com/ There are other third party TS Printers as well. Most are not free. The above is probably the best place to start.

HTH

Thanks Bert. We do have some printers working under RDP, just not all, and they periodically don't work.

One thing you can do (although when I suggest it, no one does do it) is use Experts Exchange. I think you can get a seven day trial. It is, by far, the number one to interact with specialists. My guess is the experts would walk you through it until a resolution were found.

www.experts-exchange.com

I have over 550 questions there, of which probably more than 400 were answered.