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I occasionally have the need to print from my laptop to a printer in my university's lab, but I can't figure out how to get at it.

When trying to ping the printer's IP from my laptop, I can't, and attempting to add the printer by the IP address fails, my computer just complains it can't find it, trying to connect with \\printerip fails likewise. It seems like I can't access it directly.

Is the wireless network somehow walled off from the rest of the university (they use Bluesocket)? I have SSH access to a computer on the network, and from there I seem able to ping the printer just fine, so could I set up some SSH tunnels to get at it? What ports would I need to forward? Is there some easier way?

IT help is unhelpful, simply claiming it's "not possible".

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  • is your wireless ip the same subnet as the wired lan? what your OS? bonjour may find it even with windows
    – datatoo
    Jun 8, 2011 at 17:04
  • Does your school offer setup for your computer to be on their domain to print to said printer? I'm not saying that you should, just gives me an idea of what will need to be done to print without adding the system. I avoided adding my system to the domain when I was in school and served me well until I graduated.
    – Dustin G.
    Jun 8, 2011 at 17:38

2 Answers 2

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I was able to achieve this by adding the printer in question as a network printer on my laptop.

Within Windows:

  • Start -> Run
  • \\SchoolPrintServer (or IP)
  • Double click on the printer and install all its drivers

You should be able find the server name by going on a computer that has this printer installed and verify its properties.

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  • I can't access it directly, I sort of hinted at that in my question, but am more direct now.
    – Nick T
    Jun 8, 2011 at 16:59
  • @Nick T -The best bet would be to go see the tech support at your school, they might have a procedure in place.
    – Greg
    Jun 8, 2011 at 19:26
  • I asked, they don't (see updated question)
    – Nick T
    Jun 9, 2011 at 14:21
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Using PuTTY and connecting to the aforementioned computer I have SSH access to I set up tunnels for ports 515, 9100, 9101, and 9102 to the same on my computer (localhost). I could then add a printer by IP/hostname using "localhost".

Nothing worked automatically, for instance printer detection, but after manually selecting the driver, HP LaserJet 2200, it was able to print just fine.

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