networking question.

[juiceddreadlocks]

fuck you pintoca, I knew you'd click on this. Anywways, real question.


There's a printer attached to the FTP server that one of our labs uses. What's the safest way to enable me to use that printer from a remote location if I need to???

I have both PCAnywhere and VNC viewer. I was looking for a non pirated solution for this since it is a business computer. This site also uses HIPAA protected information.

Is it as simple as just making the printer ''shared'' for anyone and looking for that printer name at the IP address?

 

[pintoca]

lol

I'm the new Samote

Theoretically yes, how do you connect to this printer over the WAN? Also, the FTP server is really a server (i.e. running a server OS) or is it simply a client with a FTP server software in it?

Enabling windows-style "sharing" of resources over a WAN (if we are not talking about a proper Windows domain type of thing) brings additional risks (what with NETBIOS running all over the place), and actually most implementations will disable the sharing of resources in this way.

The safest way is to use the machine remotely (remote controlling it) and simply printing locally to the attached printer.

Your best bet in this case is a VPN nigga, as I have told you MANY ways already. In this way you are logging to your network and can have secure access to all your resources (printers included). What do you need for this? a visible IP for your VPN server, you could sign on for a dynamic DNS service if you guys can't afford (or don't want to own) a fixed IP.

Advantage is that once you have your VPN server (or entrypoint as you wish to call it) setup, you can have access from all locations to your LAN... you have to chose carefully where to place it, since I know you have all these different labs and LANS...

 

[juiceddreadlocks]

Cool, thanks. We do have a static IP

 

[pintoca]

Cool, thanks. We do have a static IP

then you are more than 50% there.

research VPN servers... there are some very simple appliance-based solutions (little boxes) that will do the work for you.

If you have an AD setup you can have your users login using their network credentials, etc... in this way you are doing things in the corporate way: One single point of entry, only one thing to monitor for security.

 

[juiceddreadlocks]

The server is just using FTP pro server and running xp professional. The printer is connected via USB to the computer.

Me and one other person would be the only ones accessing this computer regularly, so would a VPN be overkill? The amount of data we FTP is around 300mb a day, plus the subsequent download... so 600 or so mb a day is what we transfer.

 

[pintoca]

The server is just using FTP pro server and running xp professional. The printer is connected via USB to the computer.

Me and one other person would be the only ones accessing this computer regularly, so would a VPN be overkill? The amount of data we FTP is around 300mb a day, plus the subsequent download... so 600 or so mb a day is what we transfer.

600 Mb/day is A LOT man.

I prefer the VPN, then you don't really have to worry about expansions later on, whereas with a paliative solution you might be OK now, but maybe not in 1 year down the road.

You also mentioned that this data is sensible, so better to have your security in place from the beginning. Most IT things seem overkill at the beginning and then, usually, within the year you are looking for upgrades.