Re: CUPS client problem

[Florian Kulzer <florian@molphys.leidenuniv.nl>]

On Thu, Nov 30, 2006 at 18:10:25 +0100, Nicolas de Sereville wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I have a new laptop (Dell D620, with etch freshly installed) from my new 
> job and I am trying to print using CUPS. The situation is the following, 
> at work there are two different networks: xxx.xxx.10.xxx (let's call it 
> 'internal') and xxx.xxx.20.xxx (let's call it 'external'). The cups 
> print server is a machine on the internal network and my laptop is 
> connected on the external network. I am not seeing any printers whereas 
> when my laptop was on the internal network CUPS could detect 
> automatically all the available printers. Do you have any idea of what I 
> am missing?
> 
> I tried to add the name of the CUPS server in /etc/cups/client.conf but 
> then when I go to "Desktop/Administration/Printings" I obtain the 
> message: "The CUPS server could not be contacted"

That looks like the firewall between "internal" and "external" is
blocking your connection attempts on port 631. You have to ask your IT
guys to allow connections between the two networks for the CUPS port or,
if security prohibits this, to set up ssh-tunneling or a VPN for you.
Depending on their level of competence, their personality type and on
the security policies of your company, they may or may not be
able/willing to help you.

If you have root on any of the internal machines then it might be
possible to circumvent the firewall by using remote port forwarding with
ssh over a non-standard port but this is likely to anger your network
administrators if they find out. There is probably a good reason why the
two separate networks were set up.

-- 
Regards,
          Florian