Setting up Network Printer
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Hi
I'm still learning about the client so I hope this makes Pfsense: I have made a lab for Windows 7 certification using Server 2008r2 as a DC with DNS and DHCP, and Windows 7 as a client. Pfsense is setup to connect to my broadband router and lab using 2 network adapters so I guess this is a NAT setup. I have added Print Server function to the DC and installed a network printer. The printer has to be connected directly to my home router and so it picks up an IP address from the router. The problem is I need the client to look up the printer and install it for learning about network printing. The client won't connect to the printer through the print server. Maybe I can give the client an extra network card for connecting to the router but that defeats the object. Is there a way that I can give the printer a static DHCP address from the DC and then re-direct print jobs to the printer's address that is has obtained from the broadband router?Thanks
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Hmm, I can't think of an easy way to do this.
From your description the printer is connected to the switch in your router (one of it's network ports) which is on the WAN side of your pfSense box. You should be able to connect to the printer from the LAN side of the pfSense using it's IP address directly if you know what it is. You will not however be able to 'discover' it. You would need to run some type of proxy to enable that to happen and I don't think one exists (at least not in a convenient package).A much better solution would be to have it connected on the LAN side of pfSense. Is there some reason you can't do that?
As a side note is seems as though you have a double NAT setup. Both your router and the pfSense box NATing the connection. This is undesirable and can cause problems under specific circumstances. However I have run a similar double NAT setup for months with no problems at all.
A better setup would be to put your router in bridge mode and allow pfSense to handle authentication with your ISP.Steve
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A much better solution would be to have it connected on the LAN side of pfSense. Is there some reason you can't do that?
As a side note is seems as though you have a double NAT setup. Both your router and the pfSense box NATing the connection. This is undesirable and can cause problems under specific circumstances. However I have run a similar double NAT setup for months with no problems at all.
Steve
Yes it could be a double NAT. I got the instructions from Rusty Painter: http://www.slideshare.net/rpainter/how-to-create-a-windows-server-2008-virtual-lab-using-virtualbox
Basically it Uses this setup: Virtual Machine IP Address Windows 2008 Server R2 (SERVER01) 10.0.0.11/24 Windows 7 Client (WIN7CLIENT01) 10.0.0.12/24 LAN: 10.0.0.254/24 pfSense WAN: DHCPNow
The cable from my computer goes through a broadband router before the wall socket.My printer is plugged into a port on the broadband router and has a static IP address given by the router's DHCP.
When you say use the LAN side of Pfsense, do you mean plug my computer and printer into a switch before the wall socket and remove the broadband router from the setup?
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When you say use the LAN side of Pfsense, do you mean plug my computer and printer into a switch before the wall socket and remove the broadband router from the setup?
No, I meant plug your Win7 box, Win2008 box and printer into a switch and connect the switch to the pfSense LAN.
However I didn't realise your are running virtualised so that make things a lot more complex!In fact I can't think of a way around this without resorting to some ridiculous configuration with VLANs and probably a custom firmware on your router. Not worth even suggesting it! ::)
The easiest way to get this working would probably be to add an extra NIC to your virtual box machine. You could then add it as an extra NIC to your virtual pfSense box and bridge or route to the LAN interface.
Steve
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Thanks, but I am using virtual machines in VirtualBox. :-[
Something I didn't mention maybe.It doesn't look good does it.
No worries. I have a spare hard drive so I'll install 2008, borrow a switch and use my laptop as client in your configuration.