rdesktop: it does not see my printer any more

xri · 05-09-2012, 01:19 AM

For several months, I connected to a Windows server from my Linux box, and was able to use an HP local network printer while connected to the Windows server:

Quote:

$ rdesktop -u xri -p strangepassword -T 'bums' -a 16 -B -C -z -r printer:HP_Officejet_Pro_8500_A910 -g 95% -m -K -d INTERNET internet.bums.com:3389

Recently, however, it became impossible to use the printer any more. I changed nothing on my end. So I guess there was some change on the bums.com server. Nothing they can do about it since they don't know Linux exists.

The fact is that now I'm getting this:

Quote:

$ rdesktop -u xri -p strangepassword -T 'bums' -a 16 -B -C -z -r printer:HP_Officejet_Pro_8500_A910 -g 95% -m -K -d INTERNET internet.bums.com:3389
PRINTER PRN1 to HP_Officejet_Pro_8500_A910 driver HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS
Autoselected keyboard map en-us
WARNING: External BackingStore not available. Using internal

During my search, I found this great thread. However, I tried the advise provided there, and still my printer is invisible to the rdp server.
How can I use my local printer while connecting to this rdp server?
Thanks for reading this.

Lexus45 · 05-10-2012, 01:28 PM

Hello.

1. Is the printer named exactly as "HP_Officejet_Pro_8500_A910" in your 'home' system?
2. There's also an option in rdesktop - specifying the Windows' printer driver. It will look like:

Code:

rdesktop .... -r printer:HP-LaseJet-P2055d="HP LaserJet P2050 Series PCL6"

So, the equal sign and then the Windows driver name in the quotes. And re-login to the Win-machine each time, not just close the rdesktop window.

xri · 05-11-2012, 02:26 AM

Thanks for answering.
I believe I tried adding the windows driver name after the equal sign, after looking it up online and also on the manuals. However, I will try again, in case I missed something the first time.

I'm not sure I understand this:

Quote:

And re-login to the Win-machine each time, not just close the rdesktop window.

Do you mean re-login to the Bums' windows server each time? (because that's the only Win-machine in this story, since all my local systems are Linux). Please explain.

xri · 06-10-2012, 02:38 PM

Here's an update. I made sure I used the printer's name (driver) as Windows shows it (I recently got a windows virtual box, where I enabled the network printer mentioned above). I've made the following attempts:
rdesktop (it connects well but when I want to print it asks me to install a printer):

Quote:

rdesktop -u xri -p strangepassword -T 'bums' -a 16 -B -C -z -r printer:Officejet="HP Officejet Pro 8500 A909g" -g 95% -m -K -d INTERNET internet.bums.com:3389

xfreerdp (it connects well but when I want to print it asks me to install a printer):

Quote:

xfreerdp -u xri -p strangepassword -d INTERNET -a 16 -z --plugin cliprdr --plugin rdpdr --data printer:HP_Officejet_Pro_8500_A909g -- internet.bums.com

2XClient: (it connects well but when I want to print it asks me to install a printer)

Quote:

/opt/2X/Client/bin/appserverclient -s internet.bums.com:3389 -u xri -p strangepassword -m MS -d INTERNET -P "Officejet=HP Officejet Pro 8500 A909g" -K

Remmina: (it connects for a few seconds and then crashes)

I think they introduced a change on their server that made it difficult to print, because, as I said above, it used to print fine with rdesktop line as showed above.
At this point, I see two more options (although somehow convoluted):

try running ScrewDrivers on Wine (the bums.com guys recommend using screwdrivers);
connect to the bums.com rdp service through a Windows virtual box

.

Sorry if I sound desperate and sloppy. It's that my time to make this work is running out.