VNC User Guide

If you are connected to VNC Server (Enterprise) or VNC Server (Personal), you can print host computer files directly to the default printer attached to your client computer (that is, to a local printer).

A. Local printer. B. Client computer running VNC Viewer. Printer A must be the client’s default printer. C. Host computer running VNC Server, and storing the files to print.

Note: To see how to make a printer the client computer’s default, consult its operating system documentation.

This powerful feature is ready to use out-of-the-box. Open a host computer file in the VNC Viewer window and print in the expected way for the application, for example by selecting File > Print. The local printer is automatically shared with the host computer and made its default while the connection is in progress, so the correct device should already be selected. Your request is added to the printer’s queue and executed in turn.

A best possible quality print finish is attempted. This may mean the contents of the file are scaled to fit the dimensions of the local printer’s paper. If the results are unexpected, see Manipulating the quality of the print finish.

If the host computer file does not print to the local printer, start with Troubleshooting printing.

Disabling and enabling printing

You can disable printing providing you do so before you connect. Open the VNC Viewer - Options dialog and, on the Printing tab, choose Don’t share a printer. More on this dialog.

You can still print but choose not to change the host computer’s default printer. To do this, turn off Make it the default printer on VNC Server. This means you will have to explicitly select the local printer when you print. The local printer will have a name of the form <printer name> via VNC from <client computer name>, for example HP Color LaserJet CP2020 via VNC from Neptune.

Manipulating the quality of the print finish

The quality of the print finish is determined by the characteristics of the local printer. For example, if the host computer file is a color photo but the local printer only prints in black and white, then color will be lost.

You may be able to configure printer options in order to achieve a better quality print finish. You should do this before you connect in the way expected for the operating system of the client computer, for example by selecting Control Panel > Devices and Printers under Windows 7.

If you are already connected, then you may be able to configure some printing preferences for the application you are printing from. This may include rotating pages, changing the page order, choosing a number of pages per sheet, and advanced options such as changing the resolution or paper size. For more information, consult the application’s documentation.

Troubleshooting printing

Printing host computer files to a local printer should work out-of-the-box. If it does not, check the following:

1. Are you connected to VNC Server (Enterprise) or VNC Server (Personal)? You cannot print VNC Server (Free) files. For more information, see Connecting to VNC.

2. If you are using a previous version of VNC Viewer or VNC Server, is it at least version 4.5? Printing is not supported by earlier versions.

3. Are both client and host computers running supported operating systems? Printing is not supported to or from certain platforms, including HP-UX, AIX, and Windows NT 4; in addition, prior configuration is required in order to print to or from Solaris 9 and 10, SUSE Linux, and systems with SE Linux enabled. For the latest information, visit www.realvnc.com/products/vnc/documentation/latest/misc/printing/.

4. If the host computer is running Linux or Mac OS X, is CUPS version 1.3 or later installed? For more information, consult the host computer’s operating system documentation.

5. Is the local printer connected to the client computer? Is it switched on? Is it ready to print? Does it have paper? Is it set as the client computer’s default printer?

6. Has VNC Viewer been configured to disable printing? To see how to enable it again, read Disabling and enabling printing. You will have to close the current connection and then reconnect.

7. Has VNC Viewer been configured to prevent the local printer becoming the host computer’s default, which means it is not automatically selected? The request may have been sent to the wrong printer. To see how to make the local printer the host computer’s default so it is always selected, read Disabling and enabling printing. You will have to close the current connection and then reconnect.

Note that if another VNC Viewer user connected to the same host computer before you, then their local printer becomes the host computer’s default. You cannot change this. You must always explicitly select your local printer when you print.

If you have to explicitly select your local printer, note it will have a name of the form <printer name> via VNC from <client computer name>, for example HP Color LaserJet CP2020 via VNC from Neptune.

8. Has VNC Server been configured to prevent printing? If this is the case and you do not have access to the host computer, you will need to consult your system administrator or a host computer user. If you do have access to the host computer, and sufficient privileges to configure VNC Server, you may be able to allow it again. For more information, see Preventing printing.

9. Has VNC Server been configured to prevent you printing? If this is the case and you do not have access to the host computer, you will need to consult your system administrator or a host computer user. If you do have access to the host computer, and sufficient privileges to configure VNC Server, you may be able to allow it again. Alternatively, you may be able to connect as a different host computer user and use this feature. For more information, see Restricting features for particular connected users.

10. Has the host computer been configured to prevent printing system-wide? If this is the case and you do not have access to it, you will need to consult your system administrator or a host computer user. If you do have access to the host computer, and sufficient privileges to configure both it and VNC Server, you may be able to allow it again. For more information, see Preventing printing.