Internet Access HP Z3100 from remote location

[Mark Potter]

The HP Z3100 says that it has an embeded web server and if I understand it that means if I have the printer connected thru an ethernet connection to a router that has an internet connection (Apple Time Machine router) that I should be able to use the IP address on the printer to access it from a remote location? is this not correct?

I have two computers on my wireless network in my home studio and when I use the browser on those systems and type in the IP address it works... but if I am at a remote location as in work I cannot? I have called friends and had them try the IP address of the printer in case the firewall at work was the problem but still they are not able to access it either?

I have reviewed the documentation and everything looks correct and as i stated before it does work at in my studio but that's all?

I often leave the printer running jobs when I go to work and would like to be able to log onto the printer from work to see if everything is ok.

[rwheat]

Mark,

The issue is most probably with the configuration of your Apple Time Machine router.  I am not familiar with this product, however, most consumer level internet routers allow multiple computers to connect to the internet through a facility called NAT (network address translation).  Your Z3100 has probably got an IP Address in the range 192.168.x.x or 172.16-31.x or 10.x.x.x.  These are called Private IP Addresses and are not routed on the internet.  Your Apple Time Machine router will most probably be translating the private addresses into the real IP Address assigned by your ISP - to allow outgoing internet access.  There is also probably a firewall facility being performed by the Apple Time Machine router as well - to block incoming connections to your network.

So to access the z3100 from the internet (not recommended) you would need to address two configuration issues:
1) most consumer level internet routers allow you to make an inside device visible from the internet using the real ISP assigned address - this would need to be configured.  Ie. to allow an incoming connection on a certain TCP/IP port to be passed through and translated to your internal private IP Address.  
2) You may also have to configure the firewall facility (if it exists) to allow this traffic.  

After this configuration you would connect to the Z3100 from the internet using the real ISP assigned internet address and your Apple Time Machine router would translate it to the private internal address of your Z3100.

BTW, I think allowing web access from the internet to your Z3100 is a very, very, very, bad idea.

The safe way to do this is to configure your internet access system to terminate some kind of VPN IPSEC tunnel (there are a lot of different ways to do this).  So you would establish a secure encrypted connection from a PC somewhere on the internet, to your private network.  Then, once the tunnel is established, you can access your internal devices directly.

Hope this helps,
Richard.

[Mark Potter]

Mark,

The issue is most probably with the configuration of your Apple Time Machine router.  I am not familiar with this product, however, most consumer level internet routers allow multiple computers to connect to the internet through a facility called NAT (network address translation).  Your Z3100 has probably got an IP Address in the range 192.168.x.x or 172.16-31.x or 10.x.x.x.  These are called Private IP Addresses and are not routed on the internet.  Your Apple Time Machine router will most probably be translating the private addresses into the real IP Address assigned by your ISP - to allow outgoing internet access.  There is also probably a firewall facility being performed by the Apple Time Machine router as well - to block incoming connections to your network.

So to access the z3100 from the internet (not recommended) you would need to address two configuration issues:
1) most consumer level internet routers allow you to make an inside device visible from the internet using the real ISP assigned address - this would need to be configured.  Ie. to allow an incoming connection on a certain TCP/IP port to be passed through and translated to your internal private IP Address. 
2) You may also have to configure the firewall facility (if it exists) to allow this traffic. 

After this configuration you would connect to the Z3100 from the internet using the real ISP assigned internet address and your Apple Time Machine router would translate it to the private internal address of your Z3100.

BTW, I think allowing web access from the internet to your Z3100 is a very, very, very, bad idea.

The safe way to do this is to configure your internet access system to terminate some kind of VPN IPSEC tunnel (there are a lot of different ways to do this).  So you would establish a secure encrypted connection from a PC somewhere on the internet, to your private network.  Then, once the tunnel is established, you can access your internal devices directly.

Hope this helps,
Richard.
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Richard,
Thanks so much for trying to help! Sounds like you have the answer, but unforchanatly all of it goes over my head??? I use Macs so I can plug something in and it works... so this is way out of my league!

I do have a few questions if you dont' mind. as you sound like you know a thing or two about this...

1. Why would the printer have a web server if it takes so much geek-tech to make it work? Is it possible that the built in web server is intended for other applications than what I am trying and you are trying to help by providing a possible workaround solution?

2. Why do you think it's bad to try to access the printer over the net? and why would HP have such a feature (if it is intended for what I am trying to do) if it is not good to use?  Not trying to be a smart @ss just woundering why?

Thanks again!
Mark

[Bruce Watson]

1. Why would the printer have a web server if it takes so much geek-tech to make it work? Is it possible that the built in web server is intended for other applications than what I am trying and you are trying to help by providing a possible workaround solution?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=213951\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Because it's a "universal interface" meaning that you don't have to run yet another program on your computer to access the printer -- you just use your normal web browser. The built-in webserver is intended for this, and this only. It's not serving a website, just a few webpages from a printer. It's not designed to be used in a general purpose way. You would be well advised to cease trying to work around it. Really.

2. Why do you think it's bad to try to access the printer over the net? and why would HP have such a feature (if it is intended for what I am trying to do) if it is not good to use?  Not trying to be a smart @ss just woundering why?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=213951\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It's absolutely bad to try to access a printer over the Internet. Shipping big files over protocols not really designed for the task, over long distances (therefore through lots of equipment and over many links) is just risky from a file integrity standpoint. From a security stand point it's just insane. I assure you that the HP webserver on the printer isn't hardened. No one ever updates these things, and you can't run virus protection software on them. Once they are infected, they are toast. And if you expose it to the raw Internet I would expected it to be infected within less than one minute (this from a report I saw years ago about the life expectancy of an unprotected PC on the 'net. I'm sure you get even less time now, but it's hard to see how it could be much less).

Printers are designed to be run on the safe side of a firewall, and to be assigned non-routing IP addresses so that computers on the unsafe side of the firewall can not talk to them and therefore infect them with all kinds of garbage and give them all kinds of performance problems.

Again, the reason HP uses a tiny webserver is so that you get a common interface to access the printer and so that you don't have to install new custom software on your computer to access their printer. It's actually a good thing. If you don't abuse it.

Rereading this I see that my tone is bad -- I'm not trying to sound mean or anything. But I am trying to sound "helpful but serious" if that's possible in a posting in a thread. It doesn't come across in my writing, sadly, but if I could write I wouldn't need photography so much! Sorry.

[rdonson]

2. Why do you think it's bad to try to access the printer over the net? and why would HP have such a feature (if it is intended for what I am trying to do) if it is not good to use?  Not trying to be a smart @ss just woundering why?

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As Mark and Bruce mention, there is no security for the printer.  Putting it on the internet invites all sorts of malicious intent.  The least of which would be to come home and find that someone has printed enough material to use up your roll of paper.

[Mark Potter]

Thanks everyone, I have a better understanding of what the web server on the printer is now. I see that I am trying to use it for something that it was not intended as I suspected after reading Richards reply. Folks are misunderstanding me thinking that I wanted to print across the net or somehow run this printer across the net which I'm not.  I simply wanted to check on the progress of a job that was left to print, that's all. thought that's what the web server was for. I stand corrected.

I can't say that I subscribe to the virus around every corner theory as I have never even bothered with virus protection, but I am on mac, and in all my years working with macs never even heard of a virus for a mac or met another mac user that has had any issues with viruses, but I'm sure there out there?... some ware? but I can understand folks concern with them as the silly vista laptop that my wife has is always crying about some problem, it usually having to do with trying to keep the virus stuff up-to-date.

Anyway, thanks all for a good eduction about the web server on my printer. I now understand why sticking that hot poker in my eye could be considered a bad thing.

[rdonson]

There have been security holes in the Mac.  There aren't many exploits but as Mac market share goes up it becomes a more inviting target for those with malicious intent.