Diagnosis: VPNs often interfere with local network discovery, isolating the printer.
Fix: The printer loses communication when connected to a VPN. This is a documented issue. The solution is to disconnect from the VPN when you need to print to this local network printer.
If that is not feasible, alternative setups are required:
- Configure your VPN client to allow local network traffic (split-tunneling). Consult your VPN software or network administrator's instructions.
- Use a direct connection method like Wi-Fi Direct, if your use case supports it. Note: Wi-Fi Direct has limits on the number of connected devices.
Prevention: For reliable local printing, establish the connection and print without the VPN active. The VPN is designed to secure external traffic and often treats internal network devices as external.