Member Avatar for lpaudio

How do I share files and printers to internal office and outside office users via internet connection.
I'm planning to use a 3G wireless internet card to a Workstation PC and provide access to external allowed users to files and printers, and also add a Wireless Area Network Router to provide files, print sharing and internet connection to internal office users.
If there's a weblink or a book, please let me know.:idea:

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Short summary and practical path forward for , building on comments from and :

Hosting Windows shares or opening printer ports directly to the Internet is risky and unreliable — especially on a 3G link. Mobile providers commonly use carrier NAT and block incoming ports, IPs change, and SMB/printing protocols were not designed for the public Internet. Two safe, practical approaches:

  1. Put remote users onto the office network via a VPN, then use normal file shares and a print server. A VPN (IPsec/OpenVPN/WireGuard) keeps traffic encrypted and lets remote clients mount drives or print to the office queue as if local. Use certificate/key authentication, strong passwords, and restrict access by user/group.

  2. Use a purpose-built file/print server or cloud relay: run an SFTP/HTTPS-based file service or a web-file-sync product on a secured server (or use a hosted cloud provider). For printing, keep the printer behind the VPN or use an authenticated, TLS-enabled print server (do not open SMB ports 137-139/445 to the Internet).

Practical checklist

  • Expect no fixed public IP on 3G: use dynamic DNS or a cloud/VPS relay if inbound access is required.
  • Use a firewall/router that supports VPN termination; avoid relying on a single Windows workstation as the gateway.
  • Enforce least privilege, logging, and regular backups; enable encryption for data at rest and in transit.
  • Test bandwidth/latency: 3G uplink may limit large backups; schedule off-hours syncs or use incremental syncs.

Quick troubleshooting pointers

  • If remote users cannot connect, check whether the carrier blocks inbound ports or applies CGNAT, check for double NAT on the router, and confirm VPN service is bound to the correct interface. Review router/firewall and VPN logs for handshakes and authentication errors.

This approach preserves security, improves reliability, and scales better than trying to expose desktop shares directly.

Recommended Answers

All 6 Replies

Member Avatar for TheNNS

When you say external users, do you mean people outside your network? Because I don't think it's possible to print accross the internet. File sharing you can setup and ftp server.

Member Avatar for lpaudio

Thats right, I mean people outside the office's network that can access the workstation PC, this thru the internet line (that will also be connected to the PC), so they can use it for back up and share files with all the company personnel.

Member Avatar for lpaudio

Thats right, I mean people outside the office's network that can access the workstation PC, this thru the internet line (that will also be connected to the PC), so they can use it for back up and share files with all the company personnel.

:cool:

Member Avatar for TheNNS

Actually you can print to the office printer from a remote location with logmein.

logmein.com

Member Avatar for DimaYasny

1.logmein.com
2.remote destop
3.ms terminal service
4.citrix
5.vnc
6.radmin
7.netsupport
...

there are countless solutions

Member Avatar for lpaudio

1.logmein.com
2.remote destop
3.ms terminal service
4.citrix
5.vnc
6.radmin
7.netsupport
...

there are countless solutions

Appreciated Thanks,
lpaudio

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