Problem
You are unable to use your wireless printer while your Windows PC is connected to NordVPN.
Common symptoms
- The printer appears as "Offline" or "Unavailable" in Windows settings when the VPN is on.
- Print jobs stay in the queue and fail to send to the printer.
- The printer is not discovered by the "Add a printer or scanner" tool while connected to a VPN server.
- Printing works normally as soon as you disconnect from NordVPN.
Troubleshooting
NOTE: Check if the issue is resolved after each step.
- Disable the "Invisibility on LAN" feature in the NordVPN app.
- Open the NordVPN app and click the profile icon top-right corner.
- Click "Settings" in the context menu that appears.
- Click "Connection and security" and ensure "Stay invisible on LAN" is toggled off.
- Ensure your PC and printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi frequency (e.g., both on 2.4GHz or both on 5GHz).
- Restart the "Print Spooler" service on Windows.
- Press the "Windows key + R", type "services.msc", and press "Enter".
- Locate "Print Spooler" in the list.
- Right-click it and select "Restart".
- Manually add the printer using its IP address.
- Locate your printer's IP address (usually found in the printer's network settings menu or on a printed network configuration page).
- Open Windows "Settings" and go to "Bluetooth & devices" > "Printers & scanners".
- Click "Add device", then select "The printer that I want isn't listed" or "Add manually".
- Select "Add a printer using an IP address or hostname" and click "Next".
- Set "Device type" to "Autodetect", enter the printer's IP address in the "Hostname or IP address" field, and click "Next".
NOTE: If you see an error stating the port name already exists, add the suffix "_VPN" to the "Port Name."
- Configure additional port information if prompted.
- If the "Additional port information required" screen appears, select your printer model under "Device Type".
- If your model is not listed, select "Generic Network Card" and click "Next".
- If prompted to install a driver, click "Windows Update" to find the correct driver, then click "Next" to finish.
- Enable "Split Tunneling" for printer-related applications (if applicable).
- Open the NordVPN app and click the profile icon top-right corner.
- Click "Settings" in the context menu that appears.
- Click "Split Tunneling" in the left menu.
- Toggle the feature "On".
- Select "Disable VPN for selected apps" and add your printer's software or the "Print Spooler" (spoolsv.exe) to the list.
- If you use the "Threat Protection Pro™" feature in NordVPN, try toggling it off briefly to see if it is blocking local network communication.
- Check for third-party firewall interference.
- Temporarily disable any third-party antivirus or firewall software.
- If printing works, add an exception for the NordVPN app and your printer's IP address in your security software settings.
Additional tips
- Assign a static IP address to your printer through your router settings to prevent the connection from breaking if the IP changes.
- Keep your printer firmware and Windows drivers updated to ensure compatibility with modern VPN protocols.
