What about...

So in conclusion: the user makes a selection and selects the printer it wants to use (from a other database). , based on that selection several databases are contacted and data is <s>transfered to hidden inputs at the cliënt side</s> generated on the server. <s>The the user selects the printer it wants to use (from a other database). The right (hidden) code has to be sent through a telnet session to the selected printer which is going to print eventually. So the cliënt has to start a telnet session, sent data to it and close the connection.</s> The data is then sent to a internet (or network) shared password-protected printer.

This would negate the need for an ActiveX control, no need for telnet or ftp, and it would reduce the number of calls between the client and server, lowering the network traffic.