Post by marklang on Feb 3, 2013 6:47:54 GMT 7
I am using my N7700PRO NAS on a small office network with the N7700PRO, another NAS, 1-3 laptop computers, and some consumer devices behind a Cisco RV220W router. I have been having weird problems accessing devices on the network, which I traced to the N7700PRO taking over as master NETbios browser on the network but not responding properly to requests. In this small network with no domain controller, the older NETbios protocols are used for discovery and browsing on the network.
The problem comes when I turn off the computers over night but leave the N7700PRO active (with the disks spun down after the delay). Apparently, the N7700PRO firmware checks the network overnight, finds that there are no other servers or other computers on the network, and assumes the role of master browser. When I turn the computers back on the morning, the network does not show the N7700PRO, the other NAS, or any of the other computers.
Using browstat on a Windows XP laptop, I confirmed that the N7700PRO is the master browser. It responds as such to browstat, with a indication that 5 devices are on the network. However, browstat reports it cannot access the list of device names and IP addresses. If I force a network search for the N7700PRO and then log in to the NAS system, browstat now returns that the N7700PRO is the master browser and lists the devices. Apparently, the firmware does not provide the list of devices as it should unless the requester is logged in.
Has anyone seen such an issue? I know it is obscure--it took me months to figure this out. The only workaround I have found is to have Windows map a folder on the N7700PRO at logon, which causes Windows to search out the n7700PRO on the network and log in with saved credentials. If it were working properly, the N7700PRO would report all the devices in my listing (Windows Explorer) and then ask me to log in to the different devices only when I want to access something on them.
I have seen reports that other NASs also assume the role of master browser, but they apparently perform this function as per the protocols. This must be something in the NETbios networking aspect of the Thecus Linux system. If I could force NETbios to perform another election when I power up the computers that would also work. If I could install a domain controller on the Thecus, that might also work. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks. This is very frustrating.
The problem comes when I turn off the computers over night but leave the N7700PRO active (with the disks spun down after the delay). Apparently, the N7700PRO firmware checks the network overnight, finds that there are no other servers or other computers on the network, and assumes the role of master browser. When I turn the computers back on the morning, the network does not show the N7700PRO, the other NAS, or any of the other computers.
Using browstat on a Windows XP laptop, I confirmed that the N7700PRO is the master browser. It responds as such to browstat, with a indication that 5 devices are on the network. However, browstat reports it cannot access the list of device names and IP addresses. If I force a network search for the N7700PRO and then log in to the NAS system, browstat now returns that the N7700PRO is the master browser and lists the devices. Apparently, the firmware does not provide the list of devices as it should unless the requester is logged in.
Has anyone seen such an issue? I know it is obscure--it took me months to figure this out. The only workaround I have found is to have Windows map a folder on the N7700PRO at logon, which causes Windows to search out the n7700PRO on the network and log in with saved credentials. If it were working properly, the N7700PRO would report all the devices in my listing (Windows Explorer) and then ask me to log in to the different devices only when I want to access something on them.
I have seen reports that other NASs also assume the role of master browser, but they apparently perform this function as per the protocols. This must be something in the NETbios networking aspect of the Thecus Linux system. If I could force NETbios to perform another election when I power up the computers that would also work. If I could install a domain controller on the Thecus, that might also work. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks. This is very frustrating.