freeNAS on Multiple Networks?

[NetworkingGuy]

Hello, I was wondering if it was at all possible, and perhaps get pointed in the right direction.

I have 2 IP addresses come up if I set up FreeNAS on two separate NICS connected to two separate networks. But only one works and it works on only one of the networks.

I don't need the actual web UI to work on both networks per say. I basically just want 3 Functionality
1. CIF shares accessible by both networks (or two separate ones for the same volume I guess)
2. Plex server active on both networks (or two separate ones if I need to)
3. Load balancing to improve torrenting speeds (both networks have separate internet connections)

I understand this is a bit of an unusual set up so I was unable to find any documentation on it.

If anyone has any ideas. or if it's downright not possible Please let me know.

Thanks.

 

[NetworkingGuy]

I'm a complete idiot., Incase anyone else wants to do this.
The obvious solution is just change one of the local IPs/subnet
Cant have both as 192.168.1.XXX
Just make one 192.168.2.XXX

Saving this thread for someone else who might come across the same problem.

 

[jgreco]

It isn't unusual; FreeNAS has supported multiple networks since the beginning and some of us have it present on many networks, not just two.

Making multiple upstream connections to the Internet work is a little trickier because the normal paradigm is a single default gateway.

 

[jgreco]

Oops hit send accidentally , thanks tapatalk... anyways multiple upstreams can also be made to work, but is rather dependent on several specifics, either ipfw fwd or the new multiple forwarding table support may be necessary, or configuring your "routers" appropriately to handoff traffic between them based on source IP.

 

[NetworkingGuy]

Making multiple upstream connections to the Internet work is a little trickier because the normal paradigm is a single default gateway.

Yeah I just figured that one out, for torrents. The problem isn't the internet though (havent gotten that far) cant seem to get my plugin jails to work on both networks at all. Load Balancing torrents is far off.

Anyone know how to get my Plex or Transmission to work on both networks?
I guess I can just run two Plex's. But I want transmission to dynamically load balance torrents like Vuze does. (if not possible to do with transmission then I will just install vuze in a jail, it should be possible on FreeBSD IIRC)

 

[bloomo]

I'm currently also looking at putting my two NICs on two different networks to segregate network traffic (separating CIFS and Plex streaming). I think the problem you'll run into will be that Plex runs in a jail and the jail is what is allocated an IP (you can change the IP and force that jail to run over a specific network), BUT (anyone, correct me if I'm wrong) you're asking a single jail to exist on two different networks. Regardless of the load balancing, I'm not sure that's something you can do.

 

[jgreco]

It is, but it's a pain to do and I'm not sure FreeNAS would support such a config.

 

[bloomo]

Maybe a load balance specific router could help. Seen plenty on Amazon - have never used one myself. But maybe smart hardware would be an easier solve?

 

[jgreco]

That's just likely to throw more variables into the mix. FreeNAS is perfectly capable of supporting multiple networks - hard for me to picture an environment with a single network, actually - it's just a matter of understanding what you need to accomplish and why, and then designing accordingly. But I don't know much about the FreeNAS jail strategy and all of this basically gets into IP network design, which many people think they know how to do, but the set of assumptions I work from are probably different than what many home users do.

 

[bloomo]

IP network design was definitely not something I gave enough thought to when I built my FreeNAS. I thought knowing my way around my router settings was enough. I thought, the more NICS I have, the better throughput I'll get. WRONG! I read your post on "multiple-network-interfaces-on-a-single-subnet" and ever since I've been learning. I don't know whether I was being thick or whether generally networking, IP, subnets, routing, firewalls, etc. is just a foreign concept for most people (out of the network professional industry). And equally, not enough people have an understanding of it before going into building a server.

 

[cyberjock]

I don't know whether I was being thick or whether generally networking, IP, subnets, routing, firewalls, etc. is just a foreign concept for most people (out of the network professional industry). And equally, not enough people have an understanding of it before going into building a server.

I think it is all of the above. It's one of those things you see work, think IPs are super simple to master, and never look at it any deeper. Then when you get boned over by some intricacy a whole new world opens up and you realize you were pretty dumb. Its happened to all of us at one time or another. It's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, if you didn't have that epiphany where you realized you don't know as much about networking as you thought, you probably are still clueless. :p

I had to deal with my own epiphany in 2008 or 2009 when I first tried to setup LAGG at home because 1Gb was too slow for me and 10Gb was too expensive. Needless to say I never did see 2Gb throughput.. hahaha.

 

[jgreco]

And some of us enjoy helping others get up to speed, though in my case I make no promises that you'll get stuff on a silver platter. I (sometimes) make people work for their clue. Some demonstrated effort to solve your own issues, a thick skin, and an open mind willing to correct misconceptions will take you really far around here - the FreeNAS forums have some totally awesome people hanging around.

 

[bloomo]

It's a big statement, but if you're looking into FreeNAS you should instantly give up the right to be given anything on a platter! I mean, there are other plug-in solutions out there for you if you want a platter. I've seen you say it, I've seen Cyberjock say it – if you haven't read the documentation or searched the forums you're going to get set on FIRE!! FIRE!! And after reading just a little bit of the documentation – BEFORE you buy a system or install FreeNAS – it will let you know whether this is something you should bite off or accept that you can kiss many many hours of learning goodbye on (which I personally enjoy, it's a hobby and not work).

It would be good to add a "fundamentals/good-practice in setting up IP addresses on Freenas" (which I know you touched on in your article on dual NICS on the same network @jgreco). I know the rules are outlined in the docs under interfaces. But good IP practice (how/why to set up 1/2/3/4 nics [for example] isn't covered) – obviously because it's beyond it's scope. It's also a can of worms, so I can kinda see why no one wants to touch it :) Haha.

Indeed, there are tons of very helpful folks folks around, the two above me, included :)

 

[NetworkingGuy]

yeah thanks for all the replies. I have almost given up on trying to get plex to appear on both networks(unless someone has an idea). But I would like, however to move the jail to the other network.
For whatever reason all jails default to my 192.168.2.XXX network. And no matter what I seem to do, it won't move over onto the other one.

 

[bloomo]

Did you try setting a static ip in the settings for that jail? In your general jail settings you'll have to specify the different subnet range.

 

[bestboy]

[...]
I basically just want 3 Functionality
1. CIF shares accessible by both networks (or two separate ones for the same volume I guess)
2. Plex server active on both networks (or two separate ones if I need to)
[...]

Just want to mention that it is possible to provide these services in different subnets without actually having a NIC in each subnet. With some fiddling it is possible to route this traffic between the subnets. I just converted my multi homed freenas into a single homed one.
I understand that this might not really be a solution for the OP. The 2 internet connections probably justify the multi homing. I just want to mention this alternative to those who resort to multi homing, because they cannot get their favorite services to work otherwise.

CIFS shares should work without a problem in different subnets. The only problem here is that the discovery is not working across subnets. Depending on the application this might not be a big issue tho. Discovery is really not needed, when you can have a permanently mapped network drive.

Plex is a bit more tricky. It is based on DLNA and relies on IGMP multicasts which are discarded by routers on the network borders. But if you can use igmpproxy or mcproxy on your router, then you can make any DLNA service work in different subnets (minidlna being the exception. For some reason it does not reply to incoming IGMP membership reports...).

 

[bestboy]

yeah thanks for all the replies. I have almost given up on trying to get plex to appear on both networks(unless someone has an idea). But I would like, however to move the jail to the other network.
For whatever reason all jails default to my 192.168.2.XXX network. And no matter what I seem to do, it won't move over onto the other one.

IIRC jails are added to the first interface igb0 by default.
subnet0: bridge0(igb0, epairX, epairY)

If you want your jails to use the second interface igb1 you can create a new bridge for igb1 and move the epair devices of the jail over (remove them from bridge0 and then add them to bridge1)
subnet1: bridge1(igb1, epairX, epairY)