FreeNAS won't connect through switch

[tony_j15]

Greetings all,

First time working with this and ran into an interesting hiccup where the NAS box connects to the network when plugged directly into the router on DHCP mode, but is completely offline when it touches a switch first.

NETWORK SETUP: Modem (motorola sb6121) --> Router (Buffalo WHR-HP-G300N) --> Switch (Dell PowerConnect 2216) --> Switch (Linksys ezxs88w) --> FREENAS

FREENAS HARDWARE:
Motherboard: ASUS IPIBL-LB (yanked from HP Pavillion m9457c)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (K) 2.4 GH
RAM: 6GB DDR2
Network: built-in 10/100 ( Realtek 8111C)
HDD: 3x 3TB raid5 equiv

I'm aware that Realtek based NICs are not recommended and am working on procuring an Intel NIC, yet the situation has me puzzled as to why the NAS shows no interest in connecting unless a cable is plugged straight from it to the router.

 

[danb35]

Well, nothing in your config is anywhere close to recommended hardware for FreeNAS, but that's unlikely to be your problem (with the possible exception of the Realtek NIC, but even those typically "work" for certain values of work). The version of FreeNAS you're using would help, as there might be driver changes that might have an effect).

It looks to me like you have connected the router to the Dell switch, the Dell switch to the Linksys switch, and the Linksys switch to the FreeNAS box. Any chance of taking one of those switches out of the mix, at least for testing purposes? Plug the FreeNAS box directly into the Dell switch, and/or the router directly into the Linksys switch?

 

[wblock]

That Linksys is very old and might not support auto negotiation correctly. If it's the one I'm thinking of, they were little heaters, and the plastic case would eventually get brittle.

@danb35 is right, isolate the problem by removing one switch at a time. But start with that Linksys.

 

[tony_j15]

Ahh...either 9.3 or 9.10 I'm not exactly sure, is there a shell command that will reveal?

The hardware is indeed outdated. This is just a basic home server used to archive photos and video files between 2 PCs, a laptop, and several iDevices.

Apologies for not noting this on my OP. The network has been completely tested and all PCs work with any configuration except for the NAS.
NAS into router? Works. (PC? yes)
NAS into dell switch into router? no. (PC? yes)
NAS into linksys switch into router? no. (PC? yes)

I can load either/both switches up with multiple PCs and they resolve the entire network correctly: seeing each other and the Internet, no fault or collision issues.

 

[SweetAndLow]

Your hardware is not meant to run freenas but that probably isn't your problem. You have something wrong with your switches and you already proved this. When you say it doesn't work what do you mean? No ping other PC? Can't ping Google? No Ip? How are you testing connectivity?

 

[tony_j15]

It doesn't work as in I can plug any device into any cable and/or remove either/both switch and they all will see each other and the Internet with the exception of the NAS.
I plugged a laptop into the same cat5 that the NAS was on which goes laptop>Linksys switch>Dell switch>router>modem> and it sees everything correctly. I can ping Google, other PCs, transfer files between their share folders, etc.
The NAS is the only thing that refuses to work except when connected directly to the router which is why I have trouble wrapping my brain around it being the switches that are the trouble.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I enjoy a good puzzle and this one is not disappointing.

 

[Mirfster]

Do you have an "IPv4 Default Gateway" and "Nameserver 1" configured on FreeNAS under [Network] - [Global Configuration]?

Can you post the output of ifconfig (in CODE Tags please)?

 

[pschatz100]

Did you set up FreeNAS networking via DHCP or with a static IP address? If using DHCP, and everything else on your network is configured correctly, then the system should be assigned an IP address and at least one name server. Compare the values you get with the values from one of the PC's attached the same way to make certain they look reasonable.

If using a static IP address, first of all make certain your static IP address is outside the range of addresses automatically assigned by the router. Then try setting Nameserver 1 to your gateway router and Nameserver 2 to a DNS nameserver supported by your internet provider (or try 8.8.8.8 for one of Google's nameservers.)

It is possible that your Realtek nic is misbehaving under FreeNAS, but I would rule out network configuration issues first.

 

[joeschmuck]

You are better off setting a static IP address on your FreeNAS system in the long run. Place it outside your DHCP range of course. Ensure you setup the IPv4 gateway and Nameserver as indicated above. You should be able to access the GUI after that no matter which switch you are connecting to. If you still have problems after that, I'm at a loss other than to just connect your system to a working switch.

Okay, this shouldn't have anything to do with it but are you using CAT5 cables minimum throughout? No CAT3 cables? CAT 3 cables have fewer wires and although I'm grasping at straws here, hey, I have nothing more to guess at.

 

[BigDave]

Ill grasp for a few straws myself here and guess this may have something to do with T568A vs. T568B...
IIRC the newer routers and switches can connect either wiring standard, but the older equipment
cannot. This may explain why it can work with the router, but not the other switches???