Some computers can not access FreeNAS share.

[climb2bhi]

I have been working on a problem with several home computers that can not access the share of data on my home server. Here is my situation:

After setting up my server about a year ago all three of my computers had access to the one and only share on my 9.3 Freenas home server. About two months ago my Windows 7 internet computer began saying "access denied" when trying to connect to my network drive. About a month later my Windows 7 laptop, on wireless and on Ethernet, started giving me the same message. My home entertainment computer (Windows 7 no antivirus software) still has access to the share. Also when friends come over with their laptops they are able to connect to the share with out any passwords needed after logging in to my wireless.

All three computers show the Freenas server under the Windows Network page in the field showing "Computers". I can still access the web GUI on all of the computers.

I have set up the server to allow access with no passwords. However this set up was done about a year ago and probably done on FreeNAS 9.? And not on the latest update for sure.

I have tried every setting I can find on Windows 7 networking to fix the problem to no avail. I updated the internet computer to Windows 10 with no preservation of Windows 7 settings (basically a new computer) and it also had "Access Denied". I have reset my home network router to factory new settings and still only the home entertainment machine can assess the share.

Being relativity new, and not very knowledgeable about FreeNAS, and network settings, I have not changed settings on the server because I was afraid to lose the one access I have to my data.

I'm still not sure if this is a Windows problem or a FreeNAS credentials problem.

I have attached my settings.db file in case someone has a virtual machine and is able to look at my settings.

Thanks.

 

[Nick2253]

Let me make sure I understand what happened:

You have a share (let's call it "Share1"). Once upon a time, your computers were able to access Share1. Now, for some reason, two of them are not able to access Share1. When a random friend comes over, they are able to access Share1.

Now, just to be thorough, have you tried rebooting the FreeNAS? Also, have you tried backup up your config, doing a fresh install of FreeNAS, and then restoring your config?

 

[climb2bhi]

Yes to all.

Share is called "NAS".

Reboots on every new update of 9.3, so lots of reboots. And fresh installs and then config when the GUI update fails. Which has happened several times.

The config settings are old. Before there was a setup wizard. ver 9.? But things worked in 9.3 until recently.

My friends visiting laptops do have access to "NAS".

And the machines not able to access are running Bitdefender anti virus. But that is not new and I can not find any firewall or other settings in bitdefender that would affect access.

 

[Nick2253]

It's odd that you've had GUI updates fail. I'd strongly recommend a fresh FreeNAS install (I'm not saying to blow away your data or config, just the thumbdrive).

I've had a lot of problems with BitDefender's firewall acting up in the past. And disabling it didn't fix it. I had to completely uninstall it and reinstall it to fix it. Go ahead and try that.

 

[climb2bhi]

I will try a fresh install of FreeNAS this weekend when I'm not working. Although it was after the problem began that I had to down load the entire 9.3 and install from disk because the update locked up.

The laptop had Windows 7 installed on a new HD and then Bitdefender installed a couple of hours after the fresh windows was up and running just last week. so bitdefender seems unlikley. However I am determined to solve this so I will try a fresh install of Bitdefender on the not so fresh (desktop) internet machine. Again this weekend when I have more time.

Thanks, I appreciate any and all good advice.

 

[Nick2253]

You might try it without Bitdefender. I'm not saying that it's going to be the culprit, but it's quite a coincidence that the two machines that can't access it have BitDefender, and the machines that can access it don't.

 

[climb2bhi]

Yes I want to eliminate that as a possibility.

Uninstall Bitdefender.

Reboot windows machine, and test.

Reinstall Bitdefender.

Test again.

Any other thoughts I will gladly put on my test list for this weekend.

Somehow I have a feeling that this is a Windows problem,but I'm not sure.

 

[nightshade00013]

On a fresh install make sure that both the FreeNAS and computer are on the same Workgroup, that can make a difference.

Your friend was able to access, so do you have username and password that must be put in to access a share? I do on my network but one of the problems with Windows 7 is that the information is gone after a reboot. You actually have to save the information manually in the user accounts section and on the left hand side you click on manage your credentials. Also if you changed a password and have already done this you will need to make changes. But long story short it should be saved with persistence as"Enterprise" to survive a reboot.

It could be the antivirus but unless it has some sort of firewall in place I doubt it.

Reinstalling FreeNAS couldn't hurt but I am guessing it has something to do with a saved account that has a bad password or being on the wrong Workgroup.

 

[climb2bhi]

My server is setup so that no username or password is required.

All computers are part of a of a "home network" are joined to the "Homegroup" and part of the "WORKGROUP"

All computers are logged in with the same username. My name. And my friends are logged in with their own names on their windows machines. And they are allowed to access the share.

 

[CaptainSensible]

Its not a NAS issue

Go to
Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network and Sharing Center\Advanced sharing settings
and turn off password protect thing.

 

[climb2bhi]

I too doubt that it is a NAS thing.

However as I stated in my original post I have been through all of the obvious Windows settings, and the Password Protection settings is not the problem. I tested it again this morning to be sure.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[climb2bhi]

Still no luck.

I have uninstalled Bitdefender and restarted. I have done a fresh install of FreeNAS.

And I still do not have access to My share from two of my computers. Yet anyone coming over to my house with their laptop does.

 

[RichTJ99]

I would try to turn off your firewalls.

I would also check to make sure that your network is considered your 'home' network. If your PC thinks its on a public network it will use the public firewall settings.

 

[climb2bhi]

Firewalls are off. And all computers are part of a "Home network".
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Mega Man]

this is a long shot and i have not booted in to win 7 in what seems like forever ~ but on windows 10 recently i cant access my nas when i am connected to ANY homegroup ( even the correct one ) but when i disconnect it works fine, worth a shot

 

[anodos]

I'd say the most likely cause of your problems is that you've checked the box "disable password authentication" under "account" -> "users" in the webgui. There was a how-to guide in these forums that mistakenly recommended that you check this box to configure guest access. That makes samba erratically unhappy. The Freenas documentation states:

when checked, disables password logins and authentication to CIFS shares; to undo this setting, set a password for the user using the “Modify User” button for the user in “View Users”

If I'm correct, uncheck this box and set a password for you user. If I'm wrong, post a debug file for me to look at. You can generate one by clicking "system" -> "advanced" -> "save debug".

 

[climb2bhi]

Good news and bad news.

anodos> You were right!!! Unchecking the "disable password authentication" box has allowed me to now access my share on my laptop running Windows 7.

However My FreeNAS server no longer appears under "Computers" on my network page on my windows 10 machine. I don't think that that just happened today when I unchecked the password authentication box.

Also trying the advice of Mega Man I have left my Homegroup on the laptop and on the windows 10 machine, and I am unable to join the homegroup again. The message I get is that the homegroup was created by <username> on <COMPUTER> and if I need the home group password I can get it there. However that is a computer that has not been part of my network for over a year. So somehow I need to remove all record of the homegroup and start a new one. But windows offers no solutions to this.

So now I need some help with Windows 10 networking and homegroup control.

Anyone?...

 

[nightshade00013]

Any computer that is a part of the homegroup can give the passphrase. Otherwise remove them all and recreate it, simply sit down at each one and leave homegroup.

As per not being able to browse, just map to IP manually and ignore it. That is slightly broken unless all the computers are the same OS version with windows from my understanding. Just go to the the point where you can see all the drives in a folder and you should have a button that says "Map Network Drive" click it and then do "\\your server ip address\folder of share" assign a drive letter and forget it. The only thing you may have to do is change the login to enterprise or it will drop each reboot if you have usernames and passwords.

 

[Ericloewe]

However My FreeNAS server no longer appears under "Computers" on my network page on my windows 10 machine. I don't think that that just happened today when I unchecked the password authentication box.

Forget that and access the server directly.

If you must, create a shortcut to \\IP_ADDRESS

 

[Mega Man]

Any computer that is a part of the homegroup can give the passphrase. Otherwise remove them all and recreate it, simply sit down at each one and leave homegroup.

As per not being able to browse, just map to IP manually and ignore it. That is slightly broken unless all the computers are the same OS version with windows from my understanding. Just go to the the point where you can see all the drives in a folder and you should have a button that says "Map Network Drive" click it and then do "\\your server ip address\folder of share" assign a drive letter and forget it. The only thing you may have to do is change the login to enterprise or it will drop each reboot if you have usernames and passwords.

map network drive wont work for me as posted above i have to manually enter it, it was broken on a more recent update idk which

as to the homegroup you can just make a new one, should be easy unless you have 20 computers,