Windows 10 Samba access problem

[EAOP]

Hi,

After having replaced a HDD that was starting to show errors (and thus a reboot of the TrueNAS server), I no longer can access my samba share folders with the file explorer from my Windows 10 desktop.

Actually, I can access them, but not in the way I used to...namely by clicking on a folder containing the name of my TrueNAS server ("CASTOR")

The windows 10 computer seems to find the TrueNAS server correctly, but then it can't access it;

However, if I instead access the TrueNAS with it's IP address instead of it's name - this works fine;

So, to me it seems that Windows 10 machine has a problem translating the name into an IP address, or that the TrueNAS server has a problem publishing the name->IP address connection.

Any tips on what next steps to take to find the error?

 

[EAOP]

Some further info...my TrueNAS server back up machine ("POLLUX") works fine - i.e. if I click on that icon in the picture above everything works fine.

Both are running "TrueNAS-12.0-U8.1".

So something seems to have happened with "CASTOR" when I replaced the disk and did a reboot...

 

[jlpellet]

Seems something has broken the netbios link to IP. 1st, I'd look at TN GUI under Network>global config for hostname & the 3 announcement block. Also, look under Windows, open file explorer, highlite Network in left tree then refresh from right-click icon at bottom list. Also, if DHCP, look at your DHCP server IP client list to ensure TN shows. Also, could try reboot of the Windows box. Not sure what's going on but hope this helps.
John

 

[EAOP]

Thanks for helping out John.

As I have two identical TrueNAS servers up and running, one working, and one not, I have the luxury to check and see if they have anything different in their settings. As far as I can tell, they don't (and a replacement of a hard drive and a reboot shouldn't alter that either).

None of the TrueNAS servers have all three "Service Announcement" boxes ticked. None of them have the top one, "Legacy NetBIOS name server"., and never have. But as it works for Pollux without all three check, this shouldn't bee needed for Castor...

I have rebooted the TrueNAS server ("Castor") , the windows 10 machine ("desktop"), and also the Unify Dream Machine Pro that acts as DHCP server - still same result.

My work around so far has been to make new folder short cuts based on the IP-address instead, and then renaming them to what the none functioning shorts were called earlier - so at least it looks and feels the same...
I also had to make map a new network drive.

It's a bit of a mystery to me, but it's seems to be a TrueNAS thing rather than a Windows thing - given that I have fiddled with the TrueNAS server, not the Windows 10 machine...

 

[jlpellet]

OK. I don't use Win10 much but, it seems to me that W10 is not discovering the computer name since the reboot. I'd look into W10 network name discovery issues. Not quites sure how W10 is getting the name without NetBIOS but I think I'd look first at the DHCP server & see if it's IP/name table is current. I know in Win7, I had to enable NetBIOS for windows explorer to reliably see the name versus the IP. As a test, you might see if dos ping name works vs. ip. But without understanding why, you also might tell the TYN box to renew its DHCP lease, to force the DHCP server to refresh it lease table. Good luck.

 

[EAOP]

Hmm...yes... you seem to be on to something in regards to the problem originating from the DHCP server (in this case my Unifi Dream Machine Pro).

I have these entries in the Unifi Dream Machine Pro

"pollux" = 192.168.1... = the correct IP-adress
"castor" = 192.168.1... = the correct IP-adress
"pollux.localdomain" (Which is also what that TrueNAS server refers to as it's "hostname") = 192.168.1...

I have both NIC:s plugged in on both my TrueNAS:es, and have them set as linked in the TrueNAS:es, but I haven't done the link aggregation on the Unifi Dream Machine Pro yet (yeah, I know sort of asking for trouble...).

Regardless of my own shortcomings - I find it suspicions that "castor.localdomain" is missing for the server that isn't working, but for the one that is working, it's present.

Long story short - I too suspect that If I get things correct set up on my Unifi Dream Machine Pro, the DHCP issues will be solved.

On a side note, how does one force the TrueNAS server to renew it's DHCP lease (as a reboot didn't force it)?

Many thanks for you advice!

 

[jlpellet]

Glad you are making progress. Regrettably, I cannot advise on the Unifi & DD-WRT advice from my router won't be the same. Can only advise 2 things. 1) make sure "local" is shown in the domain box in global networking. 2) google freebsd ip renew. Good luck.