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Forum Discussion
ReadyNAS inaccessible by hostname
I recently got a ReadyNAS Pro, and was able to set it up in one day. However, I ran into one issue that I haven't been able to resolve in the last four days. I am going to primarily be using the ReadyNAS to access files from a laptop running Windows 7. I am using a Netgear router, and connect the laptop to the router wirelessly. The router also has three wired connections: another Windows 7 PC, an Xbox 360, and the ReadyNAS Pro. I was able to go through all the installation procedures without apparent problem. But after I was done, I am not able to access the ReadyNAS by hostname using the laptop wirelessly. I can access it using the IP address of the ReadyNAS, and using the Browse feature of RAIDar, which I installed on the laptop. If I enter \\NAS-12-34-56 (well, using the actual hostname in my case) in file explorer, I am told Windows cannot access it. However, for the Windows 7 PC connected by cable to the router, it IS able to also access it by hostname through file explorer. I realize I could work around this by creating a static IP address for the ReadyNAS, and mapping it to a drive on my laptop. But I am worried that I must have something set up incorrectly on the network or laptop or ReadyNAS that could come back to bite me in the future.
Thank you for your help,
Paul
Thank you for your help,
Paul
2 Replies
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- There are several ways to fix it. You can get a DNS server on your network and make sure every device points to it with their DNS settings. Also on your PC you can edit the hosts file to include an entry for the NAS. Just do a quick google search on how to edit the "hosts" file to add a DNS entry. That should do it for you. The best way is to of course get a DNS server. Also make sure that if your READYNAS is in USER mode that it is in the same WORKGROUP as the COMPUTERS. Change the hostname of your NAS to something simpler like \\freddy or \\simba and then either get a DNS server or add this to your hosts file "192.168.2.5 simba". A PC checks a few things before it resolves a name but it checks the hosts file thats locally on the computer before doing DNS searches. Note hosts files are usually located in directory like this: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Go to that folder and edit the hosts file and add the entry above in quotes, the name you pick for your NAS in the hosts file doesnt even have to match the host name you assign it in Readynas interface's hostname field in the network settings. Infact on one pc you can do this "192.168.2.5 simba" and on another pc in the hosts file you can do this "192.168.2.5 freddy" and on the actual nas leave the hostname its default values, it will work and from each pc you will have to use its corresponding name from the hosts file but this is an inconsistent way. Just keep everything consistent and do a hosts file for now, but look into getting a DNS server. You can download a few free ones going, you will just need to tell your PCs and XBOX and NAS about that DNS server (just add it as a secondary or a tertiary if you can). I hope that clears it up.
- Thank you very much for your response. I will try those tonight. Still wondering - do I have something set up incorrectly to cause this, or is it just Windows acting flaky over wireless?
Paul
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