ReadyNAS RN104 will not accept my network login PW although it's accessible for file transfer

Hello StephenB.  This is a much belated thank you for your advice on solving my login issues with my RN104.

With much trepidation I finally tried it yesterday and it worked perfectly.  I was able to reset my password and login to my Admin page for the first time in months.  However, I have another question that I can't find a clear answer to and I hope you or someone in the Community can help with.

I want to use my ReadyNAS as an iTunes media server.  I want the media to be available to multiple devices including an Alexa skill that can play music from my iTunes library.  So the media server needs to be running all the time and not go to sleep as my Mac does now and then.  But the Netgear document " ... recommends that you do not move the iTunes library files from your OS X computer to a ReadyNAS system. You can however move the iTunes library (music and video files) to a ReadyNAS".  Will that not negate the benefits of a NAS media server?  When my Mac sleeps will I lose access to the media on my ReadyNAS?  What's the big deal about not moving the iTunes library files to a ReadyNAS set up as a raid?  Surely any lost files can be recreated?  I'm currently running MacOS 10.13.5 with ReadyNAS 6.9.3.

Thanks again.

I'm glad you have login issue solved.  

I'm not using iTunes right now - the only Appleverse devices we use are iPads.  

The iTunes server that's in the NAS doesn't come from Apple - for some reason they've chosen not to release a server for linux.  It's a reverse-engineered freeware server.  This freeware server is used by all linux NAS vendors btw. 

One limitation with the freeware server is that it doesn't include the "home sharing" iTunes feature that is essential for playback on mobile devices.  That's because Apple has never documented how to do that, and the reverse-engineering folks simply haven't figured it out.  So if you want to use iTunes with an iOS phone, iOS tablet, or Apple TV, then you need to keep a real iTunes server running on your network.

What Alexa skill do you want to use?  I suspect they won't work without home sharing enabled.

There is another option here - which is to use plex on the NAS (which also has Alexa skills).  That will handle playlists, and play specific songs/albums.  There are some limitations - it won't let you play a genre - if you try, it will basically play random stuff in your music library.  Also, I've found that it doesn't recognize every artist in my music library - something I've never tracked down.

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RoyEsmonde wrote:

But the Netgear document " ... recommends that you do not move the iTunes library files from your OS X computer to a ReadyNAS system. You can however move the iTunes library (music and video files) to a ReadyNAS".  Will that not negate the benefits of a NAS media server?  

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This particular advice is confusing, and could be better worded.  It isn't about the case where the NAS is running the freeware iTunes server.  If you are using the freeware iTunes server, then you have no choice about where the database resides - it is always stored on the NAS.  This advice applies when the Apple iTunes server is running on the Mac (or Windows).

As you know, the iTunes database isn't the same as the media files, and can be stored in a different location.  It is possible to put the database on the NAS, and still run the iTunes application on the Mac.  Netgear is saying not to do that.  It will still work if you ignore their advice, but you'll get better performance if the database is on the Mac.

Thanks yet again, StephenB.  And thanks for replying so quickly.

I'm trying to get my head around all the very useful and detailed info you provided.  Please bear with me on this.  However, to answer some of your questions:

It seems I did set up some kind of iTunes server on my ReadyNAS in the past and it's highlighted under Services on my ReadyNAS. It has a less than complete iTunes Media Library but it works and can be selected and played from using iTunes on my Mac.  My plan was to replace that with my current complete iTunes Media Library and use that on the ReadyNAS as my default media server for all my devices.  The Alexa skill I mentioned is 'My Media for Alexa' which enables me to ask Alexa to play music from my library.  However that only works while my main Mac with iTunes is awake.  So with everything being served from the ReadyNAS I'm hoping I can use that skill from multiple Echo Dots to request music even when my Macs are asleep or off.  I also installed Plex on my ReadyNAS last night and also on my LG Smart TV.  I haven't had to courage to do much with it until I read all the options in detail.  But I know there is an Alexa Plex skill that is said to allow control of media playback by voice.

Thanks again for all your help.  I'll keep trying to understand what I can and can't do with my newly contactable ReadyNAS.

BTW StephenB, that Netgear advice I quoted is related to the built-in iTunes server - the one you said is open source freeware.   Here's the link https://kb.netgear.com/25400/Using-ReadyNAS-OS-6-and-iTunes-Service-on-Mac-OS-X.   So I'm confused about those library files they referred to.  But still reading everything I can find online.

I'm also not sure how to replace the ReadyNAS iTunes Media Library folder with my more complete one.  As I said, iTunes is highlighted in Services but I can't see how I originally set that up or a way to edit the path to the actual media.

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RoyEsmonde wrote:

 

 

It seems I did set up some kind of iTunes server on my ReadyNAS in the past and it's highlighted under Services on my ReadyNAS. It has a less than complete iTunes Media Library but it works and can be selected and played from using iTunes on my Mac. 

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Yes.  That's the freeware server.  And you can connect to it from Apple iTunes, and play your media on a Mac or a PC.

Where it breaks down is when you want to play your media on a mobile device or an apple TV.  For that you need home sharing - so you need to be running a real iTunes application.  Note that the real iTunes might still be connected to the freeware server's library.

I've found that I also needed a real iTunes application running to get AirPlay to work. 

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RoyEsmonde wrote:

The Alexa skill I mentioned is 'My Media for Alexa' which enables me to ask Alexa to play music from my library.  However that only works while my main Mac with iTunes is awake.  

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My Media has it's own server, so I don't think it's using iTunes at all.  You likely installed that server on your main Mac.

The My Media folks do have a beta version that runs on debian linux.  That probably will work on the NAS, but you'd want to be careful on how you install it.  You'd want to use ssh, and make sure the server and it's database are stored on the data volume.

FWIW, I don't like the monthly subscription model for software that runs on my machines.  I get it for cloud services, but not for My Media (which isn't a cloud hosted service).   I do appeciate that their prices are quite low ($5 per year if you have only one server). But I'd prefer it if they included a one-time lifetime fee in their model, similar to Microsoft Office (where you can pay by the month, or buy outright).  Perhaps $30 for a lifetime license for one machine.

FWIW2, I find it really annoying that Amazon makes it so difficult to play media you own but didn't buy from them.  You shouldn't need an add-on service to do that.

RoyEsmonde wrote:

BTW StephenB, that Netgear advice I quoted is related to the built-in iTunes server - the one you said is open source freeware.   Here's the link https://kb.netgear.com/25400/Using-ReadyNAS-OS-6-and-iTunes-Service-on-Mac-OS-X.   

 

 

I agree that it appears that way - that is what makes the kb article confusing.  It clearly can't apply to the built-in server.

RoyEsmonde wrote:

I'm also not sure how to replace the ReadyNAS iTunes Media Library folder with my more complete one.  As I said, iTunes is highlighted in Services but I can't see how I originally set that up or a way to edit the path to the actual media.

What you do is turn on the server itself in system->settings->services, and then enable iTunes on each share.  The second step is done by clicking on the share settings wheel (on the shares page), and then clicking on "network access".  iTunes is one of the options listed there.  It's kind of misplaced, since iTunes isn't really a file sharing protocol.

Hi StephenB.

That’s quite a lot of restrictions when using the freeware server.  So I couldn’t use AirPlay with my Apple TV either.  I had to download something from ‘My Media’ so that may be the server you referred to.  But I send them an email some days ago asking if I could use my NAS as the iTunes server and they said it should work.  Maybe I got someone who didn’t understand.

I’m afraid you’re losing me again on that ssh and Debian stuff.  I will read up about it though.  I’m not mad about subscription models either and usually avoid them.  But their annual charge was so low I went for it.  I have the Amazon Music single Echo Dot deal and wanted to be able to access my own library music on the other Echo Dots I have.  My Media seemed the best way.  Yeah, Amazon is weird about their music setup.  Apart from the single Echo Dot deal Spotify offer a better range of options.

If I have a chance, I might try using the My Media software, and see how that compares with Plex.  The Plex skills definitely need some work from the plex team.   Plex does work, but you need to be careful with the phrasing.

Thanks StephenB.  Let me know if you get any useful insights.