windows not showing ReadyNAS name in network

In my experience downgrading won't help. Sometimes it appears to work for a bit, but I think that is largely coincidence. This has been happening for a long time (not just with Readynas either). The same reports appear for OS4.

You can't downgrade, but there are limitations (from 6.2.x to 6.1.x won't work). Check the firmware release notes, they are pretty clear on what the limitations are.

StephenB wrote:
In my experience downgrading won't help. Sometimes it appears to work for a bit, but I think that is largely coincidence. This has been happening for a long time (not just with Readynas either). The same reports appear for OS4. You can't downgrade, but there are limitations (from 6.2.x to 6.1.x won't work). Check the firmware release notes, they are pretty clear on what the limitations are.

Ok, thank you for replying :D

accidental typo - you CAN downgrade but... was what I meant to type.

I don't have this problem but I do have the WINS server enabled in samba on the nas (See viewtopic.php?f=160&t=79193). OS 6 seems to have removed that as a frontview option. Years ago I found having the always-on nas be the wins server seemed to make network neighborhood more reliable, but that may just be coincidence and there is something else buggy going on here.

steve

dsm1212 wrote:

I don't have this problem but I do have the WINS server enabled in samba on the nas (See http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=160&t=79193). OS 6 seems to have removed that as a frontview option. Years ago I found having the always-on nas be the wins server seemed to make network neighborhood more reliable, but that may just be coincidence and there is something else buggy going on here. steve

Hi Steve. Thanks for the tip, however no go so far for me. I attempted enabling WINS server with no change. I've attempted with the following mix of settings:
wins support = yes
wins proxy = yes
domain master = yes
preferred master = yes


In regards to the nmbd side..

nmbd appears to start up properly and register itself as a master browser:

[2015/01/25 23:34:25.479989,  0] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_become_dmb.c:112(become_domain_master_stage2)
  *****

  Samba server NAS is now a domain master browser for workgroup WORKGROUP on subnet 192.168.1.250

  *****
[2015/01/25 23:34:27.504892,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_serverlistdb.c:401(write_browse_list)
  write_browse_list: Wrote browse list into file /var/lock/samba/browse.dat
[2015/01/25 23:34:29.530157,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_namelistdb.c:263(add_name_to_subnet)
  add_name_to_subnet: Added netbios name __MSBROWSE__<01> with first IP 192.168.1.250 ttl=0 nb_flags=e0 to subnet 192.168.1.250
[2015/01/25 23:34:29.530394,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_become_lmb.c:453(become_local_master_stage1)
  become_local_master_stage1: go to stage 2: register the WORKGROUP<1d> name.
[2015/01/25 23:34:29.530492,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_namelistdb.c:263(add_name_to_subnet)
  add_name_to_subnet: Added netbios name __MSBROWSE__<01> with first IP 192.168.1.250 ttl=0 nb_flags=e0 to subnet UNICAST_SUBNET
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.580989,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_namelistdb.c:263(add_name_to_subnet)
  add_name_to_subnet: Added netbios name WORKGROUP<1d> with first IP 192.168.1.250 ttl=0 nb_flags=60 to subnet 192.168.1.250
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.581218,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_become_lmb.c:354(become_local_master_stage2)
  become_local_master_stage2: registered as master browser for workgroup WORKGROUP on subnet 192.168.1.250
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.581302,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_sendannounce.c:70(broadcast_announce_request)
  broadcast_announce_request: sending announce request for workgroup WORKGROUP to subnet 192.168.1.250
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.581534,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_namelistdb.c:263(add_name_to_subnet)
  add_name_to_subnet: Added netbios name WORKGROUP<1d> with first IP 192.168.1.250 ttl=0 nb_flags=60 to subnet UNICAST_SUBNET
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.581663,  0] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_become_lmb.c:397(become_local_master_stage2)
  ***** Samba name server NAS is now a local master browser for workgroup WORKGROUP on subnet 192.168.1.250 *****
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.581977,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_sendannounce.c:170(send_local_master_announcement)
  send_local_master_announcement: type 8c9a03 for name NAS on subnet 192.168.1.250 for workgroup WORKGROUP
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.582160,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_sendannounce.c:189(send_workgroup_announcement)
  send_workgroup_announcement: on subnet 192.168.1.250 for workgroup WORKGROUP
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.582327,  2] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_browsesync.c:108(announce_local_master_browser_to_domain_master_browser)
  announce_local_master_browser_to_domain_master_browser:
  We are both a domain and a local master browser for workgroup WORKGROUP.  Do not announce to ourselves.

Here we can see it process an incoming host announce:

[2015/01/25 23:34:33.587055,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_incomingdgrams.c:119(process_host_announce)
  process_host_announce: from TV-PC<00> IP 192.168.1.200 to WORKGROUP<1d> for server TV-PC.
[2015/01/25 23:34:33.587250,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_serverlistdb.c:134(create_server_on_workgroup)
  create_server_on_workgroup: Created server entry TV-PC of type 40011003 () on workgroup WORKGROUP.

A 2nd PC processed:

[2015/01/25 23:34:33.593303,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_serverlistdb.c:134(create_server_on_workgroup)
  create_server_on_workgroup: Created server entry SEAN-PC of type 40011003 () on workgroup WORKGROUP.
[2015/01/25 23:34:34.027308,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_incomingrequests.c:459(process_name_query_request)
  process_name_query_request: Name query from 192.168.1.100 on subnet 192.168.1.250 for name WPAD<00>
[2015/01/25 23:34:34.027541,  3] ../source3/nmbd/nmbd_winsserver.c:2027(wins_process_name_query_request)

Afterwards they are listed in the nmbd database on the NAS:

# cat /var/lock/samba/browse.dat
"WORKGROUP"               c0001000 "NAS"                         "WORKGROUP"
"NAS"                             408d9a03 "NAS"                         "WORKGROUP"
"TV-PC"                         40011003 ""                            "WORKGROUP"
"SEAN-PC"                      40011003 ""                            "WORKGROUP"
"BRW008092A6B761"      40002003 ""                            "WORKGROUP"

Still refuses to pickup the NAS from the client machines after various reboots and refreshes.

Is your server using a static IP or DHCP assigned? If the latter try using a static IP and reboot everything.

Also make sure your net masks are all the same (clients, nas and router). Probably 255.255.255.0.

steve

Static IPs, everything on the subnet is /24 Class C (255.255.255.0). Does not work at all. Its not even sporadic, fails to see the NAS completely 100% of the time.. yet all clients see each other very reliably. I don't think I've had any issues with anything on my network not showing except this box.

I do notice that at times it doesn't show everything, but if I right-click and select refresh in the right pane of windows explorer everything always shows up. I'm out of suggestions for you :-).

steve

I appreciate the suggestions Steve. I will keep my fingers crossed for an update to shed more light on the issue or provide a fix as I don't seem to be the only one with this problem.

It is worth trying to change the workgroup name on all devices.
Start with your main PC, change the workgroup name to something else, then reboot it.
Then change all other PC's workgroup names to match this and do the same with your nas devices. Reboot each device after changing the name.

I don't know why this worked for my LAN or whether it will provide a stable, sustained solution. It has probably worked by forcing the master browser role onto my main PC, then forcing this to rescan the LAN. This should be automatic though.

If I change back to "WORKGROUP" the problem of one (of 3) missing readynas on the windows network recurs - on both PCs on the LAN.
Weird.