Ready NAS 102 not recognised in Windows Explorer (Vista) since changing to NBN modem

[mjs4573]

I changed IPSs last week moving onto the NBN which meant, obviously, changing modems. Now, for some reason, while I can still login to the NAS admin page as usual, my PC won't pick up the NAS in Windows Explorer (Vista). I used to be able to see the unit as just another external drive and network drive onto which I would copy folders from my PC as another form of backup.

While I can still perform backups via loging into the admin page via my browser, I can't do any secondary backups.

Doing some research, it sems it may have something to do with a static IP address I had for the NAS on my previous router. However, I've tried restoring the factory settings in the hope it would remove the static IP but no luck.

Ideas please??

Thanks.............Mike

[mjs4573]

Sorry............that's obviously meant to read ISPs. 🙂

Mike

[StephenB]

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@mjs4573 wrote:

Doing some research, it sems it may have something to do with a static IP address I had for the NAS on my previous router. However, I've tried restoring the factory settings in the hope it would remove the static IP but no luck.

If you can still access the ReadyNAS Web UI, then the issue isn't caused by an incompatible static IP address.  But If your router lets you reserve IP addresses (most do), then that is better than using a static address configuration in the ReadyNAS.  You'd remove the static IP address in the NAS via the ReadyNAS Web UI.

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@mjs4573 wrote:

my PC won't pick up the NAS in Windows Explorer (Vista). 

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What happens if you enter \\nas-ip-address into the Windows Explorer address bar?  Use the real NAS IP address of course, and be careful on the slash direction.

[mjs4573]

Thanks Stephen.

So it looks like I can connect to it by typing the IP address into the Explorer address bar.......great!!! I was trying to map it as a network drive but entering the IP address in the bar worked a treat.

However, it disappears each time I close Explorer. Unlike mapping a new network drive, there doesn't seem to be any way of reconnecting automatically when opening Explorer from what I can see. Is this correct? Surely I won't have to type in the IP address each time I open Explorer?

Also, in the ReadyNAS web UI where do I find the static IP address of the unit? I've searched and searched but can't see it.

Thanks again for your help.......... Mike

[StephenB]

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@mjs4573 wrote:
So it looks like I can connect to it by typing the IP address into the Explorer address bar.......great!!! I was trying to map it as a network drive but entering the IP address in the bar worked a treat.

However, it disappears each time I close Explorer. Unlike mapping a new network drive, there doesn't seem to be any way of reconnecting automatically when opening Explorer from what I can see. Is this correct? Surely I won't have to type in the IP address each time I open Explorer?

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There are a couple of ways to proceed from here.

You can map still map the network drive

For instance, if you are using the default XRAID you could run CMD and enter 

net use t: \\nas-ip-address\data /persistent:yes /user:admin nas-admin-password

That would mount the full data volume as drive letter t.  Be careful on the typing (particularly on spaces and the slash direction).  If you log into the vista system using "admin" this might misbehave (at least it did on my old vista system).  

A variation is to create a new user account on the NAS (perhaps called ReadyNAS), and use it's credentials.  You can mount shares that way, but not the full data volume.

You can also set up a desktop shortcut that goes to each NAS share, and just click on the shortcuts.

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@mjs4573 wrote:



Also, in the ReadyNAS web UI where do I find the static IP address of the unit? I've searched and searched but can't see it.

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If the NAS is configured to use a static IP address, you'll see that by going to the network page.  Click on the settings wheel next to the ethernet adapter, and choose settings.  Click on IPv4 - if you see "using DHCP" then you are getting the IP address from the router.  

While you are there, click on IPV6 and disable it.  It can get in the way.

Almost all routers have a way of reserving IP addresses - that is better than configuring a static address in the NAS.  If you can't find that ability in the router, post back with the router manufacturer/model number (and a user manual link if you have one).

[mjs4573]

EXCELLENT Mr Burns!!. 🙂 That worked a treat thanks Stephen. I managed to do all that you recommended - disabled IPv6 on the new router, mapped the ReadyNAS via the Command prompt and even changed its name to something I can recognise.

I've now set up my backup shares again with the new IP address and they've all worked!! Yay.

One strange thing did occur though which had nothing to do with the ReadyNAS - I also have anApple Time Capsule which I use for second level backups and another wifi network. It also wasn't able to be found on the new network, so I mapped it again just like the ReadyNAS. It connected ok but when I tried changing the name just like I did to the ReadyNAS it wouldn't let me for some reason. Weird.

[mjs4573]

Oh far out!! Ok, I had both the ReadyNAS and Time capsule connected when I simply reorganised the LAN cables in the back of the modem. Now I've lost both again. I power cycled everything to be sure but still no luck. The ReadyNAS UI is still ok and both the ReadyNAS and time capsule have the same IP addresses as before. But I cannot map either of them again.

I'm going to bed and hopefully things might change overnight. 🙄 I've no idea why this occurred

[mjs4573]

Ok all good now. I power-cycled everything and was able to map both the ReadyNAS and the time capsule. Although running the Airport utility was a better alternative for the latter. So I've been able to reconfigure my backups on ReadyNAS and all have completed successfully.

Thanks again for your help Stephen.