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ReadyDR benefits

Setting up ZeroTier to work with your NAS

Disappointed that NETGEAR is ending ReadyNAS Replicate, leaving you without an easy-to-use secure VPN-like method to make backups and copies of your files? Need another level of security and ease-of-use with ReadyDR? Want to access your ReadyNAS without the ReadyCLOUD app? Boy, do I have a solution for you!

I started updated the community app ZeroTier NT, made by @NAStools. ZeroTier which is an easy-to-setup VPN solution for your computers, mobile devices, and more.  In fact, it is so easy, I'm sharing with you instructions on how you can transition.

INITIAL SETUP

Creating a ZeroTier account

  1. Go to my.zerotier.com
  2. Click Create an Account
  3. Enter your e-mail address in the E-mail Address field.
  4. Enter a password in both Password fields
  5. Click Create an Account

Setting up the ZeroTier Central interface for the first time

  1. Once you're logged into the ZeroTier Central interface, click Networks.
  2. Click Create to create a new network.
  3. Immediately, a new network is created for you. Click the newly created network.
  4. At the top, notate the Network ID. You'll join your ReadyNAS to this network.
  5. Optionally, configure the Name and a Description
  6. Scroll down to IPv4 Auto-Assign. Select a IP range you with to use. In most instances, you'll select a Class C network.  This network must be unique to all NAS and devices you want to link. Do not try to assign the same subnet as your existing subnets, as this creates a routing issue.

Installing ZeroTier on ReadyNAS OS 6 devices

  1. Navigate to https://github.com/didyouexpectthat/zerotierone/releases/tag/readynas%2F1.1.14-nt3
  2. Download the package for your system
    1. armel for ARM based (RN100, RN200, RN210, RN2120)
    2. amd64 for x86 (all other NAS)
  3. Navigate to your ReadyNAS Admin page
  4. Go to Apps tab, then click Upload.
  5. Browse to the downloaded file, and click Upload.
  6. Refresh the Apps page once the installation is complete, then click Launch under ZeroTier One NT.
  7. If prompted, login with your ReadyNAS admin username and password.

Adding devices to ZeroTier network

  1. Once you are in the ZeroTier UI, take note of your alphanumeric address, located at the bottom left corner.
  2. Type your Network ID from the ZeroTier Central interface in the [ Network ID ] field, then click Join.
  3. After ZeroTier connects to the internet and requests the config, you may see the status ACCESS_DENIED. This means you need to give permission from ZeroTier Central for that device
  4. Go back to ZeroTier Central, refresh, and scroll down to Members.
  5. The newly created network will appear with a dashed red line and will match the address from your ZeroTier UI. To authenticate this device, click the checkbox under Auth?. The dashed red line will change to green. 
  6. For your reference, type in a (short name) and a (description) so you know which device is which. 
  7. After a short time, ZeroTier UI will change status to OK
  8. Your ReadyNAS is now setup for with ZeroTier.

Configuring ReadyDR or Backup Jobs to utilize the ZeroTier connection

  1. Once the status is OK in ZeroTier, refresh ZeroTier Central and scroll back to Members and review Managed IPs for the device. 
    1. These are the private IP addresses to use for your job. 
    2. Do not use Physical IP. Only use Managed IPs

Things to note:

The ZeroTier One NT for ReadyNAS OS 6 listed above is NOT the latest version; it is on 1.1.14. There is a new version of ZeroTier but it does not have UI support, like the ZeroTier package from 1.1.14.

If you want to use 1.2 and newer, you'll need to use ZeroTier CLI commands once installed, which you can use to access the ReadyNAS.

Upgrading from the 1.1.14 package to a 1.2 package will not destroy your existing network or setup. You will just not be able to use the UI to manage networks. Proceed at your own risk. 

Download the latest package from https://github.com/didyouexpectthat/zerotierone/releases

Instructions on using the ZeroTier CLI are available at https://github.com/zerotier/ZeroTierOne/wiki/Command-Line-Interface

Message 1 of 5

Setting up ReadyNAS Replicate-like functionality with ZeroTier

 You can easily accomplish ReadyNAS Replicate-like functionality with the ReadyNAS OS 6 built-in Backup system.

Create a standard backup job using Rsync, but instead, used the Managed IP of the other NAS you want to do an rsync job between. After you create the backup job, you can easily accomplish the revision history function by configuring Snapshots on the destination share. The snapshots run as often as you need. I recommend not taking a snapshot if there are no new files to get the most like functionality. 

Message 2 of 5

ReadyDR benefits

Right now, ReadyDR only lets you talk to local NAS and do automatic key exchange. If you try to do automatic key exchange over the internet, you get an error that says the system is looking for the ReadyNAS Admin Page over port 443 and that is not going to let you do automatic key exchange.... but when you use the Managed IP as the destination for ReadyDR, you get full communication between the NAS and the automatic key exchange works.  In ReadyNAS OS 6.9.3, NETGEAR is kind enough to let you find devices over ZeroTier networks using their Discover device function.

Message 3 of 5
StephenB
Guru

Re: Setting up ReadyNAS Replicate-like functionality with ZeroTier

Thanks for your posts.

 


wrote:

After you create the backup job, you can easily accomplish the revision history function by configuring Snapshots on the destination share. The snapshots run as often as you need. I recommend not taking a snapshot if there are no new files to get the most like functionality. 


I just wanted to add that if you use the custom snapshots for this, there is an option to "only take snapshots if changes".  You can also set a retention limit (either as a time limit or as a max snapshot count).  I use rsync with custom snapshots set on my destination shares, and set the retention limit to 90 days.

 

Message 4 of 5
Marc_V
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Setting up ZeroTier to work with your NAS

Hi @didjaexpecthat

 

Welcome to the Community!

 

Thank you for sharing your resolution and/or workaround. We appreciate your contribution to the community.

Feel free to post any suggestions, questions, recommendations or anything about your NAS that you think needs attention or will help others.

Message 5 of 5
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