NAS constantly disconnecting

[Kingsly]

For the first few weeks my shiny new NAS worked great, but I've noticed it's getting worse and worse at connecting and staying connected. Unless it's actively being accessed it seems like it'll dismount within around 15-30 min - which is really frustrating when you walk away for a coffee or something and come back to find final cut has completely lost it's mind and disconnected all your media and render files!

As it stands I have:

WD MyCloud EX4 -> Netgear ProSafe 5 port gigabit switch -> nMP

Connected using afp. The only other device plugged into the switch is my old MP tower, which I power up occasionally to access old files. The nMP connects to the internet via airport.

Screenshot is of the NAS control panel. Am I setting it up wrong? Is there a more reliable way of doing this? Or is my nMP having ethernet issues?

 

[Altemose]

For the first few weeks my shiny new NAS worked great, but I've noticed it's getting worse and worse at connecting and staying connected. Unless it's actively being accessed it seems like it'll dismount within around 15-30 min - which is really frustrating when you walk away for a coffee or something and come back to find final cut has completely lost it's mind and disconnected all your media and render files!

As it stands I have:

WD MyCloud EX4 -> Netgear ProSafe 5 port gigabit switch -> nMP

Connected using afp. The only other device plugged into the switch is my old MP tower, which I power up occasionally to access old files. The nMP connects to the internet via airport.

Screenshot is of the NAS control panel. Am I setting it up wrong? Is there a more reliable way of doing this? Or is my nMP having ethernet issues?

So the main router is an AirPort? I would configure the NAS to use a static address as the address you show in the screen shot (169.xxx.xxx.xxx) is an out of range. It is not getting an address from the AirPort, the router.

 

[Kingsly]

So the main router is an AirPort? I would configure the NAS to use a static address as the address you show in the screen shot (169.xxx.xxx.xxx) is an out of range. It is not getting an address from the AirPort, the router.

Main (internet) router is across the room in my closet. The only hardwired network is the local one going NAS -> Switch -> MP's
The ONLY reason there's a switch in the mix is in case I need to plug in a third computer for another editor.

So presumably the wireless router isn't assigning an IP to anything on the wired network. Right? What do you mean it's out of range?

 

[Altemose]

Main (internet) router is across the room in my closet. The only hardwired network is the local one going NAS -> Switch -> MP's
The ONLY reason there's a switch in the mix is in case I need to plug in a third computer for another editor.

So presumably the wireless router isn't assigning an IP to anything on the wired network. Right? What do you mean it's out of range?

So the NAS is connected to a switch which is connected to a wireless router (AirPort)?

Yes! The IP is out of range. An IP range is a set of numbers that DHCP (the protocol that gives them out) can give out. It is like a street that is limited to 150 houses, the 151st house won't have an address with the others.

You want to set the NAS with static configuration rather than DHCP to the AirPort.

 

[Weaselboy]

Main (internet) router is across the room in my closet. The only hardwired network is the local one going NAS -> Switch -> MP's
The ONLY reason there's a switch in the mix is in case I need to plug in a third computer for another editor.

So presumably the wireless router isn't assigning an IP to anything on the wired network. Right? What do you mean it's out of range?

The router can't assign a DHCP address to the NAS because the router is not connected to the switch at all. Just give the NAS a static IP and you should be able to see it from the MP.

The problem with having the NAS set to DHCP is you have nothing setup to issue DHCP addresses. If you connected the switch by ethernet to the router, your current DHCP setup would work.

 

[Kingsly]

So the NAS is connected to a switch which is connected to a wireless router (AirPort)?

The wifi router is not in any way linked or communicating with the wired (NAS) network. The only thing it's plugged into is the modem.

The problem with having the NAS set to DHCP is you have nothing setup to issue DHCP addresses. If you connected the switch by ethernet to the router, your current DHCP setup would work.

Per above - so the issue is there's nothing assigning IP addresses? The NAS seems to be assigning itself it's own IP, but that's not to say the MP doesn't muddle things up. Would I ever need to worry about running into an issue where the wifi router assigns a device on my wireless network (iPad, MBP, whatever) the same address as I manually set for the NAS and cause the MP to get really confused?

Is there a method to picking one?

 

[Weaselboy]

Per above - so the issue is there's nothing assigning IP addresses? The NAS seems to be assigning itself it's own IP, but that's not to say the MP doesn't muddle things up. Would I ever need to worry about running into an issue where the wifi router assigns a device on my wireless network (iPad, MBP, whatever) the same address as I manually set for the NAS and cause the MP to get really confused?

Is there a method to picking one?

That 169... address is a Automatic Private IP Addressing address devices assign themselves when nothing else either static or DHCP has assigned an address. The problem is nothing on the network knows where that is. Pretty good explanation of it here.

... and yes there may be a conflict if you pick a static IP in the range of the routers DHCP addresses. Look in your router settings and see what range of DHCP addresses it uses and pick an IP just above that range. For example on my Time Capsule router it uses the DHCP range 10.0.1.2 to 10.0.1.100 so you could use 10.0.1.101 for the NAS and not have a conflict.

 

[Kingsly]

That 169... address is a Automatic Private IP Addressing address devices assign themselves when nothing else either static or DHCP has assigned an address. The problem is nothing on the network knows where that is. Pretty good explanation of it here.

... and yes there may be a conflict if you pick a static IP in the range of the routers DHCP addresses. Look in your router settings and see what range of DHCP addresses it uses and pick an IP just above that range. For example on my Time Capsule router it uses the DHCP range 10.0.1.2 to 10.0.1.100 so you could use 10.0.1.101 for the NAS and not have a conflict.

Gotcha, I unfortunately can't seem to access the wifi router's control panel. I know it's range that it's assigning the computers to be is 192.168.1.xxx so if I set the wired network to something with a totally difference prefix would that work? Since the wired and wireless networks are in no way connected?

 

[Altemose]

Gotcha, I unfortunately can't seem to access the wifi router's control panel. I know it's range that it's assigning the computers to be is 192.168.1.xxx so if I set the wired network to something with a totally difference prefix would that work? Since the wired and wireless networks are in no way connected?

The router would be controlled in AirPort Utility. Generally, both wired and wireless clients get the same IP range. Are you connecting the router to the switch?

 

[Kingsly]

The router would be controlled in AirPort Utility. Generally, both wired and wireless clients get the same IP range. Are you connecting the router to the switch?

I don't have an airport. It's some cisco base station I "inherited" from AT&T.

No there's no physical connection between my gigabit switch and the wifi router. The only device they share is the MP.

 

[Altemose]

I don't have an airport. It's some cisco base station I "inherited" from AT&T.

No there's no physical connection between my gigabit switch and the wifi router. The only device they share is the MP.

In your original post you stated

The nMP connects to the internet via airport.

so all along I am thinking you had a AirPort base station. Is it possible for you to connect the Cisco to the switch?

 

[Kingsly]

In your original post you stated so all along I am thinking you had a AirPort base station. Is it possible for you to connect the Cisco to the switch?

Sorry I should have made that more clear, in the OP I meant connects over airport as in the apple TM for wifi.

The cisco is on the other side of the house next to the only cable outlet in this place (brand new construction - wtf?)

 

[Altemose]

Sorry I should have made that more clear, in the OP I meant connects over airport as in the apple TM for wifi.

The cisco is on the other side of the house next to the only cable outlet in this place (brand new construction - wtf?)

Ah yes. Some schmuck doesn't understand networking in homes. Try going to the NAS's settings and set it to have a static address. Make it like 192.168.1.200 or something.

 

[Kingsly]

Ah yes. Some schmuck doesn't understand networking in homes. Try going to the NAS's settings and set it to have a static address. Make it like 192.168.1.200 or something.

Yep - also the outlet:switch ratio is all wrong and none of them are upside down like they're supposed to be. Imagine my surprise when I turned off a light and the whole edit bay went down...

I actually had to open an access plate in the coat closet and wire the coax myself with all the networking stuff in there. Otherwise it'd all by in my bedroom!

I'll give that IP a shot. I doubt I'll ever have ~100 devices on the network.:roll eyes:

New NAS settings:

 

[Kingsly]

Update:

Now I can't connect at all. NAS settings as above.

Do I need to change the settings on my network preferences?

 

[Altemose]

Now I can't connect at all. NAS settings as above.

Do I need to change the settings on my network preferences?

Try going to Finder --> Go --> Connect To Server --> typing (afp://192.168.1.200) minus the parenthesis...

EDIT: Did this ever work with the nMP using AFP or only on the old one?

 

[Kingsly]

Try going to Finder --> Go --> Connect To Server --> typing (afp://192.168.1.200) minus the parenthesis...

EDIT: Did this ever work with the nMP using AFP or only on the old one?

Tried that, just timed out or replied with an error that the server could not be reached. Typing the IP into safari also failed to connect to the admin dashboard. Performed a hard reset back to factory network settings...

 

[Altemose]

Tried that, just timed out or replied with an error that the server could not be reached. Typing the IP into safari also failed to connect to the admin dashboard. Performed a hard reset back to factory network settings...

Does it work now that it has been reset? Can you get a cheap router just to plug into the switch?

 

[Kingsly]

Does it work now that it has been reset? Can you get a cheap router just to plug into the switch?

I may just have to...

It's connecting now using the old 169.xxx IP. Manual IP wasn't working at all.

I bypassed the switch and directly connected to the back of the MP. Maybe that'll boost reliability.

 

[Altemose]

I may just have to...

It's connecting now using the old 169.xxx IP. Manual IP wasn't working at all.

Even a cheap router from Walmart will do the trick. If you keep the 169.xxx and it stays working then roll with it.

 

[Kingsly]

Even a cheap router from Walmart will do the trick. If you keep the 169.xxx and it stays working then roll with it.

We'll see. I had it direct connected when I first got it and it seemed better than it has been lately. So maybe that's the trick until I get a router. I just need some sort of DHCP server attached to the switch right?

 

[Altemose]

We'll see. I had it direct connected when I first got it and it seemed better than it has been lately. So maybe that's the trick until I get a router. I just need some sort of DHCP server attached to the switch right?

Yes.

 

[Kingsly]

Yes.

Got it. Thanks again for all your help!


Just came back to my computer after a movie - NAS is still mounted and showing on the desktop. So it does not enjoy that switch....

 

[Weaselboy]

I don't have an airport. It's some cisco base station I "inherited" from AT&T.

No there's no physical connection between my gigabit switch and the wifi router. The only device they share is the MP.

What have you got for an IP address on that ethernet connection there on the MP? It will not have a DHCP supplied address either since it is not connected to a router. You would need to assign a static address here too outside the DHCP range.

 

[Kingsly]

What have you got for an IP address on that ethernet connection there on the MP? It will not have a DHCP supplied address either since it is not connected to a router. You would need to assign a static address here too outside the DHCP range.

Right now the IP on Ethernet 2 is 169.254.5.163 and the NAS is 169.254.134.9 (the WD EX4's default).

Right now they're directly connected which seems to have improved reliability a bit. It still disconnects if the computer sleeps and fails to automatically reconnect upon wake.