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[dcwebman]

I have been using my DNS-323 for years with no problems and in fact since I have had no problems, it's still running the original OS and firmware 1.03. Now just this past week, I'm having connection problems. I'm using the same laptop, same network, router, etc. I have been using for a couple years but something has changed. The only thing I can think that changed was installing some Windows 7 32 bit Updates.

I hibernate my laptop when I'm going to be gone for a long time. After starting it again, I now just this past week can't connect to the NAS via my usual mapped drives or even from the Run line. It prompts for user name and password when trying to connect and I have no idea what it would even be. I have the NAS set up for all users on the network to get R/W access. If I reboot the laptop, then everything is fine and I can connect again.

I thought it was my laptop because I'm connecting wirelessly but I have a desktop wired to the network and saw the same problem on there one time too.

Any ideas what could have suddenly caused this and how to fix it? I'm hoping if it's a Windows update that somebody else has seen the same problem. Thanks!

[dcwebman]

A little more information I discovered. My mapped drives to the DNS-323 are using the name DLINK-xxxxx. I found I can map a drive using the DNS-323's IP address.

So I can access the drive using the IP address but cannot with the name DLINK-xxxxx unless I reboot the computer.

I got a message from the Windows 7 Action Center saying "A driver for D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure, and instructions for installing it, are available on the manufacturer's website." The link just brings me to the DNS-323 product page and the only driver is from 12/29/2008 and is version 1.02. I downloaded it anyways but there are no instructions on how to install it and the INF file won't install it.

It's been too many years since I bought the DNS-323 and I can't find the install CD anymore either. Nothing seems to be working for me.

[Wiggs]

This might be a master browser issue.  Search of master browser on this forum and see if any of the posts are relevant to your situation.

Regards,


Wiggs

[dcwebman]

Yesterday I was asking a friend if he knew what might be wrong. So I showed him what I couldn't do and lo and behold, suddenly I was able to access the DNS-323 by name. I checked both of my computers and sure enough, both were now able to access it by name. I didn't do anything to change it and have no clue what could have changed to suddenly make it work. A Windows update maybe? I don't know but it's working fine again. Weird.

[dosborne]

Still sounds like a master browser issue. It is all in the timing. A sinple solution, if you really want to use names instead of IP address, is to modify your host file and put the names/addreses in there. When your laptop hibernates it shuts down all lan services so it all makes sense.

[dcwebman]

OK, I'll search for the master browser issue topics. I was working with D-Link by email until they wanted me to call and I knew it would be a hassle with all the troubleshooting they would want me to do. One computer is my "server" which is a desktop so it doesn't hibernate. I am aware of smhosts but if I have to enter an ip address that might change there, I don't see much difference from having to enter it with mapping the drive via ip address. But let me check out the master browser issue.

[dosborne]

IMO, any server or server-like device should have a static IP.

[dcwebman]

My desktop computer is not the problem as I have no problem accessing that by name. I mentioned it because it's not because the laptop hibernates. Both computers had the problem accessing the DNS-323 by name.

[fordem]

Back to the master browser.

Microsoft DOS and NetBEUI, which is where the master browser technology originated (it predates Windows) is not particularly reliable even in a pure Windows network, and less so when linux & samba (which is what the DNS-323 runs) are introduced into the mix.

The ONLY reliable way to find the DNS-323 by name is to "discard" the master browser technology and use name resolution - either by implementing a name resolution server or by editing the host file.

In the almost six years I've had my DNS-323, I've never once had an issue being able to find it by name, and that is because I run my own name server(s) - it's overkill for a home network, so either edit the host file or use the ip address.

[Wiggs]

As I said in back in December and as reiterated by Dosborne and Fordem, this is almost certainly a master browser issue.

Editing the host file by adding the IP and name should fix your problem.  Does your DNS-323 have a static IP address?


Regards,

[dcwebman]

Thanks everybody for the continued replies and I probably wasn't clear, but the problem does not occur any more. I didn't have to do anything. Suddenly it started working again where I could access it by name. Why after 4 years it started this issue and then after a couple months started working, I'll never know.

But I will edit the host file to prevent future problems just in case it ever does come back again. Thanks again!