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[vreid47362]

Setup Information

Hardware Version:  B1 and A1
Firmware:  1.07 and 1.08 released on 08/12/2009
Hard Drive Info: 
Right        WDC    WD4000AAKS-00YGA    WD-WCAS85134840     400 G    
Left     WDC    WD4000AAKS-00YGA    WD-WCAS85136142        400 G    

Problem Type:
Loss of Connectivity using netbios resolution

Problem Description:
The DNS-323 stops responding to its netbios name after a long period of inactivity (for example overnight).  If I try to connect to the 323 after it sits overnight, I cannot connect to its shares by using its netbios name.  I am able to properly connect to the device if I use its IP address (i.e. \\IPaddress\share ).  I have double-checked that I have all power saving modes turned off on the device, but the device still shows this behavior.  I have noticed this behavior on both the 1.07 and 1.08 beta firmware.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior:
1.  Configure DNS-323 for network use.
2.  Configure one or more shares on the DNS-323
3.  Allow DNS-323 to sit unused for several hours (overnight or longer)
4.  Open Windows Network Neighborhood and attempt to connect to the device using its netbios name:  \\netbiosname\share

[Oman]

This is likely a problem with your NetBIOS resolution on your network, but to know for sure we would need to know how your network is setup.  If everything on the network is a B-node then your local machine would need to be preserving all broadcast addresses.  If you have a Wins server then that machine would need to be preserving the addresses. 

Jon

[vreid47362]

I have a small network without an active WINS server (that would be a great feature for the DNS-323, btw).  All resolution is performed by the client machines. 


With this type of configuration, I would expect the first netbios request to timeout after a prolonged period of inactivity, but I would expect subsequent netbios requests to be resolved.  Unfortunately, until I call the machine by its \\ipaddress name, the netbios will not resolve.

[fordem]

Without a name resolution (either WINS or DNS) server on your network, name resolution will never be reliable - assuming you're not going to install one of these, your options are to either edit the host file or map the drive to the DNS-323 by it's ip address.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Why is the DNS-323 special?  There is no problem with Windows or Linux machines using NETBIOS broadcasts to determine the master browser.  If this device has a decent SAMBA implementation it should work as well.

FWIW, I have both a DNS-323 and a DNS-321 in a workgroup network with no WINS server, and I have no problem finding either of them. 

Of course, if this is a problem, assigning a static IP address to the NAS units and putting them in the HOSTS file will solve it.  It's a good idea to have any server device assigned a static IP address anyway.

 

[fordem]

Why is the DNS-323 special?

It's not - NetBIOS name resolution is unreliable, even in a pure Windows environment.

There is no problem with Windows or Linux machines using NETBIOS broadcasts to determine the master browser.  If this device has a decent SAMBA implementation it should work as well.

Is that a fact?  I've seen a pure Windows NetBIOS - ie no TCP/IP - workgroup with two workstations unable to find one another - the plain & simple fact is NetBIOS name resolution IS unreliable

FWIW, I have both a DNS-323 and a DNS-321 in a workgroup network with no WINS server, and I have no problem finding either of them.

Perhaps you should consider yourself fortunate, very fortunate - see my earlier responses.

Don't take my word for it - head on over to Microsoft's website and take a look at their knowledgebase, see if you can figure out how a "masterbrowser election" happens and how "browse lists" function - happy reading.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I think it's more a case of considering yourself unfortunate.

There can be issues with NETBIOS, but they're not nearly as bad as you try to make out.  Millions of people network their machines without a WINS server and without problems.

I don't have to go to the Microsoft forums to learn about master browser elections, and they're really not that difficult to understand.

I've been a Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ since 2004, and workgroup networking is my specialty.

[fordem]

I think it's more a case of considering yourself unfortunate.

There can be issues with NETBIOS, but they're not nearly as bad as you try to make out.  Millions of people network their machines without a WINS server and without problems.

I don't have to go to the Microsoft forums to learn about master browser elections, and they're really not that difficult to understand.

I've been a Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ since 2004, and workgroup networking is my specialty.

Me? Unfortunate? NETBios?  Let me put it this way, I grew up on IPX and switched to TCP/IP back before it was fashionable - and I have always run my own DNS server, I'm familiar with the quirks of NetBIOS (and NetBEUI) because of it's popularity.

Not that it makes much of a difference - as long as you're willing to admit that NETBios name resolution "can have issues", I'll let it go - it certainly is NOT a "there is no problem with windows or linux machines using NetBIOS broadcasts ..." situation.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Not that it makes much of a difference - as long as you're willing to admit that NETBios name resolution "can have issues", I'll let it go - it certainly is NOT a "there is no problem with windows or linux machines using NetBIOS broadcasts ..." situation.

Well, there "can" be problems using a WINS server too.

AAMOF, if there were never problems in these areas, I would have nothing to do in the support forums.