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Author Topic: Networking Question  (Read 10274 times)

kurtd123

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Networking Question
« on: November 10, 2009, 09:08:03 AM »
I have the DNS-321 attached to the Lan port of my PC (Vista).  My PC is attached to a wireless N network.  How do I configure everything so a laptop running XP can access the DNS-321 through the wireless network to view pictures stored on it?

I have the DNS-321 attached directly to my PC to speed-up file transfers while I am in the midst of transferring about 8 years worth of pictures from CD's.  I will eventually have it attached directly to the router and know how to do that, but wondering if it is possible to share the device while it is attached to my PC?

No, I am not proficient in networking or the terminology.  I can follow instructions, however!
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gunrunnerjohn

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2009, 11:01:14 AM »
If you have your PC connected to the router and that machine has access to the DNS-321, this should be no sweat.

Just bridge the connection to the router and the connection to the other machine that's connected to your PC, and it'll have access to the network as well.
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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

kurtd123

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2009, 11:22:33 AM »
OK.  How do I do that?  The DNS is hardwired directly to my pc, which is connected to the lan via wireless router (DIR-655) and the laptop is also wireless to the router.  I assume that everything needs to be shared in some way, but how do I "see" the DNS-321 from the laptop?  From the laptop the only thing I can see are the shared folders on my pc. 
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gunrunnerjohn

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2009, 11:30:36 AM »
Why not just connect it to the router and do this the right way?
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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

JoeSchmuck

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2009, 02:41:34 PM »
Quote from: kurtd123 on November 10, 2009, 09:08:03 AM
I have the DNS-321 attached to the Lan port of my PC (Vista).  My PC is attached to a wireless N network.  How do I configure everything so a laptop running XP can access the DNS-321 through the wireless network to view pictures stored on it?

I have the DNS-321 attached directly to my PC to speed-up file transfers while I am in the midst of transferring about 8 years worth of pictures from CD's.  I will eventually have it attached directly to the router and know how to do that, but wondering if it is possible to share the device while it is attached to my PC?

No, I am not proficient in networking or the terminology.  I can follow instructions, however!

Sure you can but you need to map the NAS drive as a drive letter and then "share" the drive letter.  If you don't know how to do this just search Google for "windows vista share drive" and I think you will find some answers.

I'm curious what your speeds are over wireless N vs. direct connect.  I thought wireless N was fairly fast but I haven't looked at stats on this format since I don't have one yet.

-Joe
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gunrunnerjohn

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2009, 02:44:16 PM »
File sharing over any wireless link will be slower than even a 100mbit connections.  WiFi is half-duplex and SMB has a lot of handshake traffic, which really slows things down.
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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

JoeSchmuck

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2009, 03:29:09 PM »
That's why I like wired but it's a solution to the question.  ;D

Yea the wireless connection may be slow for moving large volumes of data but the question stated sharing pictures so that's not a large amount of data if you think about it.

-Joe
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gunrunnerjohn

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2009, 04:11:59 PM »
Well, that depends on the pictures, doesn't it. :)
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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

kurtd123

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2009, 07:17:33 PM »
Thanks for the replies folks! 

I already have drives mapped to letters but still can't see them from the laptop.  If I try to edit the share properties from Vista I get an error message.  Eh...  The only reason I am doing this is so my spousal unit will leave me alone.  It may be better if I just put up with the slower file transfers and connect the thing to my router.
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dro162

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2009, 11:14:46 PM »
After reading this post I have to ask the simple question, Are you using a crossover ethernet cable to connect the device to your PC?  A straight ethernet cable will only connect to another device through a bridge, router, or switch.  Make sure you buy a crossover cable rated for 1000BASE-T to get the most out of the "gigabit" connection.
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gunrunnerjohn

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2009, 05:45:30 AM »
I have all my computers and other devices connected to gigabit switches in front of the router, so I get full speed from them without a direct connection.  You can pick up an 8 port gigabit switch that supports jumbo frames for as little as $30 if you shop a bit.  Here's where I troll for deals.


Deal News

Tech Bargains

More Stuff 4 Less


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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

kurtd123

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #11 on: November 11, 2009, 10:28:49 AM »
Quote from: dro162 on November 10, 2009, 11:14:46 PM
After reading this post I have to ask the simple question, Are you using a crossover ethernet cable to connect the device to your PC?  A straight ethernet cable will only connect to another device through a bridge, router, or switch.  Make sure you buy a crossover cable rated for 1000BASE-T to get the most out of the "gigabit" connection.

Why would I need a crossover cable to connect to the lan port on my PC?  Not that it matters since I have already relocated the DNS-321 to the router, but I thought that the network adapters built into motherboards these days would auto sense the device/cable combination and adjust accordingly?

PS, everything works fine, just a bit slower.  The file transfer speed seems to have improved since I migrated from XP to Vista, or perhaps I am just getting a better signal or the new firmware improved things a bit...
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gunrunnerjohn

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #12 on: November 11, 2009, 10:53:07 AM »
The crossover cable is bunk, gigabit connections use all 8 wires and are auto-MDX by design.
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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

JoeSchmuck

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Re: Networking Question
« Reply #13 on: November 11, 2009, 12:55:54 PM »
Quote from: kurtd123 on November 11, 2009, 10:28:49 AM
Why would I need a crossover cable to connect to the lan port on my PC?  Not that it matters since I have already relocated the DNS-321 to the router, but I thought that the network adapters built into motherboards these days would auto sense the device/cable combination and adjust accordingly?

PS, everything works fine, just a bit slower.  The file transfer speed seems to have improved since I migrated from XP to Vista, or perhaps I am just getting a better signal or the new firmware improved things a bit...

If you want that little bit of extra speed you will need to connect wired from your laptop to a network switch that supports jumbo frames, connect your NAS to that switch also, connect the switch to the router.  You need to select at least 4K Jumbo frames on your NAS and your LAN adapter on your wired laptop.

If you prefer to use the wireless connection then you will always have the slower connection speed.

Glad to hear that you do have it working although not super fast.

-Joe
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