FreeNAS Network/IP Issues

[Snotrap]

Hello all,

 

As I am in a rented house it would be quite the challenge to install an ethernet port in the same room as my computers etc.

 

I picked up an old system for free and thought fck it, FreeNAS. 

 

The only way I could get an internet connection to it was through my main desktop, sharing the internet connection through the ethernet port. I know, I know, wifi = slow.

 

I can access the FreeNAS web interface fine through the internet-sharing-pc just fine (192.168.137.113) but if I try to access it from anything else I cannot access 192.168.137.113 for the life of me. It doesn't show up in my router as a device either. Most of my IP addresses range from 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.256, something like that. I assume this is a windows share thing however are there any solutions to my issue where I can only access it from my host machine? Or is it worth just investing in some powerlines adapters? Thanks in advance.

[Eigenvektor]

You can't access it, because it is on a separate network and while your computer routes the FreeNAS to the Internet, it doesn't route connections the other way.

 

Your computer acts as a second router, so your ISP's router can't possibly see it. From its point of view, all network traffic is coming from your PC. Your machine performs network address translation (NAT) for the FreeNAS that is essentially "hidden" behind it.

 

I've tried the same thing yesterday and I don't think there's a way to get Windows to allow connections to go the other way.

[Snotrap]

23 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

You can't access it, because it is on a separate network and while your computer routes the FreeNAS to the Internet, it doesn't route connections the other way.

 

Your computer acts as a second router, so your ISP's router can't possibly see it. From its point of view, all network traffic is coming from your PC. Your machine performs network address translation (NAT) for the FreeNAS that is essentially "hidden" behind it.

 

I've tried the same thing yesterday and I don't think there's a way to get Windows to allow connections to go the other way.

Ok no worries, thanks for the reply. Have just ordered a set of powerlines adapters.

[Eigenvektor]

1 minute ago, Snotrap said:

Ok no worries, thanks for the reply. Have just ordered a set of powerlines adapters.

That's probably the simplest solution

 

I mean, you could certainly do it with Linux or Windows Server with RRAS installed. Or maybe set up a Wi-Fi router in your room (as a bridge) and connect both your PC and the NAS to it, but all of that is going to require a bit of configuration.

[Snotrap]

11 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

That's probably the simplest solution

 

I mean, you could certainly do it with Linux or Windows Server with RRAS installed. Or maybe set up a Wi-Fi router in your room (as a bridge) and connect both your PC and the NAS to it, but all of that is going to require a bit of configuration.

What's RRAS and I have a second router (the exact same model as my primary) but wouldn't bridge mode require an ethernet port to my prim router?

[paddy-stone]

Yeah, if you can't put an ethernet cable through the wall/ceiling/floor, then your next best thing is powerline... then attach the powerline to a network switch, then attach both the PC and freenas box to the switch, that should give access to all your network devices then.

[Snotrap]

2 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Yeah, if you can't put an ethernet cable through the wall/ceiling/floor, then your next best thing is powerline... then attach the powerline to a network switch, then attach both the PC and freenas box to the switch, that should give access to all your network devices then.

That was the plan!  

[Eigenvektor]

49 minutes ago, Snotrap said:

What's RRAS and I have a second router (the exact same model as my primary) but wouldn't bridge mode require an ethernet port to my prim router?

Routing and Remote Access Service, but it's only available on Windows Server editions. What I mean is, you can connect two Wi-Fi routers via Wi-Fi and then use it as a switch:

 

[Snotrap]

4 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

Routing and Remote Access Service, but it's only available on Windows Server editions. What I mean is, you can connect two Wi-Fi routers via Wi-Fi and then use it as a switch:

 

Yeah nah my router isn't supported by any third party router os'. 

[Eigenvektor]

4 minutes ago, Snotrap said:

Yeah nah my router isn't supported by any third party router os'. 

You only need a third party OS if the router doesn't support that mode on its own, but yeah it's still more work to set up than powerlink + switch ;)