Problem with Wireless computers on Local network

[SaladFingers]

First off, I made a quick mock-up of my setup to make it easier to understand:

 

So here's the problem:

 

The PC can see the NAS in it's Network folder just fine. I can then login to it and map the shared folder to drive letter M: for example.

Laptop 1 and Laptop 2 can be seen by PC, can see each other, but they can't see either PC or NAS.

If say, on Laptop 1 I manually try to run //192.168.1.99 (that's the local IP for the NAS) or simply //NAS it works and lets me connect to the shared folder and map it to a drive.

 

The main problem is that the laptops will "forget" everything after a reboot. The mapped drive becomes inaccessible and I need to manually connect again. They are being used by newbies and they just can't be bothered to learn or go through this step after every reboot. What is the problem here? Any kind of workaround?

[Oshino Shinobu]

Have you tried assigning the laptops static IP addresses to see if it's something to do with DHCP? 

[starcraftler]

1. static ip for NAS or a Hostname

2. Computers don't forget

3. did you even add as SMB share in Explorer ?

4. Did you click there "Save credentials" ?

 

That would be everything you need....

[SaladFingers]

Have you tried assigning the laptops static IP addresses to see if it's something to do with DHCP? 

 

I did, no change The WiFi AP can run it's own DHCP server as well, but I don't think that worked well when I tried it

[SaladFingers]

1. static ip for NAS or a Hostname

2. Computers don't forget

3. did you even add as SMB share in Explorer ?

4. Did you click there "Save credentials" ?

 

That would be everything you need....

 

1. NAS has a static IP of 192.168.1.99

2. I put it in quotes to make a point.

3. Erm, yes?? Sharing the folder works and the problem is the laptops aren't keeping their settings.

4. Yes I did, asks for new login details after every reboot.

[starcraftler]

does your NAS have a special auth mode? with time constraint or sth ?

 

are you in a domain?

 

then login via DOMAIN\name  + pw is needed

1. Get to the command shell (Win+R, cmd, Enter)
2. net use Z: \\remote\folder * /USER:DOMAIN\username /PERSISTENT:YES
3. Type in your password at the prompt

Obviously, change Z: to whatever drive letter you want and modify the other fields to fit your situation. "/PERSISTENT:YES" is needed so it remembers it on next login. For some reason this method works, but the checkbox in the dialog window doesn't... All that fancy aero graphics and it can't even do what the command line does.

 

For more information, try "net use /h".

 

 

Also try those commands for network settings when applicable:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew

 

a last path where to look and what shit happens: 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Map Network Drive MRU

 

i know of some SMBshare issues in Win7 but i'm not really sure ..... 

[SaladFingers]

does your NAS have a special auth mode? with time constraint or sth ?

are you in a domain?

then login via DOMAIN\name + pw is needed

• Get to the command shell (Win+R, cmd, Enter)
• net use Z: \\remote\folder * /USER:DOMAIN\username /PERSISTENT:YES
• Type in your password at the prompt

Obviously, change Z: to whatever drive letter you want and modify the other fields to fit your situation. "/PERSISTENT:YES" is needed so it remembers it on next login. For some reason this method works, but the checkbox in the dialog window doesn't... All that fancy aero graphics and it can't even do what the command line does.

For more information, try "net use /h".

Also try those commands for network settings when applicable:

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /renew

a last path where to look and what shit happens:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Map Network Drive MRU

Thr setup is fairly straightforward, only detail is that the NAS is running OSX. So the SMB part is actually AFP. Whats wierd is that any ethernet device doesnt have a problem keeping the network drive online,only wifi devices. I will try your suggestions as soon as I get home, thank you

[starcraftler]

Thr setup is fairly straightforward, only detail is that the NAS is running OSX.

 

OSX .... ok, i'm out :rolleyes: 

[SaladFingers]

OSX .... ok, i'm out :rolleyes:

Right, that doesn't change things though, and hating on certain software wont help my case..

[NetworkPeet]

Its a DNS issue

Both Routers use their own DNS database

 

so you have to shut off the dns of your ap and change the dns option in dhcp settings to your main router dns ip

 

 

or you simply change your dns settings on the laptops to the ip of your main router in the network settings

[NetworkPeet]

Because both (Wireless Ap and Internet Router) are autonomous systems which arent built to work together without configuration

 

 

So Both Machines run their own local DHCP and DNS servers and are their own domain.

[Principis]

Right, that doesn't change things though, and hating on certain software wont help my case..

Because you are using OSX for your nas which is actually really stupid... (IMO)

I will only suggest this: in a non-domain configuration Windows only saves those passwords untill reboot.

In control panel goto credential manager and from there you can change it so that the login stays forever. (I can't remember what it's called.)

[SaladFingers]

Because you are using OSX for your nas which is actually really stupid... (IMO)

I will only suggest this: in a non-domain configuration Windows only saves those passwords untill reboot.

In control panel goto credential manager and from there you can change it so that the login stays forever. (I can't remember what it's called.)

 

It's mostly a matter of using what I already have. I have a Mac Pro sitting there with 2 Xeons and 12gb of ram. It would be such a waste to throw it out. Plus, it has the server version of the OS which has some neat features.

 

Could you elaborate more on the non-domain config? Why am I not getting the same problem with the wired PC on the network? It seems as if the actual network path changes every time for the wireless (after reboot the disk shows as disconnected and it can't connect back, I need to manually re-map the thing after re-connecting to it through //NAS). That option in control panel, is it the same with ticking the option to remember credentials when I get the login prompt? I think the problem is that it won't find the correct path after a reboot, because after checking in cmd it keeps saving a new entry for the credentials each time. Again, this is only happening on WiFi.. I'm baffled..

 

Thanks for your reply, I'm still trying to figure this silly problem out....

[SaladFingers]

Its a DNS issue

Both Routers use their own DNS database

 

so you have to shut off the dns of your ap and change the dns option in dhcp settings to your main router dns ip

 

 

or you simply change your dns settings on the laptops to the ip of your main router in the network settings

 

I'm not sure I get this correctly, but you might be onto something here.. The AP I think uses the gateway IP as its DNS. Would it work if I also set the same as a manual DNS on the laptop? I will try that.

 

Because both (Wireless Ap and Internet Router) are autonomous systems which arent built to work together without configuration

 

 

So Both Machines run their own local DHCP and DNS servers and are their own domain.

 

True that, but I made sure to disable DHCP server on the AP. Any machine configured to get an IP automatically will get one that is given by the router's DHCP settings. I assumed it acts as some kind of a "pass-through" as it stands, but I'm probably wrong.

 

Edit: Should the "DHCP Client" setting on the AP be disabled too?

[NetworkPeet]

If you disable DHCP on the AP your clients will only work with self ip

so if you want to disable DHCP on the AP you have to use a DHCP Relay option wich points to the Internet router DHCP