Do we really need "local master" with Windows 7 ?

[Mirfster]

I believe for that you want "Register DHCP static mappings in the DNS Resolver" Checked as well.

 

[Mirfster]

Or you could manually add a record in the "Host Overrides" section. I have PfSense, but am running it on a separate network so I have not had enough time to mess around with it too much (as of yet).

 

[Black Ninja]

Or you could manually add a record in the "Host Overrides" section. I have PfSense, but am running it on a separate network so I have not had enough time to mess around with it too much (as of yet).

You are right , and extremely helpful by the way.:)
I am testing all that in virtual environment to make sure I got it to work, and when added to "host override" list then freenas nslookup is resolving the machine hostname !!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't use the "host overrides" before so let me ask you to make sure I am doing it right:
I understand what to put in Host:,IP Address: and Description:, but what Should I put in Domain: ?
My freenas by default domain is "local" my pfsense box by default is "localdomain" and my windows box is Workgroup:WORKGROUP ?

I see under "Domain:" it says "domain of the host" but that's a windows machine which is not part of domain ,just workroup ?

 

[Mirfster]

You can make up whatever domain you want; if it is only for your internal network. So like "mycooldomain.local" would work. I have internet domains, so I use *.com and make my network subdomains; but you don't have to. I think I saw you had a "NXDOMAIN" in one of your posts; so either you are using that or it is a default entry in PfSense?

In PfSense under [System] - [General Setup]; you probably already put something in there for Domain. If so, just use that. :)

 

[Black Ninja]

You can make up whatever domain you want; if it is only for your internal network. So like "mycooldomain.local" would work. I have internet domains, so I use *.com and make my network subdomains; but you don't have to. I think I saw you had a "NXDOMAIN" in one of your posts; so either you are using that or it is a default entry in PfSense?

In PfSense under [System] - [General Setup]; you probably already put something in there for Domain. If so, just use that. :)

The "NXDIOMAIN" is what is shows when there is no resolution =Non-existent Internet Domain Names Definition.

My default domain in pfsense is "localdomain" , that's what was put there by pfsense default. So I gona use that.

Acording to pfsense should not use 'local' as a domain name. It will cause local hosts running mDNS (avahi, bonjour, etc.) to be unable to resolve local hosts not running mDNS. :

P.S. In freenas my domain is "local" , also put by default by freenas.

Ohh another thing: Do you match your windows credentials with freenas ones ? and Do you save your frenas credentials in windows if they are not same ?

 

[cyberjock]

Good evening all!

So the master browser option is kind-of explained here: http://scottiestech.info/2009/02/14/how-to-determine-the-master-browser-in-a-windows-workgroup/

Totally necessary for workgroups to have a "master", and by checking the box the FreeNAS system tries to make itself the highest priority for "winning" the election for the master browser. It doesn't guarantee it will win the election, but its very likely to.

The hostname lookup feature simply tells FreeNAS to resolve the IP and hostname given by the client (often Windows) and verify that the info is correct per DNS. It's a security feature, and for large enterprises it can be useful. But for home users that don't have all the required prerequisites, it won't work and you'll just end up with a log full of failed hostname lookups. I disable it if its failing because it adds no value if your network doesn't support it.

The hostname lookups and the master browser settings are not exclusive or inclusive, and they do unrelated things. You can have either one enabled while the other is disabled. It just depends on how you want to run your network.

My main FreeNAS system is set to be the master browser. I do that because it really is up 24x7 and there's no reason to not let it be the master all of the time.

HTH

 

[Mirfster]

The "NXDIOMAIN" is what is shows when there is no resolution =Non-existent Internet Domain Names Definition.

I shoulda caught that... lol Doing too many things again. ;)

That is fine if you don't want to use *.local; I don't myself nor do I use bonjour so I have not ran across that issue.

Do you match your windows credentials with freenas ones ?

If I am running it as part of Active Directory or as my Active Directory that would be all done automatically. However; right now I have multiple domains and am currently running AD on Server 2012 R2. I may test out FreeNas' Active Directory and migrate to that but have not dome so yet.

As far a credential's I don't ever save them.

Wow, got a chime in from CyberJock... I was beginning to think he didn't "come round these parts anymore"... ;)

 

[cyberjock]

I'm still here. But I moved across the country and work has been busy beyond explanation. :P

 

[Black Ninja]

Yeah I have a lot of windows in front of me I know what you mean. :)
By the way for testing , just upgrage to last version 9.10 from old 9.3 and first thing I notice:
nslookup was removed
smartd says error to start

Glad I am going to upgrade my main nas. What was wrong with the nslookup command ?!:( Save space perhaps.

 

[Mirfster]

Heh, yep just tried on a dev/test box running 9.10 Nightlies and "nslookup" was not there. However "ping" is so you could just try to ping the hostname. I am updating that box now with the latest updates; since there is an IPMI/KCS bug that the devs may have addressed for me. Once that is updated; I will check again and see.

Nope not there with "FreeNAS-9.10-MASTER-201603222335 (545accc)"... But looks like the bug I filed for "KCS/IPMI" may have been fixed... /fingers crossed.

 

[cyberjock]

nslookup was removed in FreeBSD 10. I believe the new command is "dig" or "drill". :)

 

[Black Ninja]

Good evening all!

So the master browser option is kind-of explained here: http://scottiestech.info/2009/02/14/how-to-determine-the-master-browser-in-a-windows-workgroup/

Totally necessary for workgroups to have a "master", and by checking the box the FreeNAS system tries to make itself the highest priority for "winning" the election for the master browser. It doesn't guarantee it will win the election, but its very likely to.

The hostname lookup feature simply tells FreeNAS to resolve the IP and hostname given by the client (often Windows) and verify that the info is correct per DNS. It's a security feature, and for large enterprises it can be useful. But for home users that don't have all the required prerequisites, it won't work and you'll just end up with a log full of failed hostname lookups. I disable it if its failing because it adds no value if your network doesn't support it.

The hostname lookups and the master browser settings are not exclusive or inclusive, and they do unrelated things. You can have either one enabled while the other is disabled. It just depends on how you want to run your network.

My main FreeNAS system is set to be the master browser. I do that because it really is up 24x7 and there's no reason to not let it be the master all of the time.

HTH

Thanks for the very good explanation. I couldn't open the link you are referring to, but I believe it looks familiar. I did look many places to find reasonable explanation.If I am not mistaken there is a link of a small Lan-Scan program which is tell you who the local master is.
I've been runing my freenas 9.3 (Dec 2014) edition very successfully , since Dec 2014. I am trying to get rid of these messages so I can have a clean console screen without any errors.

I notice when freenas is local master ,messages pile up not just from a clients for the cifs share, but also from any PC on the network who does a network scan, freenas as local master is trying to resolve his hostnames too.

By the way there is another abnormally which I can't figure out: My windows credential don't match freenas user accounts so I use name an password when click on freenas cifs share. If I don't save credential in windows (when offered) just login , anytime I click on share it's available immediately like a local folder, but if I save credentials in windows for future convenience , every time I click on the share it takes second for the connection to reestablish before share is available, what in a world could case that ?

 

[Black Ninja]

Heh, yep just tried on a dev/test box running 9.10 Nightlies and "nslookup" was not there. However "ping" is so you could just try to ping the hostname. I am updating that box now with the latest updates; since there is an IPMI/KCS bug that the devs may have addressed for me. Once that is updated; I will check again and see.

Nope not there with "FreeNAS-9.10-MASTER-201603222335 (545accc)"... But looks like the bug I filed for "KCS/IPMI" may have been fixed... /fingers crossed.

Well I found solution for all those problems long time ago - When thing stop getting better , I stop updating. Keep it simple and keep it clean it will keep working.:)

 

[Black Ninja]

The reason why I just didn't remove the checkmark for "hostnames lookup" and forget about is is because I will trade the long error about hostname mismatched.. for this one:

STATUS=daemon 'smbd' finished starting up and ready to serve connectionsFailed to fetch record!

 

[cyberjock]

By the way there is another abnormally which I can't figure out: My windows credential don't match freenas user accounts so I use name an password when click on freenas cifs share. If I don't save credential in windows (when offered) just login , anytime I click on share it's available immediately like a local folder, but if I save credentials in windows for future convenience , every time I click on the share it takes second for the connection to reestablish before share is available, what in a world could case that ?

That's Windows being stupid. It caches in some cases, not in others. Totally normal and, while annoying, is something I just learn to live with. :P

If you try to go to the //freenas/share and you haven't logged into the server's shares yet you'll have a delay as well. That's because Windows is trying guest permissions and other permissions it may have cached before it prompts you for credentials. :P

 

[Black Ninja]

That's Windows being stupid. It caches in some cases, not in others. Totally normal and, while annoying, is something I just learn to live with. :p

If you try to go to the //freenas/share and you haven't logged into the server's shares yet you'll have a delay as well. That's because Windows is trying guest permissions and other permissions it may have cached before it prompts you for credentials. :p

I see. What I found to work for me in this case is: I don't save the credentials when I log in to the share \\freenas\share and windows keeps me in connected till I restart PC. So when I access my share one in the morning log in with password, then after that anytime I click I am instantly there anytime, as long as I don't reboot. When I reboot I have just log in again. Even my media center I setup this way, I don't reboot it , so always connected when requested instantly.:)

Speaking of Windows being stupid. I don't know about you but Windows made me gave up on mapping drives - when you reboot before it gets connected to network it trying to map to the network and result in error, can't connect cause network is not up yet. How anybody is would use it without being annoyed with that ?!

 

[cyberjock]

I use a script that unmounts/remounts all of my shares. That way if I do something like reboot the NAS (which I do regularly for testing, etc during the workday) I can double click the icon on my desktop and everything will remount automatically.

 

[Black Ninja]

That's cool. Does mapping any different than just accessing it like \\freeenas\nicepoll , beside giving you a drive letter ?

 

[cyberjock]

Here's a script for one of my shares:

Code:

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Return = WshShell.Run("cmd /c net use /delete m: /yes", 0, true)
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Return = WshShell.Run("cmd /c net use m: \\serverip\sharename password /user:username /persistent:no", 0, true)
sDrive = "M:\" ' note the trailing backslash!
Set oShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
oShell.NameSpace(sDrive).Self.Name = "Entertainment"

That script:

1. Closes the share if open (yes, if you are streaming a song or video it does disconnect you.. them are the breaks).
2. Remounts the share with the proper username and password (very useful if you do lots of usernames and passwords for various shares on various computers).
3. Gives the share a name instead of the stupid //freenas/share BS that you get by default. ;)

 

[Black Ninja]

Thank a lot for the script. I'll try it.
You didn't answer me on the part: Is mapping it as drive has anything other benefits than giving you a drive letter which you can use to trick a software is a drive ?:p