Issues with mDNSResponder/Zeroconf

[cbrauchli]

I'm running FreeNAS-9.3-STABLE-201412240734 on a machine on my local network. I set it up to share one directory via AFP and CIFS. Using Bonjour Browser, I can check that the FreeNAS box is advertising itself, but when I unfold it, it doesn't always have an associated address. Generally, when I restart AFP or CIFS, the address appears, but it disappears after 5 minutes or so.

This doesn't happen with other devices on my local network, so I don't think it's an issue with my LAN. I have also notices that I'm not always able to access the FreeNAS web interface by going to its ".local" address, sometimes I have to manually enter its local IP address.

Attached is a screenshot of AFP unfolded. You can see that other services (an old  AirPort and another Mac computer) are found fine, and I am able to connect to them without trouble, but I cannot connect to the FreeNAS share except by using its IP.

Any ideas?

 

[Atomic]

Hi cbrauchli,

maybe your Mac is not sending Bonjour (mDNS) service queries to the network or it is sending service queries and the FreeNAS is not responding.

This link might be interesting: https://developer.apple.com/library...oa/Conceptual/NetServices/Articles/about.html

 

[cbrauchli]

Hey Atomic,

I think FreeNAS isn't responding or is not responding correctly, since this happens with all of my computer when talking to FreeNAS, but not when they talk to one another. I know that FreeNAS uses mDNSResponder. Is there any way to verify that it is running correctly? I see "mdnsd" in the list of processes when I run "top", but I don't know how to interact with it, and I can't figure out where FreeNAS keeps its configuration. Also, as a test, I set up Avahi in a jail and that service advertises itself just fine.

 

[cbrauchli]

Figured it out! Very silly. I had not added the ethernet network interface in Network/Interfaces. Everything else was working fine, so it didn't even occur to me that that would be a problem. I added it and we're golden!