SOLVED No Connection from FreeNAS 11 to network

[Snake3y3s]

Hi All

Let me start by saying I am EXTREMELY green when it comes to FreeBSD and FreeNAS, I have maintained a FreeNAS server before, but not from installation, was a pre-built and setup system. I know a few Linux commands, but there too my knowledge is a bit lacking.

I bought a second hand HP Proliant N36L Microserver, and was told that the onboard NIC was dead, the previous owner had FreeNAS running fine on the box (according to him) about 2 years ago. He bought a TP link NIC (TG-3468) which as far as I understand runs on the Realtek driver/chipset.

So I have gone and installed 5x 3TB WD reds into the system with a Jetflash Transcend USB 4GB for the OS (FreeNAS) and have done all the BIOS mods/updates to get the ports running on full speed.

I did a fresh installation of FreeNAS 11 onto the USB and it starts up fine and detects everything (including the installed Ethernet NIC and the onboard one (i think only its port is dead)) but i cant seem to get a UP status on any of the network ports.

The TP-link NIC has its lights on and network cable plugged into it, but as soon as I try and assign it a IP on the menu the lights turn off.
I can't ping or see the NAS on the network at all.

I'm guessing that installing the drivers will work, but as I stated before, I'm very green to compiling and installing drivers onto a FreeBSD/FreeNAS system.

I have the 1.93 drivers off the Realtek page, but not sure what steps to take next.
Is there anyone that can help me get this system up and running...

Thank you

 

[Alecmascot]

Just so there is no confusion I suggest you disable the faulty onboard NIC in the Bios settings.

 

[Snake3y3s]

no problem, I did that before but it still made no difference.

 

[Alecmascot]

Then with it disabled assign an IP address from within the console.

 

[Redcoat]

but as soon as I try and assign it a IP on the menu the lights turn off.

What menu?

At the conclusion of the FreeNAS boot from your USB stick do you get a suggested IP on which to make browser access to the FreeNAS GUI?

 

[Snake3y3s]

there is no assigned IP after boot. I gave it a IP of 192.168.0.20 (which is in range of the rest of the network.)
and this is the main reason for this thread... I cant get to the web GUI at all because i cant ping or even see the system on the network, or ping from the NAS to the network.

 

[Redcoat]

Also reserved from the DHCP server assignments to eliminate conflict potential?

 

[Snake3y3s]

there should be no conflicts at all, there is only 4 devices on the network and neither of them are on .20

 

[Snake3y3s]

Added the MAC address to the router on 192.168.0.20

 

[Redcoat]

So, you are arriving here:

There is no suggested address as the above example and you are selecting Option 1 and following this process?

Enter an option from 1-14: 1
1) em0
Select an interface (q to quit): 1
Reset network configuration (y/n) n
Configure interface for DHCP? (y/n) n
Configure IPv4? (y/n) y
Interface name: (press enter as can be blank)
Several input formats are supported
Example 1 CIDR Notation: 192.168.1.1/24
Example 2 IP and Netmask separate:
IP: 192.168.1.1
Netmask: 255.255.255.0, or /24 or 24
IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.108/24
Saving interface configuration: Ok
Configure IPv6? (y/n) n
Restarting network: ok
You may try the following URLs to access the web user interface:
http://192.168.1.108

But you are still not receiving an IP address?

 

[Ericloewe]

The TP-link NIC

Ouch.

The only truly viable option here is to get an Intel NIC. Realtek is infamous for a reason...

 

[Snake3y3s]

I get a IP but only because i manually enter it, it still doesnt get the machine onto the network or even pingable
As far as my research has gone, I need to add a driver for the NIC that i have, but as i said I am rather unsure on how to do it.
The card i have works, and has worked before in FreeNAS

http://www.kristijan.org/2010/11/freenas-realtek-network-card/

 

[Ericloewe]

but as i said I am rather unsure on how to do it.

tl;dr - you don't.

The card i have works

I'm telling you it won't. Not reliably, at least. It doesn't matter if some random guy's blog says otherwise.

 

[Snake3y3s]

Im not saying it works from some random guys blog... I'm saying that the card works because the guy that had the NAS before me had it working.

I have the 1.94 drivers, but i need to compile them for FreeNAS

 

[Ericloewe]

I have the 1.94 drivers, but i need to compile them for freeNAS

I just said you don't. FreeNAS doesn't allow you to randomly mess with drivers.

 

[wblock]

The Realtek cards change version on a monthly basis. While technically possible to compile Realtek's drivers... provided they have them for FreeBSD 11 and that chipset revision... it is not worth the effort. You would essentially have to build FreeNAS from scratch, which will be a learning experience. At the end, if everything goes right, you will have unproven drivers for a card with a deserved poor reputation. Or you could spend $30 for a well-regarded Intel network card.

It's also possible that the non-working motherboard interface is not the only problem with that motherboard. I can't think of a good way to test that.

 

[wblock]

a Jetflash Transcend USB 4GB for the OS (FreeNAS)

This is too small. 8GB is the recommended bare minimum.

 

[nightshade00013]

Going to chime in for a sec and say that the system you bought really REALLY is not ideal for current versions of FreeNAS. It wasn't even great two years ago when whomever you got it from was running it and I kinda suspect that they were using something in the FreeNAS 8 era and MAYBE something in the early FreeNAS 9 era. If you are going to use it you MUST have a bigger flash drive. You also need to think about the maximum ram in the system BTW that is 16GB so don't expect to do a whole lot with it and if it's not at max then don't even bother.

As far as the NIC, like has already been said it's not going to be a plug it in and have it work type of thing. The driver support just isn't there like it is for windows. We are not trying to be mean or rude but what the guy HAD working could have been even earlier than what I already mentioned or actually been something like Nas4Free. You can try and fight it but at the end of the day even if you get it to work you will probably have other problems.

I also wouldn't plan on doing a lot of jails either, that cpu passmarks at 800 https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Athlon+II+Neo+N36L+Dual-Core so realistically you will not be using it for plex. Running anything more than FreeNAS itself is going to be slow.

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pr...i-neo-n36l-1-3-ghz-monitor-none-series/specs/

I don't know what you paid for the system when you got it but if it was more than 50 bucks whomever sold it to you is not your friend, unless the drives came with it. In all honesty you would be better off using it for something else and then getting something that doesn't have a fried NIC than to sink a bunch of money into what you have. By the time you grab an intel based NIC that will work you will then be limited by a number of other things like the cpu and max memory. Two 8GB sticks of ram on Ebay will be 20 bucks a piece, plus a NIC will be another 30 or so. Gotta add shipping to it and the CPU is probably either not upgrade able due to a bios restriction or not worth upgrading due to price/performance being a very small gain. Stick the money you would spend add another hundred or two and get something that is faster, supports more ram, has an intel nic built in and has an intel based chipset/cpu.

You can find some older supermicro systems that have 24GB of ram and 8 bays in a 2U chasis for around 275 plus shipping. It's not ideal since it will use more power than a much more modern version but it's still a ton better than what you are trying to make work.

You could go a little newer and for around the same with https://www.ebay.com/p/Super-Micro-...155-Intel-MBD-X9SCM-F-O-Motherboard/127396627 with a g2130 or cheap xeon like an e3-1230 then grab a case, psu and couple sticks of ram.

Otherwise grab a used Supermicro socket 1151 board like http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-...293613&hash=item4b05a1c2b3:g:Wc8AAOSwnQhXpCJ5 throw in a pentium G 4560 and a couple stick of ram in a cheap case and be in a MUCH better position.

I know it's a ton to read but seriously don't hamstring yourself from the very start to try and use something that worked two years ago and wasn't even very good at it then.

 

[Snake3y3s]

Thank you for the reply nightshade00013

i Paid roughly $100 for the system (R1000 in south african rands) so it was a ok price for a second hand system.

All i need the system for is to be a NAS, thats pretty much it, just a mass storage device with a level of redundancy/safty on data if a drive fails, so I honestly dont need much out of it.
I am willing to roll back to an older version of FreeNAS if need be.
upgrading the installation drive to a 8GB would not be a issue, I have another one at hand that I have been using to install off of.

I like the box as is, because of its small form factor and all that fits in it, and the fact that it isnt a power hungry beast. not sure if you can upgrade the board or the chip thats in there, think its a custom built board for the HP microservers.

 

[Alecmascot]

I run 2 N54Ls on FreeNAS 11 with no issues.
I suggest your best course of action is to fit an Intel NIC, which will be supported by FreeBSD.
Should not be expensive for a used one.