Windows Share

[cs86]

Hello FreeNAS community. I am having some troubles with sharing my server with windows and I'm hoping for some help. Let me start out by saying I have very limited knowledge when it comes to networking. I've been testing FreeNAS on an old computer to see if I'm capable to running it. I'm using an old amd64 with 1gb of ram and an 80gb HDD. I know the ram is low but this is only for testing and learning.

So far I have been able to install FreeNAS 11.1-release on a computer and was able to access the GUI. I've set up the hard drive for windows, added a user, group, and smb share. I can not see it on my windows 7 or 10 network. Windows shares is turned on. Workgroup is the same across the computers.

It seems others have had some issues with windows and I've read some other posts that seem very related, but some of the answers are getting to be over my head. I've wondered if synology or qnap is going to be any easier solution or if I'd run into the same issue for setting up a basic server storage and backup.

Some questions I have:
Do I need to set up a domain in FreeNAS?
Do I need to set my shared network up as a home or work share or does it matter?

I'm sure there are questions so please ask away and I'll answer the best I can. If anyone has some good references to get a better understanding of networking please share.

Thank you for any help.

 

[m0nkey_]

Check out my SMB video: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?resources/freenas-and-samba-smb-permissions-video.8/

 

[cs86]

Thanks for the video. I had actually watched it a few days ago. I tried to watch it more in depth and match up more of the users and groups. I then found one thing I didn't do when mapping a drive in windows 10. I didn't check the box "connect using different credentials". After this i was finally able to connect using the IP.

I don't understand why I can't see it automatically show up on my network like others. I have seen others having this issue also of only being able to use the IP address to connect.

 

[Redcoat]

To work on your W10 visibility issue, apply the fixes denoted by @zoomzoom in this thread https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/smb-shares-not-showing-in-network-browsing.54698/
You might also try typing \\yourFreeNASservername - no quotes - onto the location line on the W10 Network page and see if the FreeNAS server shows up in the dropdown listing. I have tried "everything" in order to see my FreeNAS server listed and not yet achieved it - but it is there in the dropdown as soon as I type "\\". This behavior only began with one of the W10 updates - I now just don't let it irritate me (like other windowze foibles that I have come to accept...).

 

[Redcoat]

BTW - to say that 1GB of RAM "is low" seems a bit of a stretch when the minimum required is 8GB. This will severely limit your ability to test and learn in an environment appropriate to assess FreeNAS in my opinion.

 

[cs86]

Thanks Red. I've been reading and re-reading the link you posted the last few days to try and understand. I don't feel there was an absolute solution to the forum post, but I could be missing it. Some of it was getting a little deep for my experience.

I do realize 1gb is really low. It was all I have to work with at the moment until I decide if I'm going to try to build a rig for FreeNAS or just go with something like synology. I'm worried I'll have the same issue connecting if I go with synology or others. I've never tried to set up anything like this.

I'm wanting to come up with something for a home based business to have a centralized location for files. I'd like to set up for user permissions, remote access, and backup. I'd like to understand networking for future growth.

 

[Redcoat]

I don't feel there was an absolute solution to the forum post

Yes - I wasn't suggesting that there was an absolute solution in the post - there sure wasn't for me. But, depending on your install of W10 you may find something that works.

It doesn't seem to me that you actually have a connection issue ...

After this i was finally able to connect using the IP.

but you didn't qualify "being able to connect" with further information.

Did you try the "\\yourFreeNASservername" approach that I suggested?

Maybe you have permissions or windowze issues still?

You'll get lots of help here if you are ready to try with adequate equipment and describe your experiences. 1GB RAM is going to be a stumbling block to that process.

FreeNAS is certainly capable of doing what you are looking for and doing it very well - it'll take some investment of effort on your part but it's a worthwhile investment in a very robust setup when made appropriately for the requirements.

Good luck with your experience gathering.

 

[cs86]

Did you try the "\\yourFreeNASservername" approach that I suggested?

I have tried this but not sure I'm doing it correctly. I believe the server name by default is freenas or is it freenas.local (I've tried both). I tried to map it without credentials which doesn't allow me to access it. Then when I do the credentials it requires a user and password. I've tried a user with no luck and then tried main server log in with no luck. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong or if I don't have something set up correctly.

Do I need to have something set up with the user?

 

[Redcoat]

If you open the W10 File Explorer window, the open the Network window from the list, then type \\ in the address line at the top, do you see your server name listed in a dropdown box?

 

[cs86]

If you open the W10 File Explorer window, the open the Network window from the list, then type \\ in the address line at the top, do you see your server name listed in a dropdown box?

I only see my other computers

 

[Redcoat]

OK, so you either have a share or a permission problem (most likely the latter as you say you already have a share set up).

I suggest that you watch @monkey's video again and carefully make all the steps he does, and verify that you can actually see the test share as he does in the video. Come back and tell us what happens as a result.

It may be that the lack of RAM is the problem - I don't know.

 

[zoomzoom]

It may be that the lack of RAM is the problem - I don't know.

This would not result in the server not showing in Windows Explorer -> Network.

• That being said, if not using 8GB or more of RAM, FreeNAS should not be what you're utilizing. There's a myriad of different OSes that could be utilized, from OpenWrt to smaller BSD/Linux distros running Samba, NFS, etc. which would operate perfectly fine with 1GB of RAM.

@cs86 Glance through page 2 of this thread to ensure everything is configured correctly between FreeNAS, Windows, and your router (if configuring share access via hostname in lieu of IP)

• Since you're having this issue on both Win 7 & 10, it's a misconfiguration and/or network issue.

 

[myrandomtips]

Made a video on how I configure windows shares also contains a link to my blog https://youtu.be/fO_wzosLn4g