Can't connect to TrueNas or its web interface

[SlowHorse]

Help! I'm a photographer and have my entire image library backed up to a TrueNas server.
I can't connect to my NAS and despite extensive reading, setting up a static IP, swapping out the NIC I haven't managed to fix the problem.

I've used the system for around 3 years and when I first installed it just worked, but I don't really know what I'm doing with networking. I don't know if anyone would be willing to walk me through this? I totally can't fathom it.
When I get Windows to diagnose the connection is it says the IP isn't configured correctly.

My office setup is a workstation which is connected to the NAS via NICs. The NAS hardware is old but since Covid I haven't really had enough business to do any upgrading, and I'm not actually sure if it's up to spec for TrueNas.

OS: Win10
Motherboard make and model: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2
CPU make and model: Intel Core i7 930 @ 2.8GHz
RAM quantity: 16GB
5 HDD. 2x WD red label 8TB as a striped pair, 2 x WD red label 10TB as individual drives 1x Seagate Barracuda 3TB
Boot: 128GB SSD
Network cards: Intel Pro/1000 GT Desktop Adapter
Alternative (unmounted): Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter

 

[Redcoat]

Hi there.
Welcome to the forums,. sorry you are having trouble.
Do you have a monitor on your server - if so, what do you see on it?
Are there lights on the NIC ports at each end of the network cable - typically a steady green and a flashing yellow?
Do you have a router in your network - if so, does its interface have any information about the connection to the NAS - typically the IP address related to the MAC address of the NIC?

 

[SlowHorse]

Hi there.
Welcome to the forums,. sorry you are having trouble.
Do you have a monitor on your server - if so, what do you see on it?
Are there lights on the NIC ports at each end of the network cable - typically a steady green and a flashing yellow?
Do you have a router in your network - if so, does its interface have any information about the connection to the NAS - typically the IP address related to the MAC address of the NIC?

Hi. and thanks for getting back to me. The boot process seems to happen normally and then I see the traditional 11 options and the two URLs (which I configured myself to no result).
Lights seem to work on both sides.
The NICs on the PC and server are connected directly so there's no router between them. I can get information about the connection through NETWorkManager.
Is the MAC address the same as the physical address?

 

[Morris]

Hi. and thanks for getting back to me. The boot process seems to happen normally and then I see the traditional 11 options and the two URLs (which I configured myself to no result).
Lights seem to work on both sides.
The NICs on the PC and server are connected directly so there's no router between them. I can get information about the connection through NETWorkManager.
Is the MAC address the same as the physical address?

Yes the MAC address is he physical address. You need to connect to the IP address and this should be displayed in the greeting after the system boots. If it is not there, then you need to configure it using the network setup option.

 

[Redcoat]

the two URLs (which I configured myself to no result).

What do you mean by "which I configured myself"? Why do you not use those "as delivered" to connect to your server GUI?

Please screen shot the console at the end of a reboot.

 

[SlowHorse]

What do you mean by "which I configured myself"? Why do you not use those "as delivered" to connect to your server GUI?

Please screen shot the console at the end of a reboot.

When I first installed the console the 'as delivered' address was 0.0.0.0

 

[SlowHorse]

Here is the console screenshot

 

[danb35]

What is the IP address of the computer you've connected your NAS to?

 

[SlowHorse]

192.168.0.245

 

[danb35]

That's going to be a problem, then; the addresses need to be in the same subnet. Try setting the NAS to something in 192.168.0.x.

 

[SlowHorse]

Thanks for that suggestion.
So I set the nas to 192.168.0.8 / 24 and unfortunately I still can't raise the web interface with that address.

 

[danb35]

Is there a particular reason you aren't using your NAS (Network-attached storage) on, you know, a network? You know, multiple devices, a switch (or maybe more than one), typically a router to connect that network with the Internet? Because the router would typically handle IP assignments and thus avoid at least part of the problem you're seeing.

Are you able to ping the NAS IP address from the Windows PC, and vice versa?

 

[SlowHorse]

Is there a particular reason you aren't using your NAS (Network-attached storage) on, you know, a network? You know, multiple devices, a switch (or maybe more than one), typically a router to connect that network with the Internet? Because the router would typically handle IP assignments and thus avoid at least part of the problem you're seeing.

Are you able to ping the NAS IP address from the Windows PC, and vice versa?

Reason: simplicity. I just want to connect a storage device to a terminal. Why introduce multiple points of failure? And if that is the intended architecture for TrueNAS then I'm not sure why I'm only hearing about it now :)

I tried connecting via the router just now and I couldn't raise the web interface.
I was able to ping the NAS but I'm not sure how to ping the PC from the NAS.

 

[danb35]

Why introduce multiple points of failure?

Indeed. So why introduce a whole other computer with all its associated parts, network interfaces in both computers, and a network cable between the two? Why not just put the drives in the computer in question and store the data that way? That would eliminate many points of failure, many levels of complication, and many performance bottlenecks.

And if that is the intended architecture for TrueNAS then I'm not sure why I'm only hearing about it now :)

I'm not sure either. You know what NAS means, right? While two computers directly connected with an Ethernet cable technically qualify as a network, that isn't how the term is ordinarily used.

To be clear, what you're doing should work. It's not how TrueNAS is really intended to be used, but it ought to work--if you've configured all your network settings correctly.

I was able to ping the NAS but I'm not sure how to ping the PC from the NAS.

One of the options in the console menu is "Shell". Choose that, then run ping 192.168.0.245.

And what exactly is happening when you're trying to reach the web UI of the NAS?

 

[SlowHorse]

The NAS is currently connected to the AX20 router and the PC is connected to that too. When I try to reach the NAS I get an error saying that the connection timed out.
When they were connected directly, the error was: 'connection refused'.
The ping from the NAS (connected via router) results in: 'host is down'

 

[SlowHorse]

I managed to solve this one with some external help.

I did as follows:
- Change the NAS IP to the subnet of the network interface in the main PC dedicated to handling NAS traffic. Previously it was set for the IP of the PC's separate internet-facing NIC. This gave me access to the TrueNAS web interface.
- Set up a separate account to handle SAMBA permissions. This no longer works using the root account following a rev a few years back but has not been updated in the manual. I've no idea how new users are managing to make TrueNAS work with this omission. DRTFM.

Just to reiterate, there is nothing inherently unusual about connecting a PC directly to a NAS. It's a simple medium scale storage solution for small companies who are probably more likely to be drawn to TrueNas.

 

[phradr]

Just to reiterate, there is nothing inherently unusual about connecting a PC directly to a NAS. It's a simple medium scale storage solution for small companies who are probably more likely to be drawn to TrueNas.

Just to set this into the correct conext: THAT WOULD BE correct if you were using a crossover cable. See Wiki (LINK)
Otherwise that would NEVER work wit typical LAN cables for RJ45 connectors.

Since GBit was introduced my words above are wrong! It works with standard cables. Explanation follows, thanks to @danb35

 

[SlowHorse]

Just to set this into the correct conext: THAT WOULD BE correct if you were using a crossover cable. See Wiki (LINK)
Otherwise that would NEVER work wit typical LAN cables for RJ45 connectors.

I'm confused (so much for 'correct context'). Are you saying that connecting two NICs together with a normal cable is impossible?

 

[danb35]

Otherwise that would NEVER work wit typical LAN cables for RJ45 connectors.

When will this nonsense die? Crossover cables are completely unnecessary with gigabit ethernet, whether connecting through a switch or directly.

 

[phradr]

When will this nonsense die? Crossover cables are completely unnecessary with gigabit ethernet, whether connecting through a switch or directly.

This is completely new to me. So I was wrong with that? depends on the hardware I guess...
Honestly, I NEVER tried to connect two PCs directly via LAN cable.