Simple drive mapping becomes disconnected.

[computertechguy]

I am using a synology NAS box to store data , the mapping is like so \\datastore\data that seems to periodically get disconnected where we can't reconnect to it so I remap using \\192.168.1.8\data and then it connects. But after some time the ip mapping stops working and I need to go back to the device name \\datastore\data. It always connects back up but what may be causing this? By the way rebooting the NAS doesn't make a difference.

It is a flat network a Zyxel router, three users but it seems to only be happening to one pc. I have restarted AND created a login script for the drive and that doesn't help.

I am thinking ARP table but I never cleared it so not sure what may be going wrong.

Any thoughts?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Name resolution gets wonky when there's no local DNS service that maintains updated records. With larger business networks this is usually run tightly by a "domain controller"..which is the primary (and only) DNS for all the computers, so it maintains good control over this.

However, with "workgroups"...you end up with mixtures of "who is master browser"...and "what is running local DNS". Depending on many many different factors, this can always be changing. Versions of operating systems, and/or if the router can run an internal DNS service (some can, some can't, some..change..depending on firmware version).

Can always do the "poor mans WINS' trick.....edit the LMHOSTS file.

 

[Moltuae]

I am using a synology NAS box to store data , the mapping is like so \\datastore\data that seems to periodically get disconnected where we can't reconnect to it so I remap using \\192.168.1.8\data and then it connects. But after some time the ip mapping stops working and I need to go back to the device name \\datastore\data. It always connects back up but what may be causing this? By the way rebooting the NAS doesn't make a difference.

Try including the NAS' name in user credentials (eg. datastore\username instead of just username)

 

[Sky-Knight]

Editing hosts and lmhosts isn't acceptable, if there is no DNS server to actually handle resolution, and the router cannot handle it, then they need a router that can.

But none of that matters if \\<ip>\share is blowing up. That's usually a faulty NAS, though it could also be ARP corruption caused by another device trying to steal that IP address. Not easy to see that happening if you don't have decent switches.

 

[Metanis]

The LMHosts method works great on those tiny networks using residential gateways AND where things never change (OR they always call you to make the changes!)

 

[TurricanII]

As has been said, the ip-address drive mapping should be the most reliable. I would manually put the NAS on a high IP address or create a DHCP reservation on the router so that it's IP address is high and never changes. Why high? Your symptoms could be caused by an IP address conflict too.

Also note that Windows has a default behaviour of disconnecting a drive map that has been unused for 15-minutes. That usually leaves a red cross on the drive until you double click it again. I would be Googling that and disabling the behaviour

 

[Markverhyden]

What are the clients running for an OS?
Is the NAS up to date?

 

[putz]

If you are losing access to it even by IP address, something else has to be going on. Either credentials are being lost, or a conflicting IP or hostname on the network, or the file services on the NAS are going down. Verify the Workgroup name configured on the Synology matches the Workgroup that the PCs are configured with. Map the drive with /presistent:yes command switch.

Also check the usernames on the NAS and setup a user account for each PC user - so they aren't sharing the same credential. Make the NAS usernames and passwords the same as the username and passwords that the users login to their PCs with. Windows is pretty good at automatically connecting to SMB shares when the username and passwords match up on both devices. If you have stored credentials to the NAS in Windows Credential Manager on the PC - delete them.