Set local master to yes on unRaid and make sure the workgroup names match between unRaid and your Windows machines (case sensitive).  Shut all your Windows machines down and leave them off for at least 10 minutes.  Turn your desktop back on and give it a few minutes then check to see if tower shows up in windows network.

 

OK, I just did this after finding it earlier.  Now, My desktop see's the unRAID server in "Computer", "Network".  However when I click on it to expand so I can see the drives it says the following: Windows can not access \\TOWER

Check the spelling of the name.  Otherwise there might be a problem with your network.  To try identify and resolve network problems click the diagnose button.

Error Code: 0x80070035

The Network Path was not found.

 

Do you have multiple routers on your LAN?

There's one router connected to your IP provider ( via DSL, or Cable Modem, or FIOS).

Do you have other routers?

 

No, I only have a Netgear WNDR4000 Gigabit Router.  We have fiber direct to home.  It comes into some sort of splitter box which is then passed onto the router and other areas of the home.

 

Type the IP instead of tower in windows explorer.

 

Typing in the IP in Windows explorer gets me into the Lime Tech control panel.  This I can access already from tower:8080 on my desktop anyways.  I still cannot access the unRAID server from "computer" as I was earlier to transfer data.

This problem will likely happen again next time you reboot.

 

In windows go to the command prompt and type 'ipconfig /flushdns' hit enter.

 

Try going to you network again.

 

 

 

To prevent this from happening again you need to reserve the IP Address in the router.

 

 

In windows explorer type '\\ipaddress'

This problem will likely happen again next time you reboot.

 

In windows go to the command prompt and type 'ipconfig /flushdns' hit enter.

 

Try going to you network again.

 

 

 

To prevent this from happening again you need to reserve the IP Address in the router.

 

Entered the command, Said it was successful.  "Tower" is still there, But it won't expand and it still won't let Windows access it.  I have no idea how to reserve an IP address.

 

In windows explorer type '\\ipaddress'

 

Did this, Get the same response as when I try to access the unRAID tower.  Says Windows can't access it.  Diagnose blah blah......

 

Is there any pre setup things that should of been done in the BIOS or something of the unRAID server.  This is my first time using unRAID and honestly i've been VERY unhappy with it as the whole process has at this point taken one day shy of week to setup and there's still problems.  The installation instructions on there site are very vague and it would seem they assume everyone who uses it is a networking computer genius to get this thing to work.  I just don't understand why I can plug ANYTHING into my router, Blu Ray player, TV's, Computers, Roku box and everything runs great.  This gets plugged in and nothing.  I really do appreciate the help, Just venting my almost weeks now of wasted nights trying to get this POS to work.

 

Here's a screen.  You can see "Tower" is showing in the network.  However, If I double click or attempt to expand to access here's what I get.

On the same screen Click in the text field at the top with the horizontal green bar where it says "Computer". Enter "\\192.168.1.3" (or whatever the current IP address is) and press return.

If you can see it from your laptop but not from your desktop then the issue looks like beiing on the network side of your desktop.. But try and approach one thing at a time.

 

Lookup the ip number of the unraid server from your laptop (top right in the browser), now use that ip address to reach the server from your desktop, that should work.

 

Now since you have done a restart  now check your copy speeds again, chances are they are quicker.. Unfortunately I have also seen that happen once or twice..

 

Your speeds should be 20MB+ when you are not using a cache drive, with a cache drive you can tripple+ that..

OK, I'm not really sure why this would make a difference but a guy over at the Plex forums suggested I change the unRAID server name to something other then tower, reboot everything and it should now work.  I changed the unRAID server from "Tower" to "unraid".  Rebooted everything and long and behold, I can see the server and access it now in windows explorer on my desktop!!!  I tested some transfer speeds this morning and I'm getting around 35-40MB/s which is I believe from reading is what's expected without a cache drive which I'm very happy with.  I do appreciate everyones help.  I'm not sure why changing the server name would now make everything work? 

Likely a name resolution issue. Same reason myself and others in the thread have asked you to attempt to connect to the server via IP instead of name, and do a flushdns.

 

Glad everything is working for you.

...and if you dont reserve the ip in your router you'll end up in the same situation next time you reboot unraid.

...and if you dont reserve the ip in your router you'll end up in the same situation next time you reboot unraid.

 

+1

...and if you dont reserve the ip in your router you'll end up in the same situation next time you reboot unraid.

 

Yes, I had no idea how to do that so I've been on netgears support.  I've been told how so the IP has now been reserved in the router for that mac address and device.  So I'm assuming everything should be good if it gets rebooted.

...and if you dont reserve the ip in your router you'll end up in the same situation next time you reboot unraid.

 

Yes, I had no idea how to do that so I've been on netgears support.  I've been told how so the IP has now been reserved in the router for that mac address and device.  So I'm assuming everything should be good if it gets rebooted.

 

Yes, if you have reserved the address in your router, you shouldn't have this issue in the future. UnRaid should retain the same IP address forever, unless you change out your router or use a different Ethernet interface on your server.