Okay here is my network.

Switch - printer

Switch - win 10 desktop ( tethering pc)

Switch - unraid box

Switch  - bluray player ( to show movies on tv that are stored on pc/ server.

 

And the switch can connect when needed to an access point for wifi use by our wifi devices.

Try googling this:           connecting a router to a tethered phone

 

 

You might also try searching for “Internet Connection Sharing” for information on how to connect through the Windows system to the Internet

I do the windows connection sharing. That's how unraid first worked now it doesn't connect and gives some crazy up address. It's like 169.254.something

Your 169.254.x.y IP is a link-local IP because your unRAID never found a DHCP server that gave it a valid IP.

When I boot from off the mb sees a good dhcp address. That's what has me confused 

17 minutes ago, Travis McCann said:

the mb

 

What mb are you referring to ---  The PC(Windows)  or the server(unRAID)?

 

EDIT:  you said you are new so perhaps this post might help you begin to understand what has to happen for your server to be able to access the 

Internet:

 

      https://lime-technology.com/forums/topic/34889-dynamix-v6-plugins/?page=44&tab=comments#comment-462656

 

Edited March 29, 20188 yr by Frank1940

To help clarify my computer/ networking experience level here goes.

 

I am  new to unraid, not to networking in general. I have built all of my computer systems since the late 1990's. I have deployed many systems for family, friends and some small businesses. most networks I have deployed though have been peer- peer networks.

 

just now it started working right. I am just not sure of why.

As explanation, the 169.254.something address means that it can't find a network, so it could be a loose cable or something. So if you get network-issues again, try restarting things and re-attaching cables. Glad it is working for you now, and hopefully things will be boring from now on where everything just works, like how its meant.

4 hours ago, Travis McCann said:

Okay here is my network.

Switch - printer

Switch - win 10 desktop ( tethering pc)

Switch - unraid box

Switch  - bluray player ( to show movies on tv that are stored on pc/ server.

 

And the switch can connect when needed to an access point for wifi use by our wifi devices.

 

My question would be, where do devices on your network get their IP addresses from? I don't see a DHCP server on your network, as you've described it.

 

If the Windows 10 PC is tethered to your phone and is set to share its Internet connection then it's your phone that takes on the role of DHCP server for your network. But once you disconnect the PC from your phone there is no DHCP server; hence the link-local address assumed by your unRAID server. It isn't really a satisfactory way of running a network and if I didn't have a regular Internet connection I'd look for something like this. It's a broadband router but it uses a SIM card and connects to a mobile phone network like your phone, but it's mains powered and is intended to be permanently powered and can provide the DHCP service that your network needs.

i do have a wireless router available but no  broadband at current place to hook it up to. Should I to keep the server acting nice add the router into the mix when the phone is not connected?

33 minutes ago, John_M said:

My question would be, where do devices on your network get their IP addresses from? I don't see a DHCP server on your network, as you've described it.

Pretty sure the DHCP server is in the windows internet connection sharing service. So, when tethering is disabled, no DHCP.

 

In this instance I'd recommend manually setting up the entire network, all the way including static IP's for all devices and host entries for name resolution. That way things will continue to mostly work when the internet is disconnected.

What is the problem is (from what I discerned in my very quick search of the Internet) is that every Cell phone carrier (and perhaps very different model of cellphone) has a different method of implementing its tethering plan.  What I would hope you could to is to tether it to a router and connect your other devices to that.  (If the tethering is done through WiFi, I seem to recall that some routers can be configured as a wireless access point and your devices could then be connected to to the Cat5 ports on the router.)  However, I saw some mention of USB being the way that the phone and the tethered device were connected.  However, I also saw in my (very) quick browsing, that there were some routers that did have provision for using a USB connection to a tethering phone.  

 

You might consider going to your carrier's website and see if they provide any instructions.  A another option would be to call their Tech support but you want to be well versed because you have to be able to tell if you are just being snowed.  In which case, you have to request to moved up the ladder of support until you find someone who can really help you.  

One solution I used in a similar solution was to have my phone supply a WiFi hotspot. Then use a Raspberry Pi connect to the phone using WiFi. And the RPi was DHCP server and gateway for the other machines. Not quick, but a cheap way to create a networking island that can continue to function locally when the phone stops serving Internet access. The RPi could just as well tether to the phone  using USB.

at&t wireless tech support is like talking to a chain auto parts counter guy no matter what level you get. 

 

I use only Samsung phones so tethering shouldn't be an issue. 

 

I would rather not have to buy anything else to make this work.