DSM-G600, DNS-3xx and NSA-220 Hack Forum

What am I missing?  I really thought that enabling AFP would solve this Mac dilemma, but long filenames and non-SMB characters are still killing all my transfers.  Has anyone had any luck installing ExtremeZ-IP or MacServer-IP; is this even possible?  My house/studio is 3/4 Mac, and right now the DNS-323 is pretty much useless.

I understand that folks here don't reply to things unless they have something valuable to say, but I can't believe that NOT ONE person here has addressed AFP/Mac compatibility.  The reason I went ahead and bought the DNS-323 is because there's such a huge support community built up around it, but the fact that not a single person here has been willing (or able) to help thus far has got me a little frustrated.

All that said, any ideas would still be GREATLY appreciated.  I'm not giving up yet!

jg

I guess I'm confused as to what Mac OS X specific problems you're having.  I've been connecting to my DNS-323 via SMB in OS X for a while, now, and have not every experienced long filename problems.  I have my iTunes music location (~140GB) located on the DNS-323 and have had no problems with that and iTunes on OS X.  I also frequently move videos and documents around to-and-from my Mac and the DNS-323 via SMB connection through Finder and don't have any issues there, either.

Maybe I just don't have any filenames that are so long as to cause a problem on OS X?  Some of the TV shows I have recorded and saved on the DNS-323 have pretty darn long filenames, come to think of it, and they seem to be just fine.

Also, on large, single-file transfers, I can usually achieve ~20-25MB/sec read transfers and ~15-18MB/sec write transfers to-and-from OS X and the DNS-323, both on a gigabit switch.

I also don't understand what the poster means when he says there's no way to transfer 360GB of picture files to the DNS-323 from the Mac via SMB.

Last edited by bripab007 (2009-04-08 20:10:19)

I think I managed this fixed. When I said "no way to transfer 360GB of picture files to the DNS-323 from the Mac via SMB" it was really true, simply because it will stop you on each file during copy, give you error and the you need to start all again. To be honest, AFP setup is quote poorly done here. IMHO if you setup wiki for this device why not to set simple step by step instruction how to set AFP working? I spent 3 almost full days trying to understand how to do it. And I am not a Lynux geek right ) and should not be ) And what finally I have done? I compile all details what I found on number of this wiki pages and finally managed AFP to work on my DNS323. Now, no problem with long file names (actually it was very standard pics name like IGM123456_copy.jpg or something), no problem with long files copy (actually it was also very standard files but 5Gb size), no problem with kind of bug when smb stopped and gave error on iWork.dmg file.. so all ok, now.. But why not to setup one (instead of many) page for Mac users, who trying to simply use (and in simple way) this device?Why should we (not Lynux geeks but simple Mac users) spend days trying to get information from many different pages (for ex to understand that afpd auto run is explained on one page but how to activate this script on absolutely another one etc etc), learn Lynux and trying to contact geeks without success? May one day, someone will do it and I am ready to help to share my personal 3 days "nightmare" experience..

Well, I think more or less good step-by-step instruction how to to make 323 friendly for Mac user is here http://www.horto.ca/?p=10.
But still, there is no complete document explaining what should be done with 323 to use it with Mac. There is plenty hacks (exactly right word here), but no "instruction manual" for someone who is not unix geek but rather simple mac user (ok, may be we can call it advanced user). In my case I have done only AFP setup and now the only problem bother me is lack of access control via AFP. For ex. 2 my other Macs seamlessly connects to 323.. but beside user/pass restriction same users getting access to whole volume1. However, if connection done via smb then restrictions are in place. It can be good example of current situation when you passing through learning Lynux to setup your device for simple and hassles Mac access, but ultimately you facing other small problems (see above) which are not explained in one place. Again, my point remain the same- initially 323 is NOT mac friendly and if you trying to find cost effective RAID NAS solution for tons of your: pics, aacs, mp3s and simply other files (large archives and docs), then remember you will need to spend (presumably you are not Lynux geek) days to search all wikis, googles, etc etc to compile and understand how to make it work. For me personally it was kind of funny to learn how to use text editor "vi" , actually I did not know that you will need it and only via telnet/ssh ) Then, even if you succeed, you will still need to learn other Lynux based things (for example, I am now learning and trying to find how to restrict access via AFP to 323 from other users in my LAN, etc etc).So, conclusion is simple- if you are just advanced Mac user with specific need (see above) , better spend 100$ more and buy something like Synology 207 or similar, which are Mac friendly initially (at least you dont need to spend time to setup AFP )

unlis wrote:

Well, I think more or less good step-by-step instruction how to to make 323 friendly for Mac user is here http://www.horto.ca/?p=10.

Maybe I am missing something, but I don't see any memtion of AFP at the URL. There is a reference to use 323 as time capsule but I assume the method can be used at any network drive and not unique to 323. Are there other URLs to make DNS-323 MAC friendly?

Yeah... after emailing back and forth with Unlis I was thinking of selling the 323 on Ebay and picking up a 207 myself (or even a 209).  They are Linux-based, but the spec sheet and all the reviews say that it supports AFP right out of the box.  That said, I finally got AFP working on the 323, myself.  Feel free to hurl insults at me, but...

After following all the Wikis on installing ffp, enabling ssh, installing appletalk/netatalk and the db42 package, modding the afpd.conf and AppleVolumes.default files, then adding an afpd.sh file to my startup folder I still had to figure out ON MY OWN that I needed to:

1.) "chmod a+x afpd.sh" IN the startup folder to actually have it run upon startup, and...

2.) Setup an FTP User Account on the 323 in order to mount it via AFP.

I'm sure this is all old hat to the many seasoned vets here, but I know almost NOTHING about Linux, and when someone tells me to put a file in the startup folder, I just ASSUME that means it will start up on a reboot.  What's more, setting up FTP to access AFP seems counterintuitive.  And while it might be out there (or on these boards somewhere) I didn't find ANYTHING that instructed me to perform these two very important steps.  I had to just keep guessing 'til something worked.

Having typed and assumed all that, IS there a way to mount the 323 as an AFP share WITHOUT logging in with an FTP account?  (Note: not via FTP, but with an FTP account)

Last edited by wonderbarn (2009-04-14 20:03:49)

Stork... that's interesting.  Let me clarify on the AFP share, and tell me if any of this makes any sense.  I'm running 10.3.9 on one system and 10.4.11 on the other, but the results are the same on both.  In order to get the AFP share working I have to:

1. Setup either group or individual FTP accounts to specific FOLDERS in the 323 web GUI.
2. These folders DO NOT show up when clicking Browse, but if I enter "afp://your323ipAddress/"...
3. A window pops up labeled "PERSONAL" that contains a dialogue which states "Select the volumes you wish to mount"
4. I click on whichever Folder I set up in Step 1, and I then have a bona fide AFP mount.

Now the other ways around leave me with situations SIMILAR to yours, but it doesn't ever work correctly.  Here's how it goes:

1. Setup either group or individual FTP accounts with ROOT access in the 323 web GUI.
2. The 323 DOES NOT show up when clicking Browse, but if I enter "afp://your323ipAddress/"...
3. A window pops up labeled "PERSONAL" that contains a dialogue which states "Select the volumes you wish to mount"
4. The only choice is FTP.  I click it and it mounts with both volumes visible, but opaque and showing that the mount is only 1.2mb in size.
5. Clicking on either volume makes it disappear.

Or...

1. Setup either group or individual NETWORK ACCESS with R/W priveleges and delete all ftp access in the 323 web GUI.
2. The 323 DOES show up when clicking Browse, but says that the alias could not be opened cuz the original item can't be found.  However, if I enter "afp://your323ipAddress/"...
3. A window pops up labeled "PERSONAL" that contains a dialogue which states "Select the volumes you wish to mount"
4. The only choice is FTP.  I click it and it mounts with both volumes visible, but opaque and showing that the mount is only 1.2mb in size.
5. Clicking on either volume makes it disappear.

As you can see, both of the last two efforts at connecting result in the same weird ftp mount with nothing in it.  Which is doubly weird in the second case as I've not set up any ftp access whatsoever.  I'm a little baffled.  In your situation, have you setup any ftp accounts whatsoever?  Are you getting login/password prompts when you mount via AFP?  If so, whose l/p are you using if you haven't set up an FTP account?

Finally, after all my hooing and hawing, I've discovered that while my afpd.sh file is "on" in the startup folder (bright green in a "ls" command via Putty), it must not be working properly as I still have to go in and manually tell AFP to start after each reset.  (i.e. "/ffp/sbin/afpd")  Any clues what I might be missing?  I copied the script straight from the Wiki.  I'm aware that I can put a line in the fun_plug that will start AFP, but haven't found anyplace that tells me HOW to do that.  Help would still be appreciated.

Thanks
jg

Last edited by wonderbarn (2009-04-15 07:40:33)

lotech wrote:

If only Bonjour was as easy to setup as AFP was!

Have you tried http://www.inreto.de/dns323/fun-plug/0. … html#avahi ? I don't think it's hard to configure the basic set of static services.

I am on Tiger and did not setup any ftp to be able to access to 323 via AFP. All what I do is command+k and put AFP://your 323 IP.