Help! Something is clashing with my NAS after years of trouble free use

[Steve.wong]

My Mac will no longer read my NAS for more than a few minutes, before the virtual drives disappear. Something must be clashing with it. I tried both static and variable addresses; same problem. By a process of elimination, I think the problem may be caused by my Synology Drive client. I set this up to hold my Adobe Lightroom catalogue and enable the folder to be shared. It works reliably for the main computer, but I've not tried accessing on other computers - however, I can't access any of the folders on the drive, and most times the Synology assistant fails to connect to the NAS. However, my Macbook pro can connect to the NAS - its not using the Synology Drive or trying to access the Lightroom catalogue. So the most logical conclusion is that the Synology Drive is blocking the rest of the NAS, perhaps when it synchronises? The result is that most of the time I cant connect at all using "Connect to Server", but when I do manage to connect, the virtual drives will work for a while and then suddenly disappear for no apparent reason.

If the Synology Drive is the reason for my problems, should I delete the connection and if so, how do I delete the rather large catalogue folder that was on it in order to regain space on my NAS?

 

[Rusty]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I see you are using the 215J model (if that is the case here). If you are getting such sporadic disconnects it could be that your NAS is under some CPU or pool/volume load.

Can you share the Storage Manager screen to see how the NAS behaves in general? Are any specific apps other than the Drive running on it?

 

[Steve.wong]

I can't connect to the Synology. (other than the Synology Drive Client) at all on my desktop Mac at the moment. I'll fire up my laptop and get a screenshot of the storage manager. I'm not running any other apps. I don't recall having any of these issues with connection until I started using the Drive Client.

 

[Rusty]

I can't connect to the Synology. (other than the Synology Drive Client) at all on my desktop Mac at the moment. I'll fire up my laptop and get a screenshot of the storage manager. I'm not running any other apps. I don't recall having any of these issues with connection until I started using the Drive Client.

Just don't do anything rash. It could be that the array is scrubbing in the background as well, and that can have a massive impact on the drives. With a J model CPU that could be the reason your NAS is semi responsive.

 

[Deleted member 5784]

It could be that the array is scrubbing in the background as well, and that can have a massive impact on the drives. With a J model CPU that could be the reason your NAS is semi responsive.

Can a DS215J do scrubbing? I thought the J models were ext4 only?

 

[Rusty]

Can a DS215J do scrubbing? I thought it was ext4 only?

ofc it can. It can be done on any nas model and array. That doesn’t mean this is the case here but it could be.

 

[Steve.wong]

What is scrubbing? And why did the synology work perfectly for years and then get more and more difficult to connect to? Today I can't even get the Synology Assistant to connect to it.. I've uploaded the Synology drive client in case that helps to diagnose the problem. It all means nothing to me!

 

[Rusty]

You need to stay calm. Scrubb was just an estimate from me, that doesnt mean it is happening or that it is the source of the problem.

Can you describe if you are able to connect to the NAS or not? Does the UI load up at all? Any "visual" info in the Storage Manager? Let's take it from there and see where it might lead to.

 

[Steve.wong]

This is what happens with my main computer. It's connected directly by a LAN to the same BT router that the Synology is attached to.

 

[Rusty]

LEDs on the NAS itself? Colors, blinking, not blinking? Cable connected in the back ok (its LEDs?)?

Do you have maybe SSH port enabled to try and connect to it via Terminal on your Mac?

 

[Steve.wong]

By contrast, even with the LAN disconnected, I can access the Synology using find.synology.com on the internet. So it seems to be a problem with the internal network rather than specifically a problem with the NAS...?

LAN, Disk 1 and Disk 2 light blink continuously always. The LAN blinks in a slightly different rhythm to the other two. Status is green light. How do I enable (or disable?) the SSH port

-- post merged: 12. Oct 2022 --

OK, using find.synology.com online I've accessed the storage manager. I notice that the disk is 94% full. Could this be the problem? What percentage space do the disks in the NAS need to have clear in order to work efficiently?

-- post merged: 12. Oct 2022 --

The file station is working at full speed for browsing. Whereas on the Mac finder, it takes an age and the drive disappears more often than not. So something is clashing between the NAS and the computer that works fine between the NAS and the internet, despite going through the same router.

 

[Deleted member 5784]

Can a DS215J do scrubbing? I thought the J models were ext4 only?

ofc it can. It can be done on any nas model and array.

Data Scrubbing | DSM - Synology Knowledge Center

Synology Knowledge Center offers comprehensive support, providing answers to frequently asked questions, troubleshooting steps, software tutorials, and all the technical documentation you may need.

kb.synology.com

Sorry I'm still not seeing this. The Synology kb article above says that "Data scrubbing is only supported on Btrfs volumes or storage pools of the following RAID types: SHR (consisting of three or more drives), RAID 5, RAID 6, or RAID F1."

The DS215J (afaiw) is not Btrfs capable, and is a 2 drive unit, so doesn't meet the 2nd RAID type criteria either.
What am I missing here? I have a family member with a 2-drive 'J' unit and would like to enable scrubbing if it is indeed possible.

 

[Rusty]

Data Scrubbing | DSM - Synology Knowledge Center

Synology Knowledge Center offers comprehensive support, providing answers to frequently asked questions, troubleshooting steps, software tutorials, and all the technical documentation you may need.

kb.synology.com

Sorry I'm still not seeing this. The Synology kb article above says that "Data scrubbing is only supported on Btrfs volumes or storage pools of the following RAID types: SHR (consisting of three or more drives), RAID 5, RAID 6, or RAID F1."

The DS215J (afaiw) is not Btrfs capable, and is a 2 drive unit, so doesn't meet the 2nd RAID type criteria either.
What am I missing here? I have a family member with a 2-drive 'J' unit and would like to enable scrubbing if it is indeed possible.

My mistake, not scrubbing but SMART on the drives. I was thinking of one thing, wrote another.

 

[jeyare]

@All
according to the way as OP described the problem, he has no idea about the basics of NAS functionality. It is normal.
Next, he created the Debug.log, which people with similar experiences don't even know exists. And no one asked him for such step.
And then he expects someone to open it and let the mess into computer?
Nice try.
Gents do not touch.
Uros, Rusty, Fredbert pls delete it.

 

[jeyare]

Lessons learnt:
1. Never open attachments you didn't ask for. Never.

2. Assess the entire context of the debate:

• who writes it
• as it was written
• as he/she answers.

3. If someone writes as a total beginner, he/she will 100% not send you Syno logs by him/herself. I think we've already seen tons of discussions here about how to guide newbies to find logs.

4. If someone sends you a screenshot from Synology Assistant, which reports that it has not detected any NAS in his/her LAN, and yet the "Server name" column contains the data "synlogy", and even the "WOL status" contains the data "Off", then it is an imperfectly edited screenshot that competes for your trust:

And this is what the screen looks like when Synology Assistant really doesn't find anything:

Watch out for such events!

-- post merged: 13. Oct 2022 --

To be sure - I don't use Synology Assistant (today, it was just for reference) because it's a blind tool.
It is 100x better to use - Advanced IP Scanner; it will also find what you might not want to see on the network:

Advanced IP Scanner - Download Free Network Scanner.

Advanced IP Scanner shows all network devices, gives you access to shared folders, and can even remotely switch computers off. Download it Free.

www.advanced-ip-scanner.com

 

[jeyare]

So the story ended.
Uros,
maybe you should keep this thread so that people can learn.

I think that if people learn that they should not click on any link, install the another “amazing” docker container, ... then there will be fewer reports about attacked computers, NASes, ...
And above all, they should consider what sources they will read. Because those quick tips with a “guy in a tie with a big head” can turn out the same way. Of course, no one will stop you at that source.

 

[Steve.wong]

I'm very disappointed! I sent a genuine screenshot and I receive a whole tirade of insults, implying that I'm pretending to know more than I do, and some weirdness about a debug.log. I have no idea what you are talking about. I am very handy with Photoshop as it happens, but that screenshot is genuine, unedited and yes, its weird that it says 1 synology found while also sending the popup message. I did think that I might find some help rather than a conspiracy theory. I have no idea what a syno log is, thanks. I just sent a screenshot of what appears when I try to use Synology assistant at the moment - after many years of having no problems.

In case there is anybody reading who actually wants to help, I will repeat my question (and sorry if I don't understand networks, I'm just trying to get my Synolody working again so I can access my photo collection, which is now getting pretty urgent. Is it possible that the fact that the disks in my Synology are rather full? If so, why can I access it through the internet but not directly through the same LAN that connects it to the internet.

 

[Telos]

@All
according to the way as OP described the problem, he has no idea about the basics of NAS functionality. It is normal.
Next, he created the Debug.log, which people with similar experiences don't even know exists. And no one asked him for such step.
And then he expects someone to open it and let the mess into computer?
Nice try.
Gents do not touch.
Uros, Rusty, Fredbert pls delete it.

What's this about? I see no link, nothing about debug here, and no one named "Uros"... all except the screenshot comparison, which to me, is not indicative of any threat. Is this posted for another thread?

 

[Steve.wong]

Could somebody please answer my enquiry? I have a Synology NAS that worked brilliantly for years, and now I cant access the files on my disks within the NAS. I'm just trying to solve it. No conspiracy theories please, I just want some suggested actions. And surely the fact that the Assistant can find the Synology but at the same time posts an error message saying that it didnt find the Synology server should provide a good clue for somebody who understands these matters...?

 

[Telos]

I've never used SA to connect to my NAS. The router gives me the NAS IP, and I use that, along with the HTTPS (or HTTP) port I specified on the NAS.

Another option is "find.synology.com", but I stick with the router, and or a simple app like Nirsoft's WakeMeOnLAN.

Hopefully you set a reserved IP for the NAS through your router... Assigning fixed IPs via the NAS network settings can lead to complications, requiring a mode 1 reset.