NAS

[Andrew Douglas]

I'm trying to connect my Brennan to my laptop.

I've gone onto the Brennan Setting/Maitenance/NAS and pressed start NAS and I get the "Done" message.

On my laptop I have Windows 10 but I have the start menu on "vintage" to make it look like a Windows 7 start up menu.

When I press the start menu I can see "Network connections" and when I press this I can see "wireless network connections" and "Bluetooth network connections" etc but not "Brennan".

Am I looking in the wrong place on my laptop? I only have an SD card on Brennan not a hard drive. Can I do this with only SD card? Finally, it says you only have to start NAS on the Brennan once. As I have had trouble locating my Brennan on the laptop I've gone back to settings and every time I do it says start NAS.

Can anyone assist/advise me please.

Andy

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Andy,

When you go into 'Settings' you will always see 'Start NAS'.  If you turn the knob one more click clockwise you will see 'Stop NAS'.  So the first time you clicked on 'Start NAS' that has proboably worked OK, and NAS on the B2 is now running.

The place to find your B2 is in 'Internet Explorer', in the 'Network' section.  It should show as 'BrennanB2' and when you click on this, you will see a folder called 'music'.

There can be a situation in Windows10 where the B2 might not show up in Internet Explorer, so if you don't have the 'BrennanB2' showing in 'Network' just post back here and we should be able to help you sort that out. 

Regards,

Peter.

[PMB]

Hi Andy,

When you selected 'Start NAS' are you sure you saw 'Done' - NAS wasn't included in earlier software and selecting it showed a 'must upgrade SD Card' or similar, message.

It could also be a Win10 settings issue - go to Programs > Turn Windows features on and off > scroll down to SMB1.0 > expand (click the +) > enable SMB1.0 Client > confirm (your computer may need to restart).

Now check for BRENNANB2 under network.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Paul - just out of curiosity more than anything. Is it Raspberry Pie that requires SMB 1 to run to be enabled so we can run NAS for B2 & and are there any upgrades from that side that would allow running of NAS for B2 on Windows with the Microsoft updated SMB 2 or 3 - I hope that makes sense. Cheers Russ

[Mark Fishman]

> Is it Raspberry Pi that requires SMB 1 to run to be enabled so we can run NAS for B2

No. The Linux software running on your B2 is fine as is. It does NOT require SMB version 1. Other devices might complain if you don't turn on SMB 1 on Windows; for example the Sonos app wants it. But the B2 is smarter than that.

> allow running of NAS for B2 on Windows with the Microsoft updated SMB 2 or 3

Windows works perfectly well with a B2 as Network Attached Storage [NAS] using SMB version 2 (or possibly 3; since they're both running on Windows and the negotiation between devices doesn't tell me which is used, I can't say if it's using 2 or 3).

What does NOT work without SMB version 1 is "network browsing", and that's entirely on the Windows side of things. You can still connect to the B2 using the IP address, and possibly the device name -- it just doesn't show up when you try to "browse" for it in what used to be called the "Network Neighborhood". And the B2 is fairly slow to reply when you try to connect, at least the first time. But it's there, it eventually responds, you can see the contents of the B2's "music" folder in a Windows Explorer (a.k.a. File Manager) window.

You just can't browse for it unless you turn on SMB 1 in Windows 10, because browsing the network is tied inextricably (by Microsoft) to SMB 1.

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - thanks for that feedback. Background to the question was  about 1 year ago when I first attempted to set up NAS without SMB1 enabled & over several weeks it just would not be recognised by following the Brennan guidance. We tried many poss solutions and still no luck. I think in the end we mapped the B2 to a Network drive and worked things like that. Then a few weeks down the line my B2 had to be replaced under warranty (Separate issue) and since I have had the replacement I have not used NAS as I have 2 USB backups. Anyway yesterday I set up NAS for the first time as per Brennan site and with SMB1 enabled and lo and behold it worked at once. Like I say this query is simply my curiosity and caution as I am aware of the security issues surrounding SMB1. Cheers Russ

[PMB]

Hi Russell,

I did a bit of reading about the suspected security issues with SMB1.0 and if I read correctly it is SMB1.0 Server that is the problem. B2 appears to work with only SMB1.0 Client enabled.

Others may correct me....

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Paul

Yes - very good point and SMB Client is what I have enabled in Windows 10. I think you're correct about SMB Server being the issue and having vulnerability. Cheers Russ

[Mark Fishman]

> if I read correctly it is SMB1.0 Server that is the problem. B2 appears to work with only SMB1.0 Client enabled.

SMB 1 server is the core of the problem, yes. AND THE B2 IS RUNNING AN SMB 1 SERVER. Which should be disabled, BTW, as it encourages people to turn on the SMB 1 client, and it also puts the entire network at risk if router vulnerabilities are exploited. As Microsoft's Ned Pyle says,

The nasty bit is that no matter how you secure all these things, if your clients use SMB1, then a man-in-the-middle can tell your client to ignore all the above. All they need to do is block SMB2+ on themselves and answer to your server's name or IP. Your client will happily derp away on SMB1 and share all its darkest secrets unless you required encryption on that share to prevent SMB1 in the first place. This is not theoretical -- we've seen it.

SMB version 1 is NOT needed except for "network browsing". An alternative on Windows 10 is a one-time setup of "Add a network location" in the Windows Explorer, which will let you have a clickable named icon for your B2 that doesn't require you to map a network drive letter.

The fact that Sonos refuses to enable support for newer, less risky versions of SMB doesn't mean everyone else on the planet should roll over and expose their soft underbellies to Internet hackers. The B2 plays nicely with Windows 10 without having to enable the SMB 1 client on Windows, which means that the SMB 1 server on the B2 can be disabled.

Sonos has refused to update their software because they don't want you using anything except cloud-streaming locations. Their marketing focus is no excuse for anyone else remaining stuck pre-2009.

Useful references:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/storage-at-microsoft/stop-using-smb1/ba-p/425858#  (about halfway down is how to use the WS-DISCOVERY protocol to browse your network without SMB1)

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-tip-stop-using-the-horribly-insecure-smbv1-protocol/

https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2017/03/16/Microsoft-SMBv1-Vulnerability

https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2017/01/16/SMB-Security-Best-Practices

https://redmondmag.com/articles/2017/05/18/more-advice-on-disabling-windows-smb-1.aspx

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - Thanks for taking the trouble to put together that informative reply. I will have a play and set it up on Windows 10 as you suggest and see how I get on. I think this will be of interest to many as at the very least there does seem to be some confusion on how to safely set up B2 as NAS if you have Windows 10. Cheers Russ

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - I attempted to set up using "Add a Network Location" but within the process it seemed to need a FTP or Network address for the B2 which is currently visible on my home network. As this wasn't the IP or MAC address I am not sure where to find this - or if I am fully understanding what the Wizard is looking for. I did log into my Router as Administrator and looked at all the information available for the B2 - but nothing there seemed to help. Maybe I'm overthinking this but any thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers Russ

[Mark Fishman]

You're close. Microsoft likes to use their own form of English. The "network address" is, in fact, the IP address that is shown on your B2.

(For tech geeks: IP == Internet Protocol)

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - thanks for that - I was sure I had also tried the IP of my B2 but to no avail. However I was a bit angry yesterday with some failing DIY so I should be in a better frame of mind to look at setting it up today. I will let you know how I get on after I struggle with my on-line French lessons. Cheers Russ 

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - I thought I'd cracked it but the Wizard for ANL keeps forcing me down into the Names of Artists folders of my B2 to create the new network shortcut. So naturally if you follow that through, which I did as a test, I can create a named folder shortcut but it's pointing at nothing. I tried this a couple of different ways but the Wizard greys out options until at too low a level to be useful.  Any thoughts will be well received. Cheers Russ

[Mark Fishman]

I just did it again so here are some steps -- you tell me where my path diverges from yours.

Add Network Location Wizard -- next

Choose a custom network location -- next

Specify the location -- \\server\share -- next (see attached image for how this looks -- you do have to type, "browse" probably doesn't work)

enter credentials (b2ipaddress\root, etc.)

wait (might have to do previous 2 steps again -- the B2 can be slow to respond and Windows might time out)

eventually you get What do you want to name this location -- type a name you like if the offered one isn't acceptable -- next

Completing (you have successfully created) -- finish

Does that work for you?

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - many thanks for taking the time on this. My first thoughts are it may be "browsing" that was throwing things off for me as I was using that - but I am mid evening meal preparation,  so I will look at this fully later and let you know how I get on - probably tomorrow morning now as as am  suffering "screen eye" from today's adventures with French and B2. Enjoy your evening. Cheers Russ

[Mark Fishman]

FYI -- obviously I used the IP address of MY brennan B2, and you should use yours wherever it asks for an IP address.

The other thing I did that makes this work "forever", i.e., prevents the B2 from getting a different IP address, is nothing to do with either Windows or the B2. I went into the admin screens on my ROUTER and told it to give a "reserved address assignment" to the MAC address of my B2. A couple of things to watch out for:

 (a) an easy way to get the MAC address of your B2 is to make sure it's on and connected to the network, then look in the router for what devices are connected -- it should be able to show the MAC address of each device.

 (b) no router ever seems to use the words "reserved address assignment" but there should be some screen somewhere that offers the possibility of making sure that your B2 always gets assigned the same IP address. Look around. Keep an open mind for weird use of English.

Good luck -- m. (or, practicing my high-school French, bonne chance)

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - looks like the "bon chance" has worked a treat. I just typed in the details rather than browse and straight away the Wizard offered me the option to create a memorable name for the Network share. I still have to test it fully by removing SMB 1 Client and seeing if my new B2 network location will see the B2 and all the folders. Fingers X'd and at least it's a step forward. Cheers Russ

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Mark - Again !! - Good news, I have now disabled SMB 1 Client and rebooted my laptop. As expected the B2 is not visible as such on the network screen but I am able to access it through the newly created Network Location where the shortcut is in "This PC" and it sees everything. The only extra step was,  I had to put the B2 user name and password in (root/brennan) and tick the remember me box. Thanks very much for all your help on this and I suspect a few others in this forum will be very interested to set it up this way. Cheers Russ