Router: MoFi 4500 4GXeLTE-V2, Sim2

[Ken Morgan]

I just this evening joined your forum! I'm really hoping someone can help me with a few problems I'm having with the above modem/router. Here's some background information.

Two-computer network
OS: CentOS

For many years I've had Charter as my ISP and had a network that met all our needs with a cable modem and a Linksys Wireless-G 2.4 GHz router. (I shut the wireless feature off--I do everything hard-wired.) I have now moved, and Charter is not available. Now I'm using this MOFI modem/router with an ethernet cable that goes into a Netgear 5-port switch.

Okay now for the first problem. The two computers in our home network are used by my wife and I to maintain the Web sites I've developed. So it is absolutely essential that the Linux mount command works. I've never had any trouble mounting a directory of one computer onto the other--until MOFI. Here's the syntax that always used to work with the LINKSYS router; now it just hangs:

[root@localhost1 kmorgan]# mount -t nfs localhost2.localdomain:/home /mnt/localhost2

Here are the alternative "guesses" I've tried and the result:

[root@localhost1 kmorgan]# mount -t nfs localhost2.lan:/home /mnt/localhost2
mount.nfs: access denied by server while mounting localhost2.lan:/home

mount -t nfs 192.168.10.100.lan:/home /mnt/localhost2
mount.nfs: Failed to resolve server 192.168.10.100.lan: Name or service not known

[root@localhost1 kmorgan]# mount -t nfs 192.168.10.100:/home /mnt/localhost2
mount.nfs: access denied by server while mounting 192.168.10.100:/home

Note: 192.168.10.100 is the current IP address assigned by the DHCP server on the MOFI router ("Active Leases"). The "System eth0", "IPv4 Settings" on both computers is "Automatic (DHCP)." With the LINKSYS router, I always used fixed IP addresses for both computers.

Does anyone have some experience with the MOFI 4500 modem/router and can give me any suggestions?

Thanks so much.

Ken

 

[thiggins]

Can you ping the IP address of each machine from the other?
Have you checked the log on the server machine to see if it contains any clues?

Have you checked that NFS is actually running on the target machine by doing a port scan.
(Fing is a handy Android / iOS app that can be used.)

 

[ColinTaylor]

You appear to have two separate problems.

1. It looks like your network's domain name has changed (or perhaps your local DNS isn't setup properly). I'm guessing that previously it was ".localdomain" and now it might be ".lan". So for now just use the server's IP address for testing purposes (192.168.10.100:/home).

2. Even when using it's IP address the server is refusing access to the share. My guess is that is because the IP address range of your subnet has changed. It's now 192.168.10.x whereas previously it was something else. On the server PC look in /etc/exports and see if you are restricting access to the share to a particular IP address or range. i.e.

/home 192.168.0.100(rw,sync,no_root_squash,no_all_squash)

 

[Ken Morgan]

thiggins:

(1)"Can you ping the IP address of each machine from the other?" -- Yes, both pings work.

(2) "Have you checked the log on the server machine to see if it contains any clues?" -- I'm not sure what you mean by "server machine." Is it the MOFI 4500? If so, its dashboard menu had an item "Gather Support Logs." But when I clicked it, the only thing that came up was "Get User Info" and places to fill in "Name," "Email," and "Description of Problem." Doesn't seem to be what we were looking for. I didn't see anything else about logs in the menu.

(3) "Have you checked that NFS is actually running on the target machine by doing a port scan." Yes, NFS is enabled and running on both computers.

Colin Taylor:

(1) Okay, I'll continue doing that as we experiment.

(2) I checked /etc/exports on the localhost1 computer and am much embarrassed that it contained the old IP address of 192.168.1.200 for the localhost2 computer. This was a static IP given by me to the localhost2 computer when editing eth0 under the tab "IPv4." It always worked fine with the LinkSys router. But so far I've let MOFI's DHCP server have its way and assign IPs to both computers. How to make static IPs work with MOFI will be my next question after the solution to the mount problem. So for now I've put MOFI's current IP for localhost2 in the /etc/exports file of localhost1;

/ 192.168.10.100(rw,sync,no_root_squash,no_all_squash)
/home 192.168.10.100(rw,sync no_root_squash,no_all_squash)

However, mount still doesn't work:

[root@localhost1 kmorgan]# mount -t nfs 192.168.10.100:/home /mnt/localhost2
mount.nfs: access denied by server while mounting 192.168.10.100:/home

[root@localhost1 kmorgan]# mount -t nfs 192.168.10.100.lan:/home /mnt/localhost2
mount.nfs: Failed to resolve server 192.168.10.100.lan: Name or service not known

[root@localhost1 kmorgan]# mount -t nfs localhost2:/home /mnt/localhost2
mount.nfs: access denied by server while mounting localhost2:/home

[root@localhost1 kmorgan]# mount -t nfs localhost2.lan:/home /mnt/localhost2
mount.nfs: access denied by server while mounting localhost2.lan:/home

What is the "server" in these messages--"access denied by server"? MOFI? Computer 1? Or computer 2?

Ken

 

[ColinTaylor]

What is the "server" in these messages--"access denied by server"? MOFI? Computer 1? Or computer 2?

I believe it's referring to the NFS server on localhost2.

Just to clarify something, can you issue this command on localhost1 and show us the results please.

nslookup localhost2

and then do the opposite on localhost2

nslookup localhost1

 

[ColinTaylor]

(2) I checked /etc/exports on the localhost1 computer and ...

You need to edit the exports file on localhost2 because that is the NFS server, not localhost1. You also need to reboot localhost2 to effect the changes (or issue an "exportfs -rv" command).

Given the above you may have been using the IP addresses the wrong way around. Issuing the nslookup commands I gave earlier should clarify that.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Thanks so much, Colin.

On localhost1:

[kmorgan@localhost1 ~]$ nslookup localhost2
Server:       192.168.10.1
Address:   192.168.10.1#53

Name:   localhost2.lan
Address: 192.168.10.100

[kmorgan@localhost1 ~]$

On localhost2:

[kmorgan@localhost2 ~]$ nslookup localhost1
Server:       192.168.10.1
Address:   192.168.10.1#53

Name:   localhost1.lan
Address: 192.168.10.188

[kmorgan@localhost2 ~]$

Also on localhost2, the exports file was still the static IP that I used for localhost1 with LinkSys: 192.168.1.100. Yes, I know that the "100" is confusing. With LinkSys, the address of localhost1 was 192.168.1.100 and for localhost2 192.168.1.200. As I mentioned, these were both static addresses. Somehow during my fiddling, MOFI's DHCP server gave these addesses:

localhost1: 192.168.10.188 (former static address: 192.168.1.100)
localhost2: 192.168.10.100 (former static address: 192:168.1.200)

Note also:

The LinkSys router's address was 192.168.1.1
MOFI's address is 192.168.10.1 (called "Server" in nslookup's command)

It's fairly late here in USA Eastern Time. Have to be getting to bed.

I'm looking forward to "talking" with you tomorrow!

Ken

 

[ColinTaylor]

OK. Thanks Ken, that's clarified a lot of stuff.

We now know that your local domain is called ".lan" whereas previously it was ".locadomain". We also have confirmed the hostnames and IP addresses. So we shouldn't need to use hard-coded IP addresses anymore.

So what we need in the /etc/exports file on localhost2 is:

/home localhost1(rw,sync,no_root_squash,no_all_squash)

Then reboot localhost2 to effect the changes (you could just issue an "exportfs -rv" but I never trust NFS ).

Now on localhost1 we should be able to mount the drive:

mkdir -p /mnt/localhost2 # Just in case it doesn't already exist
mount -t nfs localhost2:/home /mnt/localhost2

That should be it.

EDIT: Removed ".lan" suffixes from exports file and mount command just to keep things simple.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Yes, mounting worked both ways, localhost1 onto localhost2 and vice versa. Thanks so much, Colin.

You may recall there was an ominous line in my first post on this thread: "Okay now for the first problem." That "first problem" is now solved. Are you up to another one? It's still under the same subject line for this thread, and this next problem probably has much more to do with MOFI itself.

I mentioned that with my cable modem and LinkSys router, I gave localhost1 and localhost2 static IP addresses, and everything worked perfectly. I use the GNOME desktop and under System --> Preferences --> Network Connections I simply edited "System eth0" as follows: under tab "IPv4" I set "Method" to "Manuel" and typed in the IP I wanted to use. But now I have MOFI. To satisfy MOFI, I changed "Method" to "Automatic (DHCP)" on both computers. I would like to go back to static IPs for localhosts 1 and 2, and the man who installed MOFI on our roof said it can be done--but he didn't know how to do it. So I fiddled with MOFI a bit. I've attached a screenshot of MOFI's "DHCP" page. You'll notice that I have the "DHCP-Server" enabled, and the current IPs for my two computers, chosen by MOFI, are under "Active Leases." You'll also notice the "Leasetime remaining."

In my fiddling, I managed to disable MOFI's DHCP-Server, remove the entries under Active Leases, and put the IP addresses I wanted for my two computers into the "Static Leases" box. I also went back to "Manual" with my static addresses for eth0 on both computers. I was rather proud of myself after all this until I found that I no longer had access to the Internet!!!

So...what would be the correct way to give my two computers MY static addresses, say something like this:

localhost1: 192.168.10.60
localhost2: 192.168.10.61

Ken

 

[ColinTaylor]

Glad to hear that you got NFS to work.

OK first let's agree some common terminology...

A "static IP address" is one that you configure manually on the client's network interface (eth0). You also have to manually configure things like DNS server addresses, netmasks and gateway addresses. Because you aren't using DHCP at all the router is usually completely unaware of the clients existence with regards to DNS name resolution. I strongly recommend you don't use this for anything other than a stand-alone infrastructure server. Hard-coding IP addresses on clients will come back to bite you in the future, as we have just seen with the NFS setup.

A "DHCP reservation" is sometimes (confusingly) called "manual assignment", "static reservation", "static lease", etc.. This is invariably what you want for most client devices. You simply set the client's network interface to "DHCP" and then manage all your client's settings centrally from the router's DHCP server.

So with all that said, the first thing to do is make sure both your PC's are setup as DHCP clients.

Next you want to create DHCP reservations for each of your PC's. I assume this is what the MOFI calls a "Static Lease". So click the "Add" button and enter the details for the first PC.

I've never seen the MOFI interface so I don't know what it looks like, but basically you need to enter (or select) the MAC address of the PC (00:1c:0c:b2:d7:91), then assign it your desired IP address (192.168.10.60). Sometimes there is also an option to enter a host name for the client (localhost1). After you've added that information do the same thing for localhost2, entering the appropriate MAC and IP address.

Once all that's been saved on the MOFI, power off both PC's. Then turn off the MOFI, wait a couple of seconds, and turn it back on. Wait for it to fully boot before turning your PC's back on. They should now pick up the new IP addresses from the MOFI's DHCP server.

EDIT: OK I think I've found a manual for the MOFI. It looks like after clicking "Add" you can select the PC's MAC address from a drop down list, enter a host name for it and (hopefully) over-write the IP address shown for the one you want.

EDIT2: And of course, because we used hostnames rather than IP addresses in our /etc/exports files we can change the IP addresses of the PC's without having to go back and edit those files.

 

[sfx2000]

So with all that said, the first thing to do is make sure both your PC's are setup as DHCP clients.

Next you want to create DHCP reservations for each of your PC's. I assume this is what the MOFI calls a "Static Lease". So click the "Add" button and enter the details for the first PC.

I've never seen the MOFI interface so I don't know what it looks like, but basically you need to enter (or select) the MAC address of the PC (00:1c:0c:b2:d7:91), then assign it your desired IP address (192.168.10.60). Sometimes there is also an option to enter a host name for the client (localhost1). After you've added that information do the same thing for localhost2, entering the appropriate MAC and IP address.

@ColinTaylor -Treat it like DD-WRT - looking at their WebGUI, it looks very similar...

@Ken Morgan - consider changing the hostnames if you can for the two client machines - makes things easier to keep track of - localhost by itself is a reserved name, and I've seen some odd things happen there because of that.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Sorry for the delay. All kinds of chores keep pulling me away from the conputers!

Okay, here we go.

(1) Your paragraph beginning "A "static IP address" is one that you configure manually on the client's network interface (eth0)..."

Are you suggesting that I should NOT configure the eth0 on both computers with a static IP address that I type in after setting "Method" as "Manuel" instead of "Automatic (DHCP)"? More on this as your paragraphs develop.

(2) Your paragraph beginning "A "DHCP reservation" is sometimes (confusingly)..."

You state that a "static lease" is what we should have "for most client devices." Since your previous paragraph suggested keeping the configuration of eth0 on the two computers as "Automatic (DHCP)," the "static lease" you refer here must be the "static lease" on MOFI. The remainder of this paragraph seems to confirm that I understood your previous paragraph correctly.

(3) Your paragraph beginning "So with all that said..."

Okay. This is the way they currently are configured, again confirming that I understood (1) correctly.

(4) Your paragraph beginning "Next you want to create DHCP reservations for each of your PCs..."

Now we're getting to the knitty gritty--the MOFI monster! Using the image I uploaded of MOFI's "DHCP" page on its dashboard, I assume you want to leave the box "DHCP-Server" set at "enable." Next, I should fill in the information for each computer by clicking the "Add" button in the box entitled "Static Leases."

Since I haven't set any manuel (static) IP addresses when configuring the eth0 on each computer, I assume this information to "Add" in the "Static Leases" box on MOFI is the data cureently in the box entitled "Active Leases."

But the last column in "Actve Leases" is "Leasetime remaining." How can a "Hostname," "MAC-Address," and "IPv4-Address" be both "static" and have a "leasetime"?

(5) Your paragraph beginning "I've never seen the MOFI interface..."

Perhaps this paragraph has the answer to my previous question. Should I fill in the "Static Leases" with the IP's I want (e.g., 192.168.10.60) but fill in "Hostname" and "MAC-Address" the same as they are in the "Active Leases" box? Your comments in "EDIT" 1 seems to imply "yes" to this question. Am I right?

Have I interpreted all your suggestions correctly, and should I go ahead and try all this on the MOFI "DHCP" dashboard page?

Thanks again. You are really a great help!

Ken

 

[ColinTaylor]

(1) Do not use manual on the computers, use DHCP instead.

(2) Yes, a "static lease" on MOFI - also called a "DHCP reservation" because the DHCP server "reserves" the IP address you specify for the DHCP client that has the matching MAC address. That way the specified client will always get the same IP address.

(4) It's because they (the MOFI) are using the word "static" incorrectly. This is not uncommon and why I was at pains to use the correct term "DHCP reservation". I suppose they would argue that because the IP address given out by the DHCP server is always the same it is "static". I would disagree with that use of the word.

(5) Yes do that. Remember that it's all based off the client's MAC address. So provided you have the correct MAC address you can give it any IP address and hostname you like.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Colin, sorry again for this delay. I remain very interested in what you're helping me with. However, in addition to the "chores" I mentioned, yesterday and today we've had some pretty bad thunder and lightning storms come through. I shut the computers down and pull the plugs when that occurs. I have to shut them down now. Be back as soon as the storms pass. --Ken

 

[Ken Morgan]

I went ahead with (5) in your previous post, creating one "Add" in the "Static Leases" box for localhost1. When I rebooted MOFI, disaster struck! The usual page opens up on which I need to put in the password. But it's only up for about two seconds. Then another page appears, absolutely bear except for this:

/usr/lib/lua/luci/dispatcher.lua:582: bad argument #1 to 'pairs' (table expected, got nil) stack traceback:
   [C]: in function 'pairs'
   /usr/lib/lua/luci/dispatcher.lua:582: in function 'createtree'
   /usr/lib/lua/luci/dispatcher.lua:230: in function 'dispatch'
   /usr/lib/lua/luci/dispatcher.lua:195: in function </usr/lib/lua/luci/dispatcher.lua:194>

I have no idea what this means, and I now cannot log into the MOFI dashboard.

Do you have any suggestions?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Do you have any suggestions?

Personally, I would do factory default reset and setup the MOFI again. Press and hold the Reset/WPS button on the back of the MOFI for 10 seconds.

EDIT: Same problem reported here. So if you're able to log into the MOFI with SSH you can delete the cache file.

 

[Ken Morgan]

That is not so easy to do because the MOFI is mounted on the roof of our house. I had it installed there to minimize the electromagnetic waves coming into the house from a transmitter to reach the router. Instead, what comes into the house is an ethernet cable.

In addition, the MOFI is in a box/container to protect it from the whether. Since I did not install it, physically resetting MOFI would be questionable.

Once before I managed to do something that kept me from getting the login page using the normal 192.168.10.1. The man who installed it gave me a different IP that would allow logging into it. It had a "99" in it, but I can't remember the exact IP. I tried the most likely possibilities (192.168.10.99, 192.168.99.10, and 192.168.99.1, and 192.168.1.99) but none worked.

I'll try calling the installer tomorrow. He won't like it, because he doesn't like his customers fiddling with the router. It was only because of my background with computers that he gave me the password!

Ken

 

[ColinTaylor]

If SSH is enabled on the MOFI try the solution in the link I gave you:

Login through ssh

rm -r /tmp/luci-indexcache

 

[ColinTaylor]

Do you have the ability to power off and on the MOFI. Given that the file I mentioned in the previous post resides under /tmp it's possible that just power cycling the router might clear the problem.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Yes, the router was set up to include power cycle capability in the house. I've often rebooted that way instead of using "Reboot" in the menu. I'm embarrassed that I didn't try the power cycle for this emergency. I guess I just assumed there was no difference between the two methods to reboot.

So I just now power-cycled the router and the dashboard came up! What a relief! Thanks so much for recommending that.

By the way, the rm command didn't work:

[kmorgan@localhost1 ~]$ rm -r /tmp/luci-indexcache
rm: cannot remove `/tmp/luci-indexcache': No such file or directory
[kmorgan@localhost1 ~]$

Now about what I did to cause all this trouble. Both computers were in the "Active Leases" box on MOFI's "DHCP page. So I put the information for localhost1 in the "Static Leases" box. What was strange was that MOFI would automatically put the IP for localhost1 in "Active Leases" (192.168.10.188) in parentheses following the MAC address in the "Static Leases" box. In the IP address entree box in "Static Leases," I put 192.168.10.60. Thus there were conflicting IP addresses for this entry in the "Static Leases" box. Could this have caused the cryptic message when trying to log into MOFI after rebooting it (from the menu)?

Also, now that the dashboard is up again, the entry I made in "Static Leases" is still there (complete with the conflicting IP addresses), but the "Active Leases" box is empty!

Let's pick up at this point tomorrow. Again, I much appreciate your help.