Cannot See RT-AC68U in Win 10 'Computers'

[Ydnaroo]

Hi. I have RT-68U running Merlin 384.9. I'm trying to set up a simple share using a drive in a USB socket on the router. I've done what I think is necessary in the router but when I go back to Win 10 explorer I cannot see the router in the Network-Computers area. The router appears in the Network Infrastructure section but not in the Computers area. All the other computers and my NAS appear in the window but not the RT-AC68U. The router is set as master browser. Is there anything I need to set in the router to make it appear in Windows? Any help appreciated. Cheers - Y

 

[martinr]

I’ve no experience in this area but do you need to turn on Network Place (Samba) Share on the router?


USB Application > Media services and Servers > Network Place (Samba) share tab

 

[ColinTaylor]

Try setting the SMB protocol to SMBv1.

 

[Zonkd]

For starters are you at least able to map the network drive on Windows? Then you’ll have access until you’ve worked out why NETBIOS isn’t making it visible. May work with smb v1 as Colin said

https://superuser.com/questions/1202441/windows-10-not-showing-computers-in-network-in-file-browser

“The feature you are talking about is called "computer browser". It uses a 1996 technology based on SMB version 1.0. It has never been reliable (because it uses broadcast and NetBIOS) and Microsoft is planning to deprecate it. Even if your Windows Firewall rules allow such traffic, the computers may still not appear.”

 

[adampk17]

Also check and see if your network type is set to private in Windows.

 

[Ydnaroo]

Hi. Thanks all for your replies. I've just got in and have to go out again for the evening (uk time). I'll have a look later/in the morning and get back then. Thanks again - Y

 

[Ydnaroo]

Hi again.

Just to recap: I had up to 4 Win 10 PCs and a NAS on the network and all the PCs could see the others and the NAS in the Windows browser but not the Router. On the router Samba page it was set to enabled with the default device name (RT-AC68U-xxx), WORKGROUP set, SMBv2, Master browser on and a folder to share configured at the bottom of the page. The PCs were all set as Private network with network discovery and sharing enabled. Non of the PCs were set to use SMBv1.

I used a handy little app called Lanscan to confirm all the connected devices were on the network and it showed them all including the router (using the -g switch) and also confirmed that the router was working as master browser.

I tried mapping the drive using \\RT-68u-xxxx\Share but for some reason couldn't connect. After a bit of messing about checking, rebooting PC router etc (I was getting fed up typing the device name), I went to the router and changed the Device name on the Samba page to 'Router' and tried again and it worked! I cannot imagine why it didn't work before, I had copied & pasted the original default device name from the router to windows to ensure it wasn't finger trouble but it still didn't work. Anyway, it works now and I can mount a drive or copy a shortcut to the desktop to access a folder.

The Router still doesn't show in any of the windows browsers but it does show on an iPad in Network Neighbourhood!?

Anyway I'm sorted now. Thanks to all for you contribution.

Off to see if I can find an idiots guide to setting up and adding a couple of command lines to JFFS.

Cheers - Y

 

[ColinTaylor]

Non of the PCs were set to use SMBv1.

Just to reiterate (if it wasn't already apparent), being able to browse SMB shares is a feature of SMBv1 only. If your devices are only using SMBv2 then that won't work.

 

[Ydnaroo]

Just to reiterate...

OK thanks. Probably didn't grasp that when you posted (and I'm getting out of my depth here ). If you don't mind, what 'method' is used with SMBv2 /3 to show connected devices in windows explorer? Assume the RT-AC68U/Merlin doesn't support that protocol. I'd thought that as all my devices that are set to work without SMBv1 can seen in windows explorer that I'd be able see the RT-AC68U as well. Obviously mistaken there.

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago when a Windows update turned SMBv1 off and I lost visability of my Synology NAS. I has to enable SMBv1 on my PCs until Synology enabled SMBv2 in their DSM software. When when SMBv2 was implemented in the NAS the DiskStation reappeared in Windows explorer without SMBv1 being enabled on the PC(s).

Cheers - Y

 

[ColinTaylor]

If you don't mind, what 'method' is used with SMBv2 /3 to show connected devices in windows explorer?

In terms of "discovering" devices on the network, there isn't one. SMBv2/3 doesn't have any equivalent function (Thanks Microsoft ). Windows PC's can discover each other because they use multiple other techniques, none of which are a part of the SMB protocol. For SMBv2/3-only devices Microsoft expects you to already know the UNC of the storage device and for you to type it in (i.e. \\RT-AC68U\SHARE1. Wow that's a great step forward ). Of course after you've done this once the share will then show up in Windows Explorer (allowing you to map a drive if you want), until you reboot your PC.

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago when a Windows update turned SMBv1 off and I lost visability of my Synology NAS. I has to enable SMBv1 on my PCs until Synology enabled SMBv2 in their DSM software. When when SMBv2 was implemented in the NAS the DiskStation reappeared in Windows explorer without SMBv1 being enabled on the PC(s).

I don't know anything about Synology. So all I can say is if it isn't using SMBv1 but it can still be discovered by just browsing with Windows Explorer then it must be using one of the other methods to advertise itself. I can't guess what method that might be, but it won't be using Samba (SMB).

 

[Ydnaroo]

Loads of stuff...

Hi again Colin. Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. I'm obviously getting far out of my depth here so I'll just have to accept that it all works by 'magic'. I've got what I want working now so I'll settle for that. Thanks again - Y

 

[Klueless]

All I saw was the buzzword Windows 10. Windows has moved forward and they are trying to tell us to too by removing default support SMB v1. Most routers are still using v1 because that's all that fits.

I don't know if this will still work (Microsoft is a moving target) but it might be worth a try? From Windows;

• From cortina (or that search bullet) select apps and type/search for Turn Windows features on or off
• Open it
• Scroll for SMB1.0/CIFS File Sharing in the list of optional features that appears
• Select the appropriate checkboxes
• Click OK
• Reboot

Good Luck