LAN Data Drive - help needed

shockingmoment

After a recent data loss disaster just bought a Digimate LAN box for a networked hard drive.

Its sitting on a home ethernet network, connected to the internet via a Belkin router. Router is DHCP server. 4 PCs.
When I connect directly to configure the LAN drive - I get the choice of either IP or DHCP with the option for DHCP server. Disabled the latter so its just DHCP.

Re-boot the router. LAN drive connects, can see all the folders etc. Internet goes off. Switch the drive off, reboot the router. Internet back!.

Set the LAN drive to fixed IP. Same problem.

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Should I go fixed IP on the networked PCs and the LAN drive? PITA if it doesn't work though!

Thanks

wiraone

I have no experience on Digimate NAS, but most probably your NAS tries to be your DHCP server (assigning IPs) replacing the Belkin router. Check what IP address your NAS has.. and if it is the same IP as your Belkin router, that may cause this problem. If your Belkin router is at 192.168.1.1 .. and your PC IP address starts at 192.168.1.100 (some router will assign an IP range starting from 100 upwards), set your NAS to 192.168.1.10 (or any IP lower than the first assigned IP).

shockingmoment

Thanks for the reply Wiraone.

Router is 192.168.0.1 and assigns addresses 10 to 40. If I set the PCs on the network to 11..14, and the LAN drive to say 20?

Most of the time the PCs are at home so should be ok. When they're taken out )school, college etc) would I need to reset to DHCP?

Many thanks,

wiraone

I couldn't find any Digimate NAS user guide online, but from the specifications I found in some websites, it does indeed has DHCP server capability (which is bad if you've another DHCP server running on your network already). The only thing you need to do is to turn off this DHCP server option within the Digimate NAS setup page. Since your Belkin router is assigning IP addresses in the range of 10 to 40, it is safe to assign this Digimate NAS an IP address lower than 10. I would suggest giving it a fixed IP address 192.168.0.5. No further changes required on your PCs.

shockingmoment

Nice one - thanks again. I'll try this tonight. Really didn't want to set all the laptops / PCs to fixed IP.

BTW - Don't you sleep?

shockingmoment

Didn't work. I'm beaten. Its going back.
Thanks for your suggestions.

Still need this solution though

wiraone

Have you take a look at either Buffalo Linkstation NAS (comes with internal hard drive) or the Netgear SC101 (doesn't come with hard drive). I have been using Linkstation 250GB NAS for six months now and have no problem with it (I've even replace the original OS and it is now happily running Debian Linux).

Edited: It seems that Netgear SC101 has load of problems and should be avoided.

shockingmoment

Grrrr. Was going to buy the SC101! Reviews are mixed from the DABS site - some very good, others (from early on) are poor.

Cost is a consideration. Bought a 160GB HD for the NAS so really want one without a HD fitted.