external hard drive ethernet

realnerd · 11-17-2007, 07:49 AM

Hello,

I have a very basic request: I have got an external hard drive (Iomega StorCenter Network Hard Drive gigabit ethernet) for back-up purpose, and I have no idea at all how to access it.

I am using etch with kernel 2.6.22.6 compiled from kernel.org.

lspci | grep Eth gives:
00:12.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)

ifconfig gives:
eth0 Lien encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:E0:18:AD:BB

5
inet adr:192.168.0.0 Bcast:192.168.255.255 Masque:255.255.0.0
adr inet6: fe80::2e0:18ff:fead:bbd5/64 Scope:Lien
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:78 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:4 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 lg file transmission:1000
RX bytes:33926 (33.1 KiB) TX bytes:328 (328.0 b)
Interruption:22 Adresse de base:0x7400

I am connected to the Internet via an usb modem sagem fast800.

If I try to ping 192.168.0.0, I get:

PING 192.168.0.0 (192.168.0.0) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.0.0: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.082 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.0: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.072 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.0: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.077 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.0: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=0.075 ms

--- 192.168.0.0 ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 4 received, 0% packet loss, time 2998ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.072/0.076/0.082/0.009 ms

My impression is that ethernet is OK.

But, what should I do to access this external hard drive?

Many thanks for your help,

realnerd

acid_kewpie · 11-17-2007, 08:06 AM

well you need to read the manual for your product. it'll probably support smb/cifs, ftp and maybe nfs...

pixellany · 11-17-2007, 08:42 AM

ifconfig gives you--among other things--the IP address of your computer. When you ping that IP you are just pinging yourself. If it did not work, then we'd really have an issue....

Is the modem dial-up or cable or DSL?
Is the Ethernet port on the computer connected to the modem?
Is regular Internet access working?---eg can you get to web sites, etc.?
What is the external drive connected to?

The normal way to set up NAS (Network-attached storage) would be to install a router which connects to the internet and then give you local IP addresses to use for various things.

realnerd · 11-17-2007, 08:49 AM

Well, there is no manual reader for this hard drive at least for linux (of course there are details for windows and mac, but nothing for linux).
From what you say, I understand that smb, ftp or nfs may be used. Am I right?

Sorry for my ignorance. What is the best one? Is there any link to a tutorial?

Thanks for replying.

realnerd

realnerd · 11-17-2007, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

ifconfig gives you--among other things--the IP address of your computer. When you ping that IP you are just pinging yourself. If it did not work, then we'd really have an issue....

Is the modem dial-up or cable or DSL?
Is the Ethernet port on the computer connected to the modem?
Is regular Internet access working?---eg can you get to web sites, etc.?
What is the external drive connected to?

The normal way to set up NAS (Network-attached storage) would be to install a router which connects to the internet and then give you local IP addresses to use for various things.

My modem is a DSL one using USB.
The Ethernet port is not connected to the modem.
Internet connection is working perfectly well.
The external drive is connected to the ethernet port (I'm not sure that "port" is the right word, sorry).

pixellany · 11-17-2007, 09:27 AM

A NAS device will be accessible by standard protocols--regardless of the OS used. Mine is setup as a generic shared drive, and for ftp. Typically the device has to be configured to tell it what to use, set permissions, etc.

I'm puzzled about the network interface--if the modem is on usb, AND you have an ethernet card, I would have expected two connections to show up---try "ifconfig -a".

If you had only one connection--eg on the ethernet card, then the IP would be the one for the PC, as I noted earlier. but, if the internet connection is thru the usb, then I don't know what the IP on eth0 means.

All of this aside, I would get a router---it makes things much easier, and offers other benefits (firewall, etc.) Does your modem have an Ethernet port in addition to the USB?

pixellany · 11-17-2007, 09:31 AM

PS--my current DSL service included a combination DSL Modem + Router --With wireless!!. Best setup I have ever had.

Westell Versalink model 327W

realnerd · 11-17-2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

A NAS device will be accessible by standard protocols--regardless of the OS used. Mine is setup as a generic shared drive, and for ftp. Typically the device has to be configured to tell it what to use, set permissions, etc.

I'm puzzled about the network interface--if the modem is on usb, AND you have an ethernet card, I would have expected two connections to show up---try "ifconfig -a".

If you had only one connection--eg on the ethernet card, then the IP would be the one for the PC, as I noted earlier. but, if the internet connection is thru the usb, then I don't know what the IP on eth0 means.

All of this aside, I would get a router---it makes things much easier, and offers other benefits (firewall, etc.) Does your modem have an Ethernet port in addition to the USB?

This is the result of ifconfig -a
eth0 Lien encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:E0:18:AD:BB

5
inet adr:192.168.0.0 Bcast:192.168.255.255 Masque:255.255.0.0
adr inet6: fe80::2e0:18ff:fead:bbd5/64 Scope:Lien
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:518 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:4 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 lg file transmission:1000
RX bytes:236015 (230.4 KiB) TX bytes:328 (328.0 b)
Interruption:22 Adresse de base:0x7400

lo Lien encap:Boucle locale
inet adr:127.0.0.1 Masque:255.0.0.0
adr inet6: ::1/128 Scope:Hôte
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:264 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:264 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 lg file transmission:0
RX bytes:21470 (20.9 KiB) TX bytes:21470 (20.9 KiB)

ppp0 Lien encap:Protocole Point-à-Point
inet adr:87.89.73.98 P-t-P:195.36.229.66 Masque:255.255.255.255
UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING NOARP MULTICAST MTU:1524 Metric:1
RX packets:8923 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:9080 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 lg file transmission:3
RX bytes:5096486 (4.8 MiB) TX bytes:1567446 (1.4 MiB)

Is this configuration giving some hints? If something is wrong, please tell me !

realnerd

pixellany · 11-17-2007, 12:32 PM

I am stabbing in the dark here---maybe someone more knowledgeable will jump in and save us....

I'm guessing that ppp0 is your connection to the modem.

I wonder what happens if you enter 192.168.0.0 into a browser address window. This is how you would typically access a NAS device (but it should have its own IP)

Or--perhaps it is the other way around??

To be sure which connection is the modem, try unplugging the NAS drive and then switching the ports on and off using--eg--"ifconfig eth0 down", "ifconfig ppp0 down", "ifconfig ppp0 up", etc.

HappyTux · 11-17-2007, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

I am stabbing in the dark here---maybe someone more knowledgeable will jump in and save us....

I'm guessing that ppp0 is your connection to the modem.

Yes the ppp0 should be his internet connection if using PPPoE for his connection.

Quote:

I wonder what happens if you enter 192.168.0.0 into a browser address window. This is how you would typically access a NAS device (but it should have its own IP)

Or--perhaps it is the other way around??

I have never used a networked drive before but if it is just hanging off an ethernet cable then you should be able to access at the IP address just like you say as you do with a networked printer. One thing that bothers me with his IP is it is 192.168.0.0 now normally that would be the network segment address itself with you having an IP of something like 192.168.0.1 and the broadcast address is wrong as well it should be 192.168.0.255 with a netmask of 255.255.255.0 to be on the 192.168.0.0 IP network.

A quick search on the model comes up with this which says that it should be compatible with Debian 3.0 or later in the Supported OSes and using Google Linux comes up with this page on how to mount a NAS. Where you come up with the mount point is the question, I would assume it would be in the setup options when using the browser to access as described in the first link. If the browsing to the device fails I would try something like this in the /etc/network/interfaces file using /etc/init.d/networking restart after having made the changes to give the eth0 a real IP then browse to the address again.

Code:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
       address 192.168.0.1
       netmask 255.255.255.0
       network 192.168.0.0
       broadcast 192.168.0.255

acid_kewpie · 11-17-2007, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by realnerd

Well, there is no manual reader for this hard drive at least for linux (of course there are details for windows and mac, but nothing for linux).
From what you say, I understand that smb, ftp or nfs may be used. Am I right?

Sorry for my ignorance. What is the best one? Is there any link to a tutorial?

Thanks for replying.

realnerd

it should be irrelevant what operating system you are using, it depends what the box you bought does. does it do NFS? SMB? FTP? you tell us.. you bought the thing.

tutorial?? you bought the thing...

roy_lt_69 · 11-20-2007, 12:50 AM

If you are connecting to the internet via a usb port, then most likely the DSL modem is connected to your pc via the usb port and not through the router!
You need both the computer and the network drive to be plugged into the same router!
If the pc is plugged into the modem via usb port, and the network drive is plugged into the router, it will not work!

You might be able to plug the network drive into the pc's network port if you use a crossover cable!
Straight through cables will not work!

jschiwal · 11-20-2007, 01:15 AM

Your IP address doesn't make sense. It isn't a legal address. 192.168.0 0 is a network IP entry. For a 192.168.0.0/24 netmask, the legal IP's are 192.168.0.1-254.

I've got two pet-peeves. USB modems and DSL. You have both covered. But I think you are using a regular networking cable between the computer and the NAS device. If you aren't using a HUB, you need to use a cross over cable. If the NAS drive is a distance away, you can get a UTF extender which is just a small plastic block that two cables plug into. Plug the crossover cable into the computer's NIC socket and the other end into one of the extender sockets; then the cable from the NAS into the other. My main point is that you can't simply connect two devices directly unless you use a crossover cable.

Does the documentation indicate that that NAS gets it's IP via DHCP? If so, you need to run a DHCP server on your computer. Then try pinging the box or use nmap to determine it's IP address. You might try the lowest number in the range. For routing to function properly, it would work best to use a different private network range, such as 192.168.1.0/24.

Once you know the IP address of the NAS device, try pointing a web browser at that address. A new device may not be configured yet and may support both smb and nfs. If it has a pre-formatted share, you could try /usr/sbin/showmounts --exports <nas ip address>. You could also enter "smb:/" in the konqueror browser or whatever network file browser you have and see if the share shows up. However, I bet there is a web interface that you need to set it up. This would allow you to determine the type of export (windows or nfs) and the username & password to control access. Also read the NAS documentation. Even if it is only for windows, it probably mentions useful items like default IP, dhcp, maybe even the initial password it it has one.

realnerd · 11-20-2007, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acid_kewpie

it should be irrelevant what operating system you are using, it depends what the box you bought does. does it do NFS? SMB? FTP? you tell us.. you bought the thing.

tutorial?? you bought the thing...

Thanks for your nice help, I appreciate.

Shame on me! I found in the documentation some information that I did not see before.

I will make in another post a copy and paste of the more useful part.

realnerd.

acid_kewpie · 11-20-2007, 03:13 PM

Sorry, that did real a little harsh looking back... not sure if you took it that way, but still essentially it's down to what the kit can provide that matters.