General questions on NAS setup

[TonyM]

So I decided to build my own NAS a couple of months ago and I finally stepped into the linux world (complete newbie)

Hardware is:
MOBO: Intel D945GCLF2 atom based
HDD: 2x Samsung F1 1TB

I followed the guide in the article: "how to build your own atom based NAS" published on this site. That means I'm using the following software:

Ubuntu server v. 9.04
Samba filserver
webmin

Following the guide I got a basic fileserver up and running. I can map the network drive from my client machine and both read and write files to the share over my LAN. I do however have some requirements to my NAS that haven't been fulfilled yet. These are:

• The NAS should be accessible over the internet in a secure fashion.
• I should be able to power up and turn off my NAS remotely using WOL.
• The NAS will primarily be my private storage space. Access should be password protected. I would however like guests to have access to a "public" folder.

Since I'm a complete beginner when it comes to Ubuntu, samba and networking in general, I would appreciate some input on how I can achieve these goals. What kind of software do I nedd besides the abovementioned? For secure access to my share over the internet, should I use VPN? What would I need to set this up? And how should I set up samba so that I can have access to my share using a password?

All help would be much apreciated.

 

[roamer]

Hello,

I nearly did the same - same Board but Ubuntu8.10.

WOL is working with this board without problem,
simply download a WOL tool of your choice for windows from the internet, install it and have fun.
By the way It's called "Wake On" not "Sleep On" LAN.
If you want that the NAS is shutting down, you will need e.g. a shellscript, which is checking periodically for open networking connections, if there isn't anyone - the NAS is shutting down...

Here is an example:
http://basskozz.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/advanced-shutdown-script-powersaving/


How would you like to access your NAS from the internet?

- Via Webmin-tool -> just activate port forwarding for webmin-port on your router

- via ssh -> just activate port forwarding for ssh-port on your router

- complete access via VPN -> install openVPN , configure it, activate port forwarding for openVPN-port on your router
--> There is also an openVPN module for Webmin available, therefore you can configure your VPN-tunnel via webmin-gui

 

[TonyM]

Thanks for your reply roamer. So I've been experimenting a bit the last few days and here's an update:

Basicallly I followed this guide and set up an SSH server on my NAS. I'm now able to mount my samba share through port 22 using putty. This seems to be working pretty good. I can even shutdown the server issuing a shutdown command in the shell.

However, I still have some issues concerning WOL. I've enabled WOL in the bios and I also followed this guide. I've successfully woken up my computer several times both over my LAN and over the internet. The problem is that it doesn't work consistently. Over my LAN it works fine, its when I try to power up over the internet that sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

I've configured my router to forward udp packets on port 8 to my server, and the server has a static ip address on my router. I'm also using dyndns to have the WAN address updated to my domain there whenever it changes. I'm using "wol magic packet free" to send the wake up signal, where I enter my dyndns domain in the hostname field. The MAC address is correct and its set to transmit on udp port 8. Still, most of the time I cant power up the server. It usually works if I try to power it up right after I shut it down, but seems like if its left powered down for some time it wont power up again.

In the abovementioned guide it says:

EDIT: just a quick note to add that continued testing shows that after a period of time in a powered-down state,
the backend doesn't seem to respond to the magic packet if sent to the ip address... but wakes immediately on
broadcast to the subnet broadcast (in my case 192.168.1.255).

How are you using WOL in your setup roamer?

Do I have to broadcast the signal to the subnet broadcast? How do I do this?

 

[roamer]

I've configured my router to forward udp packets on port 8 to my server, and the server has a static ip address on my router. I'm also using dyndns to have the WAN address updated to my domain there whenever it changes. I'm using "wol magic packet free" to send the wake up signal, where I enter my dyndns domain in the hostname field. The MAC address is correct and its set to transmit on udp port 8. Still, most of the time I cant power up the server. It usually works if I try to power it up right after I shut it down, but seems like if its left powered down for some time it wont power up again.

I assume, the router keeps the known relations between ipaddress<->MACaddress of your NAS a while in the arp-cache after you have switched off your NAS and after this entry was removed, the router don't where to forward the magic-paket...

Do I have to broadcast the signal to the subnet broadcast? How do I do this?

Just modify the portforwarding for the magic-packet and use the broadcast address of LAN instead of the IP of your NAS.
And test it again...

 

[TonyM]

Ok I will try that. And this is probably a dumb question; but what is the broadcast address of my LAN?

 

[thiggins]

Ok I will try that. And this is probably a dumb question; but what is the broadcast address of my LAN?

I think you answered this earlier in the thread...

but wakes immediately on
broadcast to the subnet broadcast (in my case 192.168.1.255).

 

[TonyM]

But when I try to enter this address in the port forwarding setup on my router it just says: IP is out of range.

Is it possible that my router doesn't support broadcasting on the subnet?

 

[TonyM]

I have a 3com officeconnect wireless 108mbps 11g cable/dsl router (3crwer200-75)

 

[thiggins]

But when I try to enter this address in the port forwarding setup on my router it just says: IP is out of range.

Is it possible that my router doesn't support broadcasting on the subnet?

Apparently not.

 

[TonyM]

Ok. Looks like I have to buy a new router

 

[thiggins]

I just tried entering a X.X.X.255 address in a port forwarding rule on my D-Link DIR-655 and it was accepted. I didn't check that it actually worked, however.

 

[TonyM]

If I'm buying a new router I could just go for one with a built-in vpn server. Then I could vpn into the router and wake up the server without transmitting on the entire subnet, right?

 

[thiggins]

WOL is still going to use a broadcast. But VPN would get around the port forwarding issue.
If you are going for a secure link, I suggest SSL based VPN vs. IPsec. Much easier to set up and use. Look at the RVL200.

 

[TonyM]

Thanks! The RVL200 looks great! In fact, I just placed an order for it!

 

[roamer]

this router is very popular here...
http://www.avm.de/en/Produkte/FRITZBox/FRITZ_Box_Fon_WLAN/index.php

This router is providing remote access via an ipsec tunnel and with the latest firmware. there is also a WOL feature implemented in the webgui of the router ....
http://www.avm.de/en/news/artikel/update_fritzbox_02_2009.html

 

[TonyM]

That box looks good to roamer. Unfortunately it isn't available in my country.

 

[roamer]

However, I still have some issues concerning WOL. I've enabled WOL in the bios and I also followed this guide.

I didn't install/configure anything on OS-level for WoL.
I just enabled WOL in the BIOS and installed Ubuntu 8.10 Server.
Okay I have installed the acpi package manually, but this was necessary to enable the controlled shutdown if somebody press the power-button and not related to WoL.

I'm using "wol magic packet free" to send the wake up signal, where I enter my dyndns domain in the hostname field.

I picked up your suggestion, and tested the tool.
It's really nice. .-)

The WoL is working over Internet also after the NAS was powered off for few days. But my router keeps the IP<->MAC permanently ;-)

 

[TonyM]

So I bought the RVL200, but to my dissapointment no WOL functionallity yet I thougt it would be possible to VPN into the router to send the magic packet to my NAS, but of reasons unknown to me this, it seems, is not possible. I even spoke to linksys support and they confirmed that WOL would not be possible with this device. However, I now know a lot more about what needs to be done for this to work. As you said roamer, your setup keeps the MAC <--> IP permanently. I think this is a prerequisite for WOL to work over the internet. So I either need to find a way to edit the ARP mappings on the RVL200 (telneting into the device doesn't work) or I need to buy another router that supports static ARP. Suggestions anyone?

 

[brandinb]

I would have used a wrt54g with openwrt or tomato installed on it. I can use the web interface on my wrt54g running tomato over the interweb using dyndns handled by the router. Then I can send magic packet to my server or desktop using my router interface. 2 minutes later the pc is on and it works everytime. I recommend you get a wrt54gl if you go this route and I think you would be pleased. Alternativly you could try to install openwrt or tomato on the rvl200 but i have a feeling it wont be possible. Well good luck!

 

[TonyM]

brandinb: Success! I followed your advice and got myself a linksys wrt54gl. Installed DD-WRT, and now it works like a charm

To everyone else strugling with the same problem here's a short description of what I did:

I installed DD-WRT which is a custom router firmware designed for certain routers (mostly linksys and buffalo). Basically this gives you a lot of advanced options and configuration possibilities on your router. Furthermore I followed this guide and configured my NAS to have a static ip on the router. Then I added a static ARP entry for my server following this guide. I also created a port forwarding rule for UDP port 9. Finally I'm using dyndns to keep my wan ip updated. And thats pretty much it. Now I can power up my server over the internet even after it has been powered down over longer periods of time.

Ps. Anybody interested in buying a linksys RVL-200?