MiniDNLA server problem

[DrTeeth]

MiniDLNA server problem

N66U Merlins 374.41 beta 1.

USB flash driver formatted to ext2. Ext2 driver installed in Windows 7

To anybody who uses the DLNA server - can you still manipulate files in Windows with the above firmware with the drive mounted in the N66U. I used to get a typical folder and icon view. Now I get only folders showing with the windows shared folder symbol.

No files in the root of the drive are visible; also I can no longer create and delete folders from within windows with the drive in the N66U. For all file operations I have to remove the drive and connect it to my PC. I have been trying to troubleshoot this annoyance all weekend and I can only assume that it is related to the MiniDLNA server update. It is a BIG step back for me.

I have formatted, reformatted, partitioned, re-partitioned, chmod and re-chmod my drives many times, always sticking with ext2.

Anybody else seeing this?

I may have to do back to 374.40 for testing unless somebody else can confirm this or has a workaround.

 

[DrTeeth]

UPDATE:- Reverting to 374.40 results in the expected display in windows explorer, at long last.

I would respectfully suggest that the previous version of miniDLNA is re-instated. Other than the complete lack of windows explorer functionality with the drive in the N66U, the server performed flawlessly - as did the previous version.

 

[RMerlin]

This has nothing to do with DLNA. DLNA merely exposes and streams files to DLNA clients. What you describe (creating/renaming/etc...) is entirely handled by Samba, and is unrelated to DLNA.

 

[DrTeeth]

Are the defaults for Samba different in the two firmwares?

I have never touched anything Samba related. I know nothing about it.

I just cannot get the 374.41 beta to behave as the 374.40. Can you or anybody else please help? Even a pointer in the right direction would help.

At least I know that it isn't something I am doing to the flash drives, phew.

TIA,

DrT

 

[thelonelycoder]

With DLNA Server enabled your dlna capable devices will have reading rights to the shared content set in Media Server.

Activating Samba allows you to mount or connect to shares you select in the settings. You can set access rights per user and share.
This also includes dlna shares if you set access rights to ReadWrite.

 

[RMerlin]

Are the defaults for Samba different in the two firmwares?

I have never touched anything Samba related. I know nothing about it.

I just cannot get the 374.41 beta to behave as the 374.40. Can you or anybody else please help? Even a pointer in the right direction would help.

At least I know that it isn't something I am doing to the flash drives, phew.

TIA,

DrT

Asus has done a few changes in 5047 regarding the Samba configuration handling. I haven't fully analysed all those changes.

Are you using user authentication?

File permissions would also have been my first guess. I would try this just to be sure:

chmod -R a+rwx /mnt/your_disk
chown -R root.root /mnt/your_disk

 

[DrTeeth]

With DLNA Server enabled your dlna capable devices will have reading rights to the shared content set in Media Server.

Activating Samba allows you to mount or connect to shares you select in the settings. You can set access rights per user and share.
This also includes dlna shares if you set access rights to ReadWrite.

I have never touched anything Samba related in either firmware. 374.40 allows the creation of folders and the deletion of files and behaves just like another drive*. With 374.41 beta 1, I can only see folders with a green cable at the bottom (Win 7 - shared folders) and files in the root of the drive are not accessible.

 

[DrTeeth]

Asus has done a few changes in 5047 regarding the Samba configuration handling. I haven't fully analysed all those changes.

Are you using user authentication?

File permissions would also have been my first guess. I would try this just to be sure:

chmod -R a+rwx /mnt/your_disk
chown -R root.root /mnt/your_disk

I did chmod -R 777 with the drive plugged into one of my Linux machines which did not make any difference.

When I try to view one of the shared folders (374.41 beta 1) I get prompted for the router login details.

Got the first command to work by missing out the /mnt/ and just using /dev/sda

The second command failed

admin@RT-N66U:/tmp/home/root# chown -R root.root /dev/sda
chown: unknown user/group root:root

Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

I have never touched anything Samba related in either firmware. 374.40 allows the creation of folders and the deletion of files and behaves just like another drive*. With 374.41 beta 1, I can only see folders with a green cable at the bottom (Win 7 - shared folders) and files in the root of the drive are not accessible.

Note that root files are only accessible when sharing without user account authentication. When sharing with user accounts, then only folders can be accessed, as shares. This is normal behaviour.

 

[RMerlin]

I did chmod -R 777 with the drive plugged into one of my Linux machines which did not make any difference.

When I try to view one of the shared folders (374.41 beta 1) I get prompted for the router login details.

What is the 'your_disk' in the example above? Is it the disk name or /dev/sd<whatever>?

Thanks

Whatever your mount point is. Do an "ls /mnt" to see the mount points. If your disk has a label, the mount point is its label. If not, it will be the partition device name (i.e. sda1).

 

[DrTeeth]

Hi Merlin,

I am making some progress. I have discovered what you said about "Note that root files are only accessible when sharing without user account authentication. When sharing with user accounts, then only folders can be accessed, as shares. This is normal behaviour" by experimenting with the Samba settings.

I will do more testing tomorrow as I finish work later on Wed evenings and do not have too much in reserve. Have a looong holiday weekend in the UK so will try your suggestions and report back.

I have a couple of good books on the Linux command line so I will use those to improve my knowledge in that area and help me out..

Thanks as always for your help and support.

Do you think it would be too risky to import my 'working' 374.40 settings into 374.41 beta firmware? I am fully backed up settings-wise so can easily recover.

 

[RMerlin]

Do you think it would be too risky to import my 'working' 374.40 settings into 374.41 beta firmware? I am fully backed up settings-wise so can easily recover.

It should be fine. My own RT-AC68U hasn't been reset to factory default for a few months now, without any problem.

 

[DrTeeth]

Thank you Merlin for your help and pointing me in the right direction. All I had to do was enable 'guest login' to get what I wanted.

There have been quite a few changes on the Samba page between 374.40 and 374.41 beta 1. Once I knew what the issue was, it was easy to configure.

I just have some minor permission issues which I will address later.

Big thanks again.