Trying to remote mount SMB folder

[DigitalAnalog]

Once again:
We have verified in our lab that the SMB mounting function on the TOS web page works normally, and we have successfully mounted directories from a Synology NAS and Ubuntu server. Please confirm if your mounting path is correct, and also ensure that the correct SMB version is enabled on the target device you are trying to mount. It is recommended that the SMB versions on both sides remain consistent.

Well, I did manage to get past the "unavailable" result. But, now I just have a 'spinning circle' while nas tries to mount the folder. Maybe your developers should try getting out of the 'lab' into the real world. I have noticed the continued reference to the IP (and now gateway) addresses. I am working on a LAN where the shared folder is on the LAN. The 'server' is a windows 10 machine with a machine name. I use SMB3. IP addresses for the 'server' are DHCP assigned. The share is visible on the network. I use passwords with special characters. I use a username which is an email address (Microsoft account). 15 minutes later it just sits there looking miserable

I have ensured that all names etc are of the correct case. All this is being done with the NAS admin account and a windows admin user. Any (useful) suggestions?

I think the message from TM is that we're all bumbling idiots who have no clue about mounting SMB shared folders.

[Gremlin]

I think the message from TM is that we're all bumbling idiots who have no clue about mounting SMB shared folders.

I'll happily admit to being a bumbling idiot! Memory and other faculties are also going downhill rapidly But, remember, reactionary posts will likely be deleted (mine have on occasion). On the other hand it makes one take the trouble to check and recheck. So, I did remember to check and make sure that my workgroup names are aligned.

Then - news from the coal-face - remote mounting a Tos6B folder on a Tos5.1 system works exactly as it should (using admin identities) as long as you remember to 'enable' once established. Have not tested auto-mount on boot yet. The 'enable' step seems a bit pointless when you have taken the trouble to 'create', but I guess someone felt the need. (auto-mount on creation anybody?)

So the issue seems to devolve down to non-linux systems used to 'serve' the files. Unfortunately most of the articles on-line re SAMBA/SMB relate to mounting linux shares on windows (logical).

The are several options in the TOS SMB settings that are not clear regarding their need and function. Perhaps someone can clarify what is needed to ensure Windows/Mac systems can benefit. (Note the exception that in TOS6B the SMB settings for some items cannot be enabled/saved).

[TMzethar]

Can you successfully mount your ASUS router SMB shared folder on Windows?

[TMroy]

Sorry, maybe I didn't understand you correctly. Do you want to know how to mount a Windows/Mac folder to TNAS via SMB? What are the benefits of doing so? Why not mount the TNAS folder to Windows/Mac?

By the way, the original poster's problem should not be the problem of enabling the mount after creation, but that he could not complete the creation work at all, because the system kept prompting him that "the path is invalid" and thus could not complete the creation.

[TMroy]

I think the message from TM is that we're all bumbling idiots who have no clue about mounting SMB shared folders.

No one thinks so except you. After receiving your report, our engineers immediately verified it in the lab and confirmed that the mounting function can work normally. Since we don't know the router you are using, we can't give a correct answer. You need to find out the reason according to our prompts. I advise you not to say something inexplicable, which is not helpful to solve the problem.

[Gremlin]

Sorry, maybe I didn't understand you correctly. Do you want to know how to mount a Windows/Mac folder to TNAS via SMB? What are the benefits of doing so? Why not mount the TNAS folder to Windows/Mac?

By the way, the original poster's problem should not be the problem of enabling the mount after creation, but that he could not complete the creation work at all, because the system kept prompting him that "the path is invalid" and thus could not complete the creation.

I'm not interested particularly. It's a function of investigating what TOS can (and cannot) do. TOS provides a function to mount remote folders. (I do have routers that might be used in that fashion). There is no proviso limiting the function to Linux systems, so I tried Windows. (I have a few windows machines that can dual function as servers or as servers alone, so it is appropriate). I have confirmed that the function does not work. Deal with it - literally and figuratively.

Just so we are clear, mounting windows folder(s) to TNAS allows me to quickly drop data into the windows folder and make it available to other users of the NAS. It's an alternative way of file sharing.

[TMroy]

Frankly speaking, we have not conducted any tests to mount a Windows directory to a TNAS. We can arrange a time to verify this, but what I need to discuss with you is, since it's simpler to mount a TNAS directory to Windows, why would you want to do it the other way around? What is the significance of doing so?

[DigitalAnalog]

Can you successfully mount your ASUS router SMB shared folder on Windows?

Yes, I can mount the the shared folder on my ASUS AX88U on a 1) Windows PC, on a 2) MacBook Pro, on an 3) iPad, on an 4) iPhone, on an 5) Android phone, and on an 6) Android TV. Zero issues at all.

Only the Terramaster server is unable to mount the shared folder from a relatively high-end and well-built router running the latest stock ASUS firmware which is based on Linux.

If you're asking why we need to do this, the answer is: does it matter why?

But to indulge your curiosity, I want to consolidate my media server on the Terramaster and I need it to point to other data sources which in this case includes the SMBv2 folder hosted on the ASUS router.

[Gremlin]

Frankly speaking, we have not conducted any tests to mount a Windows directory to a TNAS. We can arrange a time to verify this, but what I need to discuss with you is, since it's simpler to mount a TNAS directory to Windows, why would you want to do it the other way around? What is the significance of doing so?

Your answer speaks volumes.

SMB (in this case) is a standard protocol that has not been fully tested by @TM because the developers "didn't expect anyone to use it that way".

FYI, I thought I had already explained one possible scenario. @DigitalAnalog has already provided a suitable response to the general question. To be perverse, why would anyone want to remote mount any folder to a NAS? My small windows 10 machine might have no significance in the overall scheme of things, but it can function as a server (one did act as my main mail server for my domains until I retired) and there are a lot of windows servers out there. I do seem to recall that at some point someone @TMsupport did suggest just such a remote mount as a workaround for some other transfer issue.

For a more specific scenario, I can imagine that I have data on my windows machine that could be directly shared. But, I don't want that to be globally available or have to distribute credentials to multiple users to access my windows machine. Users of the NAS (who might be outside the LAN) COULD access that data on a remote mounted folder. It's just another way of doing things.

Now here I am, discussing quasi network access philosophy when I only came to see 'if something worked'. (And it seems there may be more issues waiting below the surface. [TOS 6 remote mount of cloud drive for example, persistency of settings for starter]).

[Gremlin]

When asked by The New York Times why he wanted to climb Everest, British mountaineer George Mallory, who died on the mountain during his third expedition there in 1924, famously answered, “Because it’s there.”