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S1 controller unable to add linkstation NAS with error: Reason: The Computer "SONOSZP80_1TB" cannot be found


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Hardware/Software:    Windows 11 with all updates installed, S1 controller, Sonos ZP80, Buffalo Linkstation live 1TB NAS

Network Profile Type: Private (VPN via high-speed Wi-Fi - No ethernet access to router)

Connectivity:              ZP80 connects to my VPN via Wi-Fi and the two ports from the ZP80 run ethernet cables to a desktop mini and NAS

 

I was able to play music from my NAS, with the above connectivity till about Sept/Oct 2022, when a windows 11 update caused the NAS to disappear.  This has now been fixed and I'm once again able to see my ancient 2010 Buffalo Linkstation Live (LS-CHL-V2 series) NAS

 

Advanced sharing settings and SMB settings under windows features have all been checked by Sonos and all look fine and I’ve also posted screen grabs below.

 

When I try and add my NAS share in the S1 Controller I get the following error:

S1 -> Manage tab -> Music Library Settings -> Add -> Networked device -> Browse and select NAS and share from Network tab -> OK -> Next > admin/password -> Error message is - Reason: The Computer "SONOSZP80_1TB" cannot be found

 

If I manually add the NAS via IP I get the error:

Reason: The Computer "169.XXX.XXX.28" is not responding

 

Hopefully the screenshots will be more descriptive than the text above:

 

 

1) The SONOSZP80_1TB NAS and the ShareSonosZP share are detected by the Sonos S1 app as shown below:

 

 

 

2) NAS added via previous screen

 

3) Why am I getting the following error when the NAS is detected by S1? 

 

4) Via IP address of NAS the error message is different!

 

 

Windows 11 firewall settings

SMB Settings

 

Wi Fi is a private network

 

5)  Another thing I noticed, after being able to access the NAS again is that the S1 controller has two entries for Windows Media (xxxx@outlook.com) even though I’ve removed the NAS library.  Previously the NAS was not Windows Media.  I’m tempted to do a clean install of S1 to resolve this particular issue.  Or maybe the two rogue entries will disappear when I add the NAS and update the music library? Any thoughts would be most welcome on this front.

 

 

Mod edit: removed case number

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Best answer by Corry P 13 December 2022, 11:04

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32 replies

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Hi @lab1301 

NAS is connected via ethernet cable to ZP80. Second port from ZP80 is connected via cable to PC.  If the DHCP server on the router is enabled, then, I would be able to bridge the ethernet and Wi Fi adapters. 

I was about to look at your diagnostics when I saw this.

I agree, in part, with @Belly M - we don’t recommend you connect your NAS to a Sonos device, but it should work without issue (a Sonos device with 2 ethernet ports will act as a switch, in part). However, connecting a Sonos device to a PC via ethernet is a definite no-no.

Rather than create a bridge between WiFi and ethernet on the PC, however, I recommend you simply do not wire Sonos to your PC with an ethernet cable - both Sonos and the NAS should have their own ethernet connections directly (or via a switch) to the router. If, after doing this, you still have access issues, by all means please submit another diagnostic and I’ll take a look for you, but with the current, unsupported configuration, there’s not much point in me doing so - it’s not actually expected to work.

If the NAS stores nothing but music, connecting it to a router-connected Sonos device is acceptable. I still don’t recommend it though. If you have, for example, movies stored there too, please connect it directly to the router.

This does explain why you have a 169 IP address though - the DHCP server on the router has no idea the NAS drive exists. The PC is an effective firewall.

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The OP has stated he has no physical access to the Router’s Ethernet ports which is a requirement to get the NAS working correctly.


In the current config the PC would need to be a DHCP server and some form of bridge or network sharing enabled. As it stands the the Wi-Fi card in the PC does not pass anything to the Ethernet NIC. The ZP80 has no means of routing IP back to the NAS but the PC can see the devices on the Ethernet interface due to self assigned IP addressing.


Edit, I have not done any routing on a desktop PC between interfaces for about 25 years. There must have been something configured to enable this before the updates but in all honesty as @Corry P says it’s unsupported.

 

Userlevel 7
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Hi @Belly M 

You are correct - I forgot about that detail!

There probably is a way to bridge the connections on the PC, but I sure don’t know what it is.

@lab1301, I think it might be best to just buy a router that will provide you with your own subnet. Some routers do allow you to use another WiFi for internet access, while still creating a subnet for you.

https://appuals.com/how-to-fix-ip-address-starting-with-169-254/

 

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Hi @Belly M 

You are correct - I forgot about that detail!

There probably is a way to bridge the connections on the PC, but I sure don’t know what it is.

@lab1301, I think it might be best to just buy a router that will provide you with your own subnet. Some routers do allow you to use another WiFi for internet access, while still creating a subnet for you.

 

 

Sometime yesterday I posted the following:

June to September, I bridged the WiFi with the ethernet adapter and that was when I was last able to use the NAS with  Sonos.  Now when I try and create a network bridge I get “The network bridge doesn't have a valid IP configuration" and I lose all internet connectivity and the S1.

You bridge two networks by highlighting the two adapters, right clicking and selecting the bridge option.

And the bridge is created as below:

 

But unlike in September, the problem is the DHCP server is timing out and that means there is no internet connectivity on the bridge.  My laptop has a valid IP and so has the ZP80 as I’m streaming radio but for some reason the NAS, connected via ethernet to my windows 11 mini, is not getting a valid IP. 

C:\Windows\System32>ipconfig /renew

Windows IP Configuration

No operation can be performed on Local Area Connection* 1 while it has its media disconnected.
No operation can be performed on Local Area Connection* 12 while it has its media disconnected.
An error occurred while renewing interface Ethernet : unable to contact your DHCP server. Request has timed out.

 

 

 

A 169.254.xxx.xxx IP address is intended to be a rescue space -- similar to telling the kids to go to […] in case of a large emergency (such as a major flood), phones aren’t working, etc. and then wait for adult supervision. 

@lab1301,

If the DHCP server isn’t continually working and keeps stopping/timing out, can’t you just simply set a manual IP address, subnet mask, gateway and DNS on the NAS in its configuration page, might that perhaps work for you?