network losing links problem

[spiff]

hi guys, hope some of you more knowledgeable IT guys can solve this irritating little problem.

I've setup a small server at work and we have 4 pc's and 4 production machines using it. On the server we have 4 dedicated folders that we dump files into in order for our production machines to see and download. the server has FileZilla Server ver 0.9.040 beta loaded. I also use "tightvnc ver 2.5.2" to connect remotely from my pc to the server as one of the production machines still use a serial port.

this is how we use the server eg. we transfer via shortcuts, pgm "BLOG" into folder4 on the server, the operator on machine4 then downloads file "BLOG" to his machine. now this setup works fine (when it works) except the network keeps losing it links / shortcuts to the 4 folders on the server all the time.

I get an error message saying that the network / drive the shortcut refers to, is unavailable?. Usually if I reboot the switch / server then it all works again?

the server and all other pc's are running Xp home edition 2002 SP3 (company supplied)

any ideas as to why the shortcuts periodically lose their links to the server? could it be limitations of Xp home edition or tightvnc? FileZilla?

is there a better way of doing this or overcoming the problem?


thanks
from non IT guy

 

[Electron1]

What operating system is the server using?
How do you connect to the fileshares - using a local workstation username and password or servername\usernem and password (i.e. you are using a username that has been defined on the server) ?

 

[PsyWulf]

Rather than copy pasting why not set up something like SyncBack to monitor for new/changed folders/files and copy it

Is this issue after rebooting the laptops? Are you running Wifi? Is it a domain,workgroup or none of the above

 

[spiff]

What operating system is the server using?
How do you connect to the fileshares - using a local workstation username and password or servername\usernem and password (i.e. you are using a username that has been defined on the server) ?

all pc's & server running XP home edition 2002 SP3

no user name or password

the server has 4 folders that are shared across the network (4 desktop pc's) I have setup shortcuts to all 4 shared folders from each of the desktop pc's

 

[spiff]

Rather than copy pasting why not set up something like SyncBack to monitor for new/changed folders/files and copy it

Is this issue after rebooting the laptops? Are you running Wifi? Is it a domain,workgroup or none of the above

none of the above.

I actually use my "sent to" when transferring pgm's to the server.

no laptops - all desktop pc's running XP home edition 2002 SP3

no I reboot the server or router to solve the problem

 

[PsyWulf]

I actually use my "sent to" when transferring pgm's to the server.

SyncBack in this case would be for the "share" clients,not you as the sender,their PCs would automatically copy files once updated in the folder

no laptops - all desktop pc's running XP home edition 2002 SP3

no I reboot the server or router to solve the problem

Do all the machines fail accessing at the same time?

 

[The_Ogre]

Could be that the router. Check its DHCP settings. Then also make sure the server is set to accept dynamic IP's

 

[spiff]

SyncBack in this case would be for the "share" clients,not you as the sender,their PCs would automatically copy files once updated in the folder



Do all the machines fail accessing at the same time?

no not at the same time. there are times when I can't access the server with me 2 desktop pc's but my colleague can with his desktop pc's and visa versa







as you can see in the pic this is one of the error messages I get.

 

[PsyWulf]

That screenshot just provided the answer! Read the second line

Is your "Server" a windows desktop OS like XP or 7? You've hit the incoming connection limit

 

[The_Ogre]

OK, I think I know what it is!

The server can only accommodate a set number of connections at any one given time. So on the server look for this option (it should be labeled "max number of simultaneous connections" or something similar. Sorry, not too ofay with File Zilla Server

 

[spiff]

yes as I mentioned before all pc's & server run XP home edition 2002 SP3

great what can I do about it?

 

[The_Ogre]

That screenshot just provided the answer! Read the second line

Is your "Server" a windows desktop OS like XP or 7? You've hit the incoming connection limit

snap

 

[PsyWulf]

yes as I mentioned before all pc's & server run XP home edition 2002 SP3

great what can I do about it?

Install a server OS ( MS or any Linux OS with Samba loaded )

You can also try lowering the threshold timeouts for TCP connections in the registry but that's a stopgap measure

 

[spiff]

OK, I think I know what it is!

The server can only accommodate a set number of connections at any one given time. So on the server look for this option (it should be labeled "max number of simultaneous connections" or something similar. Sorry, not too ofay with File Zilla Server

under general settings in filezilla the option is set to "0" ( the maximum)

 

[PsyWulf]

There are other ways and means ofcourse,this limit is only on Windows File sharing connections,if you were to use a local FTP client,Dropbox,WebDav,or a long array of other apps they would not have this limit

 

[spiff]

There are other ways and means ofcourse,this limit is only on Windows File sharing connections,if you were to use a local FTP client,Dropbox,WebDav,or a long array of other apps they would not have this limit

unfortunately this network is dedicated to our aging production machines, they run MS Dos 6.2 in the back ground and will only see that folder and a particular type of file.

we can't use any modern software as you mentioned above. we are using filezilla.

 

[PsyWulf]

unfortunately this network is dedicated to our aging production machines, they run MS Dos 6.2 in the back ground and will only see that folder and a particular type of file.

we can't use any modern software as you mentioned above. we are using filezilla.

Filezilla and MSDOS? Or was that XP?

You seem to have a mishmosh confusing setup running. While I can proffer solutions to many problems inadequate descriptions of what is available and problems make this a fairly useless attempt

 

[spiff]

Filezilla and MSDOS? Or was that XP?

You seem to have a mishmosh confusing setup running. While I can proffer solutions to many problems inadequate descriptions of what is available and problems make this a fairly useless attempt

no problem let me clarify it.

4 x desktop pc's = XP home Edition 2002 SP3 / tightvnc

1 x server pc = XP home Edition 2002 SP3 / filezilla / tightvnc


4 x production machines = dos 6.2 ( each setup to see 1 shared folder on server)

this setup works, but now and again it loses the links to the server from the 4 desktop pc's

the 4 production machines still see the 4 dedicated shared folders no matter what happens on the 4 desktop pc's


so it only affects the 4 desktop pc's TO the server.

 

[PsyWulf]

no problem let me clarify it.

4 x desktop pc's = XP home Edition 2002 SP3 / tightvnc

1 x server pc = XP home Edition 2002 SP3 / filezilla / tightvnc


4 x production machines = dos 6.2 ( each setup to see 1 shared folder on server)

this setup works, but now and again it loses the links to the server from the 4 desktop pc's

the 4 production machines still see the 4 dedicated shared folders no matter what happens on the 4 desktop pc's


so it only affects the 4 desktop pc's TO the server.

Okay now we have some more clarity. The desktops are losing connectivity due to the limits applied to connections to the SMB share on windows ( to prevent people using desktop OS as server OS )

Using something like a dropbox client or an FTP client and server will allow them to avoid the connection restriction. You can write a .bat file to start an FTP client and download latest versions of all files on the "server",or use a dropbox client on the desktop machines and server ( if the files arent big ) or upgrade your "server" to either use linux with samba,or a server OS ( a la server 2003,2008,2008R2,2012 ) to replace the SMB share with one without said limits.

I have a shortcut on my desktop that fires up an FTP client and downloads/resumes downloads of files. Basically Windows File Sharing is the issue

 

[ponder]

Okay now we have some more clarity. The desktops are losing connectivity due to the limits applied to connections to the SMB share on windows ( to prevent people using desktop OS as server OS )

Will something like ClearOS not alleviate that problem?