Mac will connect to Windows or NAS file share via SMB with ip address but not by DNS Name

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Level 1

11 points

Mac will connect to Windows or NAS file share via SMB with ip address but not by DNS Name

I have an iMac running OS X Siera. In my home network, I also have 3 PC's running Windows 10. I also have a Terastation (NAS storage server) and a Drobo5N (proprietary storage server) and an Apple Airport Time Capsule. Each of these devices have file sharing enabled. When they are online, their DNS name is listed under the Shared section in Finder. If I click on the Drobo5N or the Time Capsule, the Mac connects and displays the available shares. If I click on the TS-Live (Terastation) or any of the Windows PC's, it times out and fails to connect.

The same behavior occurs if I try to connect using DNS name using the drop down menu Go -> Connect to Server. However, I am able to connect to any of these if I use the ip address with the Go -> Connect to Server method.

In the past, I was able to connect to all of these devices by clicking on their DNS name in the Shared section of Finder. I am not totally sure when the behavior changed, but I believe it was after one of the later updates of El Capitan.

iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12.1)

Posted on Jan 24, 2017 1:53 PM

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Answer 1

raguphoto Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 27, 2017 9:10 AM in response to BDAqua

I gave it a try. But no luck.

Another oddity: Although I am able to connect and see shares on the Drobo5N when I click on its name in the Finder Shared section, if I try to connect via Go -> Connect to Server and type "smb://Drobo5N" it times out and fails to connect just like the others.

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Answer 2

Feb 22, 2017 4:49 AM in response to BDAqua

I am having the same problem.

Local Synology server running SMB shows up when I browse the network, shares sometimes will connect, sometimes they won't. If I want to mount a share that is hidden, I can't access it through "smb://nameofserver/Applications/" but I can access it through "smb://192.168.1.3/Applications/".

Tried:

— deleting authorization credentials from my keychain

— deleting the wifi network

— restart, repair permissions

— flushing local dns cache (as per above)

— cifs instead of SMB : same problem

— the IP address of the router is in the DNS field in system prefs › network › wifi › DNS

I am also having trouble connecting to a local Postscript printer. I can print to it when another mac shares the printer, but not directly. Very annoying.

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Answer 3

Feb 22, 2017 10:07 PM in response to BDAqua

The Synology has a static IP address. It's had this for years and never had a problem connecting.

The printer is connected via a bridged wifi router. It also has a static IP. All the other macs on the network can connect to the printer flawlessly.

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Answer 4

TeenTitan

Level 4

2,640 points

May 16, 2017 12:00 AM in response to Reinko Hallenga

Is the workgroup name on the active network interface match the workgroup name on the PCs?

When you try to connect to the sysnology by DNS, what kind of DNS is it? Fully Qulified? (something.domain.com) Bonjour? (something.local) Short? (something)

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