How do I refresh a network \\readyshare\ folder ?

[vhelp]

Hi. I've been having trouble with loosing access to my \\readyshare\ networked folder on my Netgear N900 router.

As you may or may not recall, I recently added a shared flash drive memory stick to my router and been using it for a while. I can access it through the web via webpage to download files though I don't do that, just saying that I can access it (view it) over the internet from other locations. Anyway.

Whenever my laptop goes to sleep, and I wake it up, and I double-click the folder to add an updated database file into it, I receive the following error message.

\\READYSHARE\usb is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network 
resource.  Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The request is not supported.

(I have a shortcut icon on my desktop so that I can open it and copy a database file into it--I am constantly adding info to this database: from my laptop in my dinning room, and from my desktop pc in my living room. If I update the database from my dinning room laptop, I will copy the desktop screen database file into the \\readyshare\ folder and then head over to my desktop and copy from the \\readyshare\ folder onto the desktop screen and update it from there...and the reverse as well. And I've been doing this successfully for many weeks now)

Other than shutting down the laptop and rebooting it up again, is there anything I can do to "refresh" this network drive to restore it back to working condition ?

[johns0]

Try right clicking in the folder and choose refresh.

[vhelp]

I was unable to resolve it. There is no refresh on the right-click.

It appears to be something to do with the router, when the laptop goes into Sleep mode, it completely disconnects from the router's \\readyshare network feature, and the *only* way to refresh or restore the connection is to reboot the router. I shut the router off for 30 seconds, and then restart it. After about 10 minutes waiting time, I will have access to the router's \\readyshare folder again.

This is a real pain in the ass. I wonder if I should just get a completely different router if it will solve this problem with my laptop going into sleep mode. I don't shut off the laptop most of the time because I have anywhere from 1 to 3 Chrome browser windows open, and all are filled to the hilt with tabs. Tabs that I leave open from my google searches and tabs that I keep open indefinite because that is how I work in my daily activities.

[TreeTops]

Well that router problem doesn't sound right. Google your problem, for that brand, as others may have the same problem and have posted a fix.

[johns0]

Did you try right clicking in the folder without anything in focus?I can select refresh in any folder including networked folders as long as nothing is selected.

[Nelson37]

I doubt it's the router. Looks like you used the router software package to make the connection? Avoid this if at all possible. Search the network for the router name, try to login from there and access the folder, without using or possibly un-installing the genie software. This should establish a standard connection which will survive a hibernation.

CHeck the router for login duration timeout settings, could have many names, persistance, etc. You are essentially logging out of the router or of the shared folder.

Do you have internet access on the laptop when recovering from hibernation? If not, check power settings on network card for hibernation. Check anyway. Also try a hard-wired connection to verify source of problem.

You got two levels of login security, putting the router in the DMZ - make the zone just the router's address - it is naked to the world, needs a GOOD login name and password, and still leaves folder level login security, you may be able to disable this - either one, or both, could be part of the problem.

[vhelp]

Did you try right clicking in the folder without anything in focus?I can select refresh in any folder including networked folders as long as nothing is selected.

That idea is not possible since the I can't get into the folder. I get the same error message as in post # 1.

Normally, when things are working, I have the following showing in the network listing, below. But when it is not working (when the \\readyshare folder is not accessible), then the \\readyshare tree branch does not show. Thus, there is no way to do a "refresh" since there is no open folder.



Right now, I have access to the folder. And, the laptop has gone into sleep mode (and hybernation mode) many times since I last reboot the router. I am waiting for it to fail. Therefore, it may not be when it goes to sleep that the folder becomes inaccessible. There must be some other underlining cause, though it could be coincidence or random, when the laptop comes out of sleep, that I don't have access to the folder and that I am blaming it on sleep.

I will come back here the next time this happens and go from there to see what I can do to the \\readyshare folder get back instead of rebooting the router.

[jagabo]

Have you tried just typing \\readyshare into the address bar when this happens?

[vhelp]

Yes, typing it in the address bar brings up the folders. But when I don't have access to the folder, that does not work. All these things I do know about. It is only when the my laptop unexpectedly loosed the network connection to the \\readyshare folder, that is, the 64GB flash drive memory stick I have plugged into the back of the Netgear N900 router. But, like I said, it is currently working fine at the moment. But thanks for the suggestion(s) anyway.

This is my $700+ dollar industrial quality, Dell Inspiron laptop, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, 6GB ram, quad core.

For what its worth. I seldom shut down my laptop, because I have a lot of browser windows and tabs open. Closing the browsers down and shutting down the laptop causes me long boot up, and long wait times the next time I open the browsers from where I last left off, even at 5MBps internet speeds, the web pages take a long time to load up each tab in Chrome 47.0.xxx. That is why I keep putting the laptop in Sleep mode, or I let it go into Sleep mode on its own. I just want to get up and running from my last session on this laptop as fast as possible.

[vhelp]

Ok. Today the problem has resurfaced, only this time on my desktop pc running windows xp home.

I just booted it up and then tried to open the \\readyshare folder on the desktop screen and got this message.



Typing \\readyshare on the address bar did not help.

And, if I right-click the start button, and select "explorer" and select the network folder "USB_Storage on readyshare (readyshare)", it pops up a password dialogbox, and I enter my username (admin) and then password (xyz), but then it keeps popping up the "connect to readyshare" password dialogbox again, over and over.

where "xzy" to denote the password. I'm not going to show that. anyway... this is the dialogbox that keeps repeating for a password.



I do not know what keeps causing this lost network folder on the desktop pc (win xp) and laptop (win 7 home prem).

Also, I just went over to my laptop, and the \\readyshare folder is alive and working over there

I'm going to try and reboot this desktop pc and see what happens. . .

[Nelson37]

Try setting up the router login, folder login, and PC login to all use the same name and password. Will need to be strong if Internet access is continued.

Again recommend looking for login timeouts on the router. Seems as though after a period of time of non-use, connection is lost. Timing out, rather than something caused by a laptop hibernation, unless the desktop also hibernated or powered down?

Was connection to router drive made same way as laptop? If so, also check software for timeout values. May need documentation. Also best to avoid this additional software and try making a standard network connection.

[vhelp]

I tried to log into the netgear n900 router from the desktop pc but it won't let me. It error's out.

This webpage is not available

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

So, since I have access to the \\readyshare folder on my laptop, I tried loging into it from there. But it too won't let me. Same error. I still have access to the \\readyshare folder right now on the laptop. And I have internet access on both computers right now, too. Anyway. I've been able to long into it before with no problems. But at the moment I can't on either computer. I've tried these google suggestions but they don't work either. Its just the same error message as above.

\\readyshare.routerlogin.net
\\readyshare.routerlogin.com
\\IP_address_of_router (e.g. \\192.168.1.1)

[vhelp]

Since my laptop still had access to the \\readyshare folder (the 64GB flash drive memory stick in the back of the netgear n900 router) I decided to pull the stick out of the router to see what would happen. When I reinserted it into the router and waited a moment and then preceded to access the folder, it then told me that it could no find the \\readyshare folder again, just like in the other messages. I do not understand this. If I put the flash drive back in, I should have access to it on this laptop by now. But I don't. I'm stumpped. Now, I will have to reboot the router to regain access to it. What a pain. I don't want to have to do this every time. I want to networked folder, always. Anyway. Let me reboot the router and see what happens.

[vhelp]

update..

After powering down the router and restarting it, I now have access to the \\readyshare folder on both computers, the laptop and desktop pc are working with the folder again. However, I am unable to log into the router, still. The usual 192.168.1.1 is not working like it use to. Thats the address I used to put into the browser window to access the router's settings. But I get the same error message as posted in post # 12.

Well, i'm tired and got to get some sleep. I will shut down this laptop completely today, and try first thing in the morning to log into the router.

[Nelson37]

Leave router alone. command prompt - IPCONFIG /ALL - note Gateway - Ping Gateway address. This verifies first correct router (gateway) address and second valid connection. If failure, reboot PC, repeat test, if still failure, reboot router, wait 5 min, then reboot PC and repeat above test. This test provides absolute answers and no guesswork. Reboot of router often gives TEMPORARY solution, but it will fail again. That's why first test before reboot router, or when problem is present, is critical.

Problem could be DHCP faillure. Results of above test, along with specified PC address - look for PC beginning with "169" - this means DHCP failure, or no connection with router, but it already works, so only one option left.

Not a major problem on a small network. just specify all IP addresses, removes one common failure point.

Router randomly changing its address would fit your symptoms. Eliminate DHCP and specify all IP addresses removes this problem, every time. Fairly common failure point. On small networks I do this routinely.

[vhelp]

Leave router alone. command prompt - IPCONFIG /ALL - note Gateway - Ping Gateway address. This verifies first correct router (gateway) address and second valid connection...

That worked, and got me into my router. Thank you.

Router randomly changing its address would fit your symptoms. Eliminate DHCP and specify all IP addresses removes this problem, every time. Fairly common failure point. On small networks I do this routinely.

Not sure what you mean by 'specify all IP addresses..' ?

But I'm now having another problem. While at the router settings webpage, after a few minutes, it is bringing up the password dialogbox again. I don't understand that. I just logged into the router and it is timing me out? And when I cancel out of the dialogbox, it closes down the router settings page and with this http://xx.xx.xx.xx/MNU_access_setRecovery_index.htm page. This is strange that it is doing this since it did not do this at other times that I used to be in the router settings page(s).

EDIT: I closed that tab in the browser and opened a new tab and re-entered the web url to the router--I'm back in.

Ok, at least I can now get into the router.

[Nelson37]

Was the ip address the same as it was before? Or was it different?

Either the router is loosing power, check the brick and the plug if loose or being bumped, OR, the router is randomly rebooting itself for some other reason, OR it is blowing DHCP. Possible the login is set for a very short duration, but symptoms seem to indicate a more random time interval, which seems (?) to be happening more often, which is classic electronic failure mode.

All pc's and router, type in address rather than obtain automagically. Remember that ipconfig command, this is my PRIMARY network diagnostic tool, it never fails.

Gateway is router to all, subnet mask is same to all, ip address add one to last number for each unit. DNS can also be set manually to same as router or one of several sets you can use anywhere. DHCP is router doing this automatically, again this is a common failure point and on a small network is totally unnecessary and is the cause of many problems. Each new device must be manually set up, but just once.

Quite commonly router will fail to properly perform DHCP but continue to work fine otherwise for years.

Do that ipconfig command on BOTH pc without touching anything else next time this happens. Change the /all to a /release,and a second command with /renew. This triggers a DHCP request without rebooting. If the numbers change, except for last three digits (which is called an 'octet'), then DHCP failure.

Also test with command Ping 'router ip address', reply from is connected, anything else the router is off the network or at a different address, no question.