Tag Archives: network

fixed : Synology and WD MyCloud NAS connection problems on my TP-Link Deco network

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Question :
I have a local WiFi and Ethernet/UTP network that has a TP-Link Deco X60 acting as the DCHP router. In that network I have a Synology DS 218 NAS and a WD MyCloud Home. All this used to work great, but even though I can see both both the Synology and the MyCloud under the Network chapter in the Finder of macOS, both have severe connection problems. Sometimes it is possibel to get connection for a few minutes, but most of the time both the synology and the MyCloud are unreachable. Even using the SynologyAssistant.app the Synology NAS can’t be found. On the other hand, the lights on the Synology and the MyCloud are burning, the Ethernet/UTP-cables are plugged in correctly…
On the other hand, my Apple AirPort Time Capsule is connectable without problems.

What can I do to make my NAS available in my network ?

Answer :
Eventhough there can hardware problems that cause this, it is usually a software problem.
Since you have a TP-Link Deco router, it is possibly a bug introduced in a new version of the firmware. Do this to fix it :

  • make sure all your network devices that you want to cable connect are connected to your network with a Ethernet/UTP cable
  • first, go to your main TP-Link Deco router
  • disconnect the power from the main Deco router
  • then make sure that the Ethernet/UTP cable from port 2 is directly plugged into your internet modem, and the Ethernet/UTP cable from port 1 is connected to the Ethernet/UTP-switch that all other Ethernet-devices are connected to
  • then plug the power cable back into your main Deco router and wait until it’s light turns green
  • then, on your Mac, open a new Finder window and click on “Network” in the menu list on the left
  • then, in the window that opens, click on your Synology NAS’ name, and you’ll see “connecting…” that will turn into “connected as:…” and you will see the folders that are on your NAS
  • this means that your Synology NAS is now available in your network
  • to check this, open the Synology Assistant app and click “Search”
  • when your NAS appears in the list, select it and click “Connect”
  • then the web-based interface opens in your browser login using the you NAS account name and password
  • when the web interface shows the vritual desktop – your done πŸ˜‰
  • to check your WD MyCloud, open the finder once again and click “Network” once again
  • now, click on “MyCloud” and wait for macOS to connect
  • the Finder will then show all files that are on the WD MyCloud
  • That’s it !

enjoy πŸ˜‰

fixed : Ethernet cable connection on USB-C only MacBook Pro

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Question :

I just bought a new MacBook Pro that has USB-C only (and WiFi & Bluetooth), nothing else… I would like to hook it up to an Ethernet-cable since I’ve heard that’s better than WiFi when playing games like Fortnite…

How do I do that ?

 

Answer :

To connect your MacBook to Ethernet using a UTP-cable, you need to have an adapter. You could use an USB-to-Ethernet-connector that you might have laying around and connect it to your MacBook using a cheap USB-to-USB-C-connector that you can get at a supermarket or discount-shop… but I would advise against that : all cheap USB-to-USB-C-connectors are USB2-only (because they are mainly for connecting USB-mouses and keyboards to modern computers)… and a lot of USB-to-Ethernet-connectors are 10/100-Ethernet compatible and USB2-only… but even if you have a USB3-to-Gigabit-Ethernet, the end result will be just USB2…

To get the best out of your MacBook, you should get a USB-C-to-Ethernet-connector that is Thunderbolt 3 compatible, like this one :

Thunderbolt 3 USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet connector (buy on Amazon US) (buy on Amazon UK) (buy on Amazon DE)

 

enjoy πŸ˜‰

 

fixed : internet on wireless but not on LAN according to AirPort Utility

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Question :

Lately I have had aΒ badΒ and unstable internet connection. I have a Mac and it has been working fine for years. My internet provider is Vodafone-Ziggo.

I tried to find out what was wrong using the AirPortUtility.app on my Mac, and I found something strange : when selecting my wireless WiFi-network, my internet connection is presumed working, but when selecting my wired LAN-network, I get an error message saying there is no internet connection.

If it would have been the other way around, I could think of an explanation… but having wireless internet connection from my router and not LAN-internet just doesn’t make sense…

I’ve tried numerous resets of the Ziggo-modem, of my TimeCapsule and of my Mac. Nothing helps.

Do you have any suggestions on fixing this ?

 

Answer :

Even thoughΒ you’ve tried most of the available options already, there is one other thing I would suggest to try :

  • make sure the UTP/Ethernet/LAN-cable is correctly connected into both your Mac and the ‘local network device’ (be it a TimeCapsule, a router, a modem, a network-switch or a wall-socket)
  • then, on your Mac : click on the Apple-icon (top-left on your Mac’s desktop screen)
  • in the pulldown menu, click on “System Preferences”
  • in the window that opens (“System Preferences”), click on “Network”
  • in the window that opens (“Network”), click on “Ethernet” in the list on the left
  • in the info that appears on the right, check if it says “Status : Connected”
  • if it doesn’t, your UTP/Ethernet/LAN-cable isn’t connected properly, so check all network-cables again until it saysΒ “Status : Connected”
  • then, click the Advanced-button
  • in the window that opens, click on the DNS-tab
  • in the info that opens, at “DNS Servers:” make sure that you have at least included one of the following DNS Servers : 8.8.8.8 (Google), 8.8.4.4 (Google), 208.67.222.222 (OpenDNS) and/or 208.67.220.220 (OpenDNS)
  • if none of those DNS Servers are listed yet, add them by clicking on the +/Plus-button bottom-left
  • then click on the Proxies-tab (of the elongated TCP/IP-button)
  • in the info that opens, make sure to remove the check-mark at both “Web Proxy (HTTP)” and “Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS)”
  • in case both were already switched OFF, I would suggest to switch both of them to ON
  • then leave the rest as is, and click on the OK-button
  • in the previous window that appears, click the “Apply”
  • now check the AirPortUtility.app again, and you should see that the internet connection is back up for both the wireless and wired/LAN connection
  • also check by opening Safari (or another internet browser) and refresh the page by clicking on the circular arrow in the address bar

That’s it !

enjoy πŸ˜‰

fixed : SPL-C ERROR page printed by Samsung printer

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Question :

when I tried to print to my Samsung printer via my Home-network today, the spooling process was very slow, then hung, and then a printed page rolled out of the printer with this text only :

SPL-C ERROR – Disconnected from Host. Please check the connection and try again.

POSITION : 0x3dc5 (252981)

SYSTEM : src_5.59/os_hook

LINE : 1978

VERSION : SPL-C 5.59 05-04-2012

So I restarted the printer, made sure there wasn’t any paper stuck, and tried again. This time I the spooling process was very slow again, hung again, and a similar page rolled out of the printer with this text :

SPL-C ERROR – Disconnected from Host. Please check the connection and try again.

POSITION : 0x15ea5 (89765)

SYSTEM : src_5.59/os_hook

LINE : 1978

VERSION : SPL-C 5.59 05-04-2012

So despite the difference in ‘position’, the problem remained.

What can I do to solve this ?

 

Answer :

This seems to be a weird bug popping up on some Samsung printers connected to Macs once in a while. To solve this problem, do this :

  • quit any printing jobs that are active
  • shut down the printer (take the power cable out)
  • on your Mac, go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners
  • there, delete the problematic printer (by selecting it in the list and clicking the minus-button)
  • then, restart your Mac
  • switch the printer back on (reconnect the power cable)
  • login on your Mac
  • go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners
  • add the printer to the list again (by clicking on the plus-button, and selecting it from the printers found)
  • then close the System Preferences and try printing your document again

That’s it !

enjoy πŸ˜‰

fixed : broken power adapter for Umax SOHO ethernet switch

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Question :

I have an old Umax SOHO 1OHO8 ethernet switch that I would like to use in my LAN-network, but the power adapter has a very strange problem : one of the pins that go into the wall power outlet has come loose, and now ‘retracts’ whenever I plug the power outlet.

I already tried gluing the pin back into the power adapter with superglue, but I can’t fasten it, so it keeps coming loose. I also tried using an adapter plug, but I couldn’t find one that enabled me to keep the pin from retracting…

What can I do to fix this ?

 

Answer :

Just buy a new one.

You probably won’t be able to find the original one, but you will be able to find a new generic one with the correct specs.

The specs of the Umax SOHO 1OHO8 power adapter are :

  • AC input 230V (so 100-240V will do)
  • DC output 7.5VΒ 1A (= 1000mA)
  • output plug/pin 5.5×2.1mm (= 5.5mm outside diameter & 2.1mm opening diameter inside)
  • output plug/pin polarity : MINUS outside & PLUS inside

You can get a US-version replacement here : US power adapter 7.5V 1A 5.5×2.1mm

You can get a UK-version replacement here : UK power adapter 7.5V 1A 5.5×2.1mm

You can get a EU-version replacement here : EU power adapter 7.5V 1A 5.5×2.1mmΒ  (note that this one actually has a 5.5×2.5mm plug that is compatible with 5.5×2.1mm)

enjoy !