NAS Shared Folder Mount Failure After DNS or DHCP Changes
Last modified date:
2025-06-05
Applicable Products
QTS, QuTS Hero
Scenario
When the IT administrator modifies DNS or DHCP settings on your network, Windows clients may be unable to resolve the NAS hostname. As a result, attempts to browse or map shared folders on the NAS may time out or fail.
Symptoms:
- Running net view \\<NAS-hostname> on a Windows PC times out.
- Mapping a drive (e.g. net use H: \\<NAS-hostname>\share) fails.
- The NAS no longer appears under Network in Windows File Explorer.
Incorrect or outdated DNS/DHCP records cause the NAS hostname to resolve to the wrong IP address (or not resolve at all), preventing Windows clients from locating the NAS.
Solution
- Verify DNS Records
- Log in to your DNS server (or router acting as DNS).
- Confirm that the A record for your NAS hostname points to the correct IP address.
- If you use DHCP to assign DNS, ensure the DHCP scope options are updated accordingly.
- Flush DNS Cache on Windows Clients
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Run: ipconfig /flushdns
- Use Direct IP Address (Temporary Workaround)
- In File Explorer or Command Prompt, connect by IP: net use H: \\192.168.1.100\share
- Edit Windows Hosts File (Alternative)
- Open Notepad as Administrator.
- Edit C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts and add a line:
192.168.1.100 mynas - Save and then retry mapping \\mynas\share.
- Check SMB Service on the NAS
- Log in to QTS.
- Go to Control Panel > Network & File Services > Win/Mac/NFS.
- Ensure Microsoft Networking (SMB) is enabled and correctly configured (SMBv2/v3).
- Restart the NAS Properly
- In QTS, click your username (top right) > Restart.
- Avoid pulling the power plug unless absolutely necessary.
