point to the root nas

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paolosnz
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point to the root nas

#1 Post by paolosnz » 2023-03-12 20:32

Hi from windows I would like to point filezilla to the root of my nas with address \\nas or \\192.168.1.5 but it doesn't seem to work. How can I make it point to the root?
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CrimpOn
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Re: point to the root nas

#2 Post by CrimpOn » 2023-03-12 23:03

My impression is that the FileZilla configuration mixes Linux and Windows method of describing file structure.
The virtual path (left side) may have a "regular shash" (/), which is Linux notation for the root directory.
The Native Path (right side) expects to be a Windows style "backward slash"(\).

Perhaps I am mistaken, but the typical way to refer to a file directory in Windows is to give the "Drive Letter" plus whatever directory names and backshashes are required to point to the correct place.
On Windows, I would open describe the NAS by how it appears in a Windows file folder, not by its IP address.
In other words, either map the NAS to a drive letter, then use that drive letter or open a File Folder and see how the NAS appears in it.

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boco
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Re: point to the root nas

#3 Post by boco » 2023-03-12 23:55

FileZilla Server follows the TVFS (Trivial Virtual File System) specification, which mandates the forward slash as path separator. TVFS is, unsurprisingly, POSIX-like (Unix, Linux, etc.), as Windows filesystems are closed source and usually have to be licensed.

For using network resources, please note that FileZilla Server is not running under your normal user account by default, but SYSTEM. SYSTEM might not have access to the NAS the way your user account has.
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Re: point to the root nas

#4 Post by CrimpOn » 2023-03-13 00:05

My impression is that the major NAS systems include FTP server as one of the features. What would be the advantage of using FileZilla over the native NAS app?

Sorry to have "quit in the middle" of the comment about how to describe the NAS folder. When the NAS file structure is open in Windows File Manager, right click on the desired folder and select "Map Network Drive." Assign the desired Drive letter and tell Windows to reconnect every time Windows starts.

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Re: point to the root nas

#5 Post by boco » 2023-03-13 01:47

My impression is that the major NAS systems include FTP server as one of the features. What would be the advantage of using FileZilla over the native NAS app?
The typical average NAS(Embedded device FTP server is as old as the coal and s*cks goats n*ts (note that there are exceptions, though). Many do not even have any TLS/SSL nor UTF-8 support.
Using a modern FTP server like FileZilla is therefore recommended. However, if in any way possible, compile and install FileZilla Server directly on the NAS OS (many are Linux-based). Using a kludge like Windows SMB protocol completely negates the performance and security advantages.
When the NAS file structure is open in Windows File Manager, right click on the desired folder and select "Map Network Drive." Assign the desired Drive letter and tell Windows to reconnect every time Windows starts.
Ha, you wish. Doing that creates the drive letter for the current user account only, and only for non-elevated process accesses. But FileZilla Server runs as a service, under a completely different account. For the Server service, that drive letter will be non-existent.
Enabling network resources is complicated and error-prone. There is a Sticky about that (viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9200), it's about the old Server but the process hasn't changed.

There is a feature that may help, although I personally haven't tested it.
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No support requests over PM! You will NOT get any reply!!!
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Re: point to the root nas

#6 Post by botg » 2023-03-13 08:06

boco wrote:
2023-03-13 01:47
When the NAS file structure is open in Windows File Manager, right click on the desired folder and select "Map Network Drive." Assign the desired Drive letter and tell Windows to reconnect every time Windows starts.
Ha, you wish. Doing that creates the drive letter for the current user account only, and only for non-elevated process accesses.
More precise answer: It creates a mount for that particular session only. With Windows being a multi-user operating system, there are many sessions running on the same time. System services for example run in their own session, likewise other logged in users run in their own session as well. Even the same user can have multiple sessions.

Older Windows versions were less capable of separating and restricting access to certain resources across sessions, which is why all the answers and suggestions you find at the usual content regurgitation and upvote farm sites are just plain wrong and outdated.

paolosnz
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Re: point to the root nas

#7 Post by paolosnz » 2023-03-13 21:19

I forgot.. if I point to a folder \\192.168.1.5\test works perfectly, the same thing happens when I use filezilla explorer on osx ventura

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Re: point to the root nas

#8 Post by CrimpOn » 2023-03-14 00:41

if I point to a folder \\192.168.1.5\test works perfectly,
Is the difference between this and the first post (that failed).
* the added backslash, or
* the added backslash and folder name "test"

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Re: point to the root nas

#9 Post by paolosnz » 2023-03-14 20:13

the backslash I don't think it is
the problem is only if I point to the root of the nas
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Re: point to the root nas

#10 Post by boco » 2023-03-14 21:29

Correct. The "root" of the NAS is not a shared resource, but merely a device name or pointer that cannot be referenced as a path. You need to enter the name of a Share (aka shared resource).
There is a crude way to emulate the Windows networking behavior by defining no root directory at all (which will create an empty virtual one) and add the shares as virtual subtrees/branches.

So, mapping only the \\nas\Plex as /Plex, and defining no / at all, will give you an empty root with one subdirectory Plex. You can then add all the other shares as different subdirectories. Only downside: You need to reconfigure when you change/delete/create shares on the NAS.
No support requests over PM! You will NOT get any reply!!!
FTP connection problems? Please read Network Configuration.
FileZilla connection test: https://filezilla-project.org/conntest.php
FileZilla Pro support: https://customerforum.fileZilla-project.org

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