Network connection drops while transferring files to OMV

1. offizieller Beitrag

    Hello,
    I hope this is the right place to post the issue I'm having.


    My configuration:

    • a Windows 10 PC connected through a wireless connection to my Router
    • a self-build NAS with OMV, directly connected through a cable to my Router


    The problem I've been having since I first installed OMV 1 year ago is that everytime I start moving a large quantity of files from my main computer to the NAS for a backup, the wireless connection on my PC randomly drops. It may happen soon after I start or after many minutes. Sometimes it even does not happen at all and I'm able to complete the task without any issue.


    Specifically, when it happens, my PC loses it's wifi connection and I have to manually disconnect from the network and reconnect to make it work again.
    I though it may be an issue of my PC but it only happens when I'm transferring files to OMV so there must be some kind of relation?



    A few things I've tried/done in the last few months without resolving the issue:

    • connected the NAS to my PC directly through a cable
    • changed the wireless card on my PC with a better one (now an Asus PCE-AC68)
    • changed the network card on my NAS with a better one (from a Realtek RTL8111F to an Intel 82574L)
    • changed Router/Modem
    • formatted my PC and changed a few components


    What do you think?
    Is there something obvious I may have overlooked?


    Thank you for any hints! :)


    (let me add that I'm quite experienced with windows PC but I'm really a noob with Linux)

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    As you have found this could be anything but almost certainly related to your network. Most of mine is Ethernet but there are things I never do, 1) Never connect anything directly to a router I used a powered switch, connections on the back of routers are no more than hubs. 2) Nearly all of my transfers are done done via Ethernet, if for any reason I need to transfer via wireless then I break it down in chunks of no larger than 2GB in size.


    The other problem could be traffic/interference on your wifi channel, inSSIDER was the software to use but this has now become a paid application, you could try this what you are looking for is a clean channel or one that is not in use much and change to that in your router. There is also one available in the MS store for free, WiFi analyzer, no idea if it's any good though.

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von Peach1200

    A few things I've tried/done in the last few months without resolving the issue:

    Have you tried to change the frequency range? 2.4 GHz can be very crowded. 5 GHz might give better results.

    Zitat von geaves

    As you have found this could be anything but almost certainly related to your network. Most of mine is Ethernet but there are things I never do, 1) Never connect anything directly to a router I used a powered switch, connections on the back of routers are no more than hubs. 2) Nearly all of my transfers are done done via Ethernet, if for any reason I need to transfer via wireless then I break it down in chunks of no larger than 2GB in size.


    The other problem could be traffic/interference on your wifi channel, inSSIDER was the software to use but this has now become a paid application, you could try this what you are looking for is a clean channel or one that is not in use much and change to that in your router. There is also one available in the MS store for free, WiFi analyzer, no idea if it's any good though.

    - "connections on the back of routers are no more than hubs."
    What do you mean exactly?


    - "The other problem could be traffic/interference on your wifi channel"
    I've already tried switching channels; in addition I've also moved to a new house in the meantime and the problem still occurs

    Zitat von macom

    Have you tried to change the frequency range? 2.4 GHz can be very crowded. 5 GHz might give better results.

    Unfortunately it does happen with both frequencies (I usually stay on 5GHz).




    The thing I can't quite explain is why my computer does lose its connection and I have to manually disconnect and connect again to make it work again.
    Why does it happen only when transferring files to the NAS?
    The NAS works great when I'm just streaming contents from it. Does this mean that it's my computer's fault?


    Thank you both for your answers! :)

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von Peach1200

    What do you mean exactly?

    When data is sent across a network it's from one machine to another and invariably will go through some sort of network switch or hub. The problem with a hub (which is what all routers have) is that the data is broadcast to all ports until it gets a reply from the computer the data is meant for, this happens continuously. A switch on the other hand does the same but only once, it then remembers where that machine is connected on the switch.
    At home I have one connection from my router to a switch, so all my internal traffic goes through the switch and only internet traffic is directed to the router.
    I still believe the issue here is the router for whatever reason it cannot cope with large amounts of data being sent through it's hub and therefore drops your connection, but it can cope with streaming. Having experienced this long ago I simply do not use nor rely on a routers ethernet connections other than for internet access.

    Zitat von geaves

    When data is sent across a network it's from one machine to another and invariably will go through some sort of network switch or hub. The problem with a hub (which is what all routers have) is that the data is broadcast to all ports until it gets a reply from the computer the data is meant for, this happens continuously. A switch on the other hand does the same but only once, it then remembers where that machine is connected on the switch.At home I have one connection from my router to a switch, so all my internal traffic goes through the switch and only internet traffic is directed to the router.
    I still believe the issue here is the router for whatever reason it cannot cope with large amounts of data being sent through it's hub and therefore drops your connection, but it can cope with streaming. Having experienced this long ago I simply do not use nor rely on a routers ethernet connections other than for internet access.

    Thank your for the explanation, I will give it a try!


    In the meantime, I realized that among all the variables, the antivirus software was one I still haven't worked on (been using Webroot SecureAnywhere for a few years now).
    This morning I tried to backup 20GB of data disabling it and it seems to have worked flawlessly (crossed fingers).
    I'll keep testing in the next few days and report back if anything changes.


    In the meantime, thank you very much for your help! :)

    Zitat von geaves

    what you are looking for is a clean channel or one that is not in use much and change to that in your router


    No it's not. Let the router do this since the device hopefully knows better than you. Autochannel is the only option since choosing 'a clean channel' only further pollutes the shared media (channels are overlapping and only a few of them should be chosen. In 2.4GHz band for example only these channels: 1, 6 and 11 where 1-11 are allowed or 1, 5, 9 and 13 where 12/13 are also allowed. Simply let the AP do its job).


    Also most internet access routers sold today or within the last 5 years already contain a switch and not a hub (and how should a hub have a chance to influence a wireless connection, the whole wireless principle is 'hub' or 'shared medium'... but it happens at the access point component of the router). Those routers usually also allow for static DHCP leases by the way.

    Just done another test this evening, transferring 48GB of data through the wireless connection from my laptop to the NAS.
    Result is:

    • antivirus ON: error after a couple GB
    • antivirus OFF: transferred 38GB so far without any issue


    It looks like Webroot was inferfering somehow! :)


    Zitat von tkaiser

    Also most internet access routers sold today or within the last 5 years already contain a switch and not a hub (and how should a hub have a chance to influence a wireless connection, the whole wireless principle is 'hub' or 'shared medium'... but it happens at the access point component of the router). Those routers usually also allow for static DHCP leases by the way.

    I was curious to know more about this topic today but I did not found any information online.
    Is there anything I can read?

    Zitat von Peach1200

    Just done another test this evening, transferring 48GB of data through the wireless connection from my laptop to the NAS.
    Result is:

    • antivirus ON: error after a couple GB
    • antivirus OFF: transferred 38GB so far without any issue


    It looks like Webroot was inferfering somehow! :)

    As I was writing this, the usual error occured.. :S
    Maybe it's not Webroot's fault after all.


    I will continue testing...

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von Peach1200

    I will continue testing...

    I have a W10 laptop which uses wireless only, I very rarely use this at home.


    So I copied 40GB+ of movies to a folder on the desktop of the laptop, then copied that folder to another share on my server, this was in my home office which has my router and server insitu, no network or connection failure. So I then moved the laptop to the furthest point from the router and server and did the same, and again no network or connection failure.


    Your particular problem is either hardware or network related.

    Zitat von geaves

    I have a W10 laptop which uses wireless only, I very rarely use this at home.
    So I copied 40GB+ of movies to a folder on the desktop of the laptop, then copied that folder to another share on my server, this was in my home office which has my router and server insitu, no network or connection failure. So I then moved the laptop to the furthest point from the router and server and did the same, and again no network or connection failure.


    Your particular problem is either hardware or network related.

    Thank you very much for testing.


    I've tried transferring 40GB of data from my desktop PC to my laptop and while it didn't work with Webroot on, it worked perfectly as soon as I switched it off.
    I'm more and more convinced now that the main culprit may be the antivirus after all.


    Thank you all for your support! :)

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von Peach1200

    while it didn't work with Webroot on, it worked perfectly as soon as I switched it off.

    I haven't used Webroot for a long time, but if I remember there is/was a setting for trust options, would that have anything to do with the problem.

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von Peach1200

    What should I trust in this case?

    You would be adding a trust relationship of your omv server on webroot, or it could be something to do with file types, what I think it's doing is scanning them whilst copying. Have you logged a support ticket with webroot?

    Zitat von geaves

    You would be adding a trust relationship of your omv server on webroot, or it could be something to do with file types, what I think it's doing is scanning them whilst copying. Have you logged a support ticket with webroot?

    I've opened a ticket right now. Thank you for your suggestion!
    Let's see what they answer

    I revive the thread to add some new details.


    It turned out it wasn't Webroot's fault after all.
    After tinkering a bit more during the last few months I noticed the following:

    • FTP transfer: no problems ever
    • SMB transfer: the network connection drops very often and to re-establish it I have to manually disconnect and reconnect to my network

    What do you think?
    There may be a setting in OMV worth looking at to make SMB connection works?

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von Peach1200

    It turned out it wasn't Webroot's fault after all.

    Going back to your post 11;

    Zitat von Peach1200

    I've tried transferring 40GB of data from my desktop PC to my laptop and while it didn't work with Webroot on, it worked perfectly as soon as I switched it off.

    That in itself tells you the your problem is Webroot, TBH I have just searched for the option 'add a local server as a trusted computer' and according to their knowledge base this is not necessary! Obviously this has changed since I last used it, I'm assuming that you have had no reply to your ticket or there was no solution.


    In this case what I would do is to uninstall Webroot (also check their website sometimes an uninstall may not fully remove it) then re install.

    In the last fews days the issue resurfaced.

    Things I've changed in the meantime:


    • the exact error code I'm receiving is "Error 0x8007003B: An unexpected network error occurred".
    • I'm now using a wired connection and a much more robust router than the last time (FRITZ!Box 7490)
    • I googled the error code and found a lot of people experiencing the same issue and a few suggestions (non of which worked for me)
      • tried disabling windows firewall
      • tried disabling the antivirus (I'm no more using Webroot but Windows Defender instead)
      • tried disabling Windows search
      • tried using FTP connection through Filezilla instead of SMB through Windows Explorer

    The result is always the same.
    When I transfer a lot of files between the NAS and my PC, the connection drops and I have to restore it (using the troubleshooting option in Windows or just by disconnecting and re-connecting the ethernet cable to my PC)



    I hate to come back here again and again but I've never found such a persistent and difficult issue to resolve in my entire tech-life!

    Have you got any new idea worth trying?

    Thank you for your time and help! :)

    This morning I had a look at Windows Event Viewer.

    This is what happens when the connection drops:
    (let me know if you need any translation from Italian)


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