TrueNAS Core - VLAN related errors transferring files via SMB.

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coolrunnings82

Active Member
Mar 26, 2012
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I've got a couple of Dell R530's set up with TrueNAS Core and decided to try using the VLAN features to save some ports as 10G is limited in my environment. Each of the two TrueNAS servers is connected to an 8 port Unifi Aggregation switch via some Ubiquiti media converters. The servers have x540 T2 cards in them. Each port on the switch is set up as a trunk port with all the VLANs I intend to use tagged on it. The VLANs are working correctly on everything except TrueNAS.
I've set up a VLAN in TrueNAS, attached it to the correct interface, and set the Priority Code Point to Best Effort (default). I've assigned it a static IP in the correct subnet for that VLAN. Once I apply the changes, test them, and make them permanent, everything looks to be in order. I can ping. I can access the management interface over that VLAN. However, when I try to transfer files to it over SMB from a couple Windows 11 machines, it seems to be able to traverse the directory structure (albeit often slowly). It then times out with an error: Error 0x8007003B an unexpected network error occurred. Here are the steps I've done to troubleshoot it:
1. I tried a continuous ping: no dropped packets there.
2. I checked permissions and even gave a share full control for everyone. Exact same error.
3. I tried a different network cable (brand new). Same problem.
4. I tried removing the VLAN and just copying direct to the interface. This works as expected.
5. I tried adding the VLAN back in and accessing the SMB share via the IP address of the physical interface: same error.
6. I tried removing the VLAN, setting up a 1G port (Broadcom instead of Intel in this case), and adding the VLAN to that interface. I get the same error when trying to transfer files.
7. I rebooted all PCs and servers involved and tried again. Same error.
8. I tried connecting to a 48 port Unifi Pro switch instead of the 10G switch (yes I tagged the ports the same). Same error.
9. I tested all these things on both TrueNAS servers with the same behavior.
10. I did a network capture with Wireshark but not exactly sure how to interpret the data in there. I can provide this to anyone willing to help.
Another thing I find odd is that the web interface seems to time out abnormally fast when connected over the VLAN interface. I didn't notice this when not using VLANs. I'm baffled at this point and about to give up on using VLANs with TrueNAS. It's sticking in my craw though that I can't figure this out. Anyone have some suggestions here?
 

tsteine

Active Member
May 15, 2019
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It seems you have eliminated mostly everything in the chain as a culprit, except your router. It seems to me, given your steps here, that the problem here is your router not being able to keep up with the throughput of the traffic traversing your vlans, providing more information about your router, and how it's set up is probably a good idea if you want to get to the bottom of the problem you're having.

Edit, you might also have more luck with responses over in the network section of the forum. This doesn't seem Truenas specific to me.
 
Last edited:

coolrunnings82

Active Member
Mar 26, 2012
407
92
28
Yup, it ended up being a routing issue but not a throughput issue. I changed the default gateway from the native VLAN's gateway IP to the firewall IP on a different VLAN and all the issues went away. Man I thought I had a better handle on routing than I do. Gotta do some continuing education on networking for sure! Here's the thread that pointed me in the right direction in case anyone else runs across this:
 
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Reactions: ecosse and tsteine