Beginner, lots of issues and not sure what to tackle first

[beez]

I downloaded and installed Amahi 7.1 on a pretty nice PC today, far above the minimum specs. The machine was an HTPC that I built with near top-of-the-line components around 4-5 years ago. It really turned in to more of just a centralized place for our family files from various PC's. I've been doing fresh installs of Windows on all my computers this week and this was the last one. I like to idea of a home server, using Plex, and DLNA.

But boy do I have issues. I'm a bit overwhelmed and need help with a gameplan to attack these issues in a logical order. Here are my issues:

1) EDIT: http://hda connects to Amahi (it wasn't for a while), as does using the direct ip address 10.0.0.50 does access it. My home domain does not work (I am supposed to be able to type in that home domain name into a browser also, right?)

2) My machine has 5 HD's, but I could not get more than 3 of them to show up during install. I have a 70GB SSD (successfully set up as the boot device), a 200GB HDD, and three 400GB HDD's. Only the SSD, small HD, and one of the 400GB HD's were allowed in the install. The other 2 400GB HD's are not part of Amahi at this point. I can see all 5 drives under Disks>Devices but in the Disks>Partitions section only 3 devices show up.

3) I have installed Plex and DLNA apps, but they don't do anything at all. I click on the URL's but they just bring up blank pages.

4) I am puzzled by the results from the interactive network troubleshooter. When I type in "nslookup hda", the results returned are: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.222.222#53 server can't find ping: NXDOMAIN.... but the troubleshooter says I should have this: Server: 10.0.0.50, Address: 10.0.0.50#53, Name: hda.beez.us, Address: 10.0.0.50

Thanks so much in advance... just not sure where to start, whether to reinstall, etc.

-John in Colorado

[beez]

Additionally, from the hda, my ping results:

ping hda --> "unknown host hda"

EDIT (after another reinstall) ping hda WORKS now

ping 10.0.0.50 (hda ip) --> success
ping yahoo.com --> success
ping 10.0.0.1 (the router) --> success
ping 8.8.8.8 --> success

[bigfoot65]

Since you did a reinstall, what issues remain? Did you follow the instructions at http://docs.amahi.org for install?

[beez]

Well much better after re-install for sure. I hit a major roadblock putting my xfiniti router into bridge mode to turn off DHCP. It was easy to put into bridge mode to turn of DHCP but I just couldn't get any internet to any of my devices, the hda, or my access points. Not sure why. I did well on the network test until that point though:

Progress
Step 1: Your HDA IP address is 10.0.0.50
Step 2: Your HDA domain name is beez.us
Step 3: Your router IP address is 10.0.0.1
Step 4: Your HDA DNS server is working fine for local hostnames
Step 5: Your router is accessible from your HDA server.
Step 6: Your HDA can access the Internet
Step 7: Your HDA DNS server is working fine for external hostnames
Step 8: Your HDA Dashboard is accessible.
Step 9: Your HDA DNS server is used by your client computer.
Step 10: Your client computer DOES NOT have the correct domain name

I will try this again soon but work a lot the next 5 days. I'll get a fresh start when I get back to it.

My xfiniti modem has 4 ethernet ports... does anyone know if I put it into bridge mode can I still use all of them or just one (to the switch)? My switch is already full so I'm taking advantage of the extra ethernet ports on the back of the modem. Alternatively, can I leave the modem with bridge mode disabled and just have the starting and ending DHCP addresses the same 10.0.0.50 (which is the address of the hda)? I take it that this strategy of getting the network 100% functional has got to be my #1 priority before I tackle the other issues? (Adding the other 2 HDD's in the case namely).

Thanks, John in Colorado

[bigfoot65]

Alternatively, can I leave the modem with bridge mode disabled and just have the starting and ending DHCP addresses the same 10.0.0.50 (which is the address of the hda)?

This is one way to disable DHCP on routers that do not have the capability to have it turned off easily. Many have done this with success.

I take it that this strategy of getting the network 100% functional has got to be my #1 priority before I tackle the other issues? (Adding the other 2 HDD's in the case namely).

Yes getting the networking is critical.