Your D-Link DNS 321 not showing on network? There’s a way to make it reappear!
We fully understand that having access to your local network storage is a necessity. Your D-Link DNS 321 could contain important media or document files that you must always have access to.
That’s why we’ll get you familiar with the best ways to troubleshoot the storage!
To reveal the D-Link DNS 321 on the network, correct the access IP in order to be able to reach the online portal or ultimately change the online browser.
If that didn’t work, power cycle the local network storage and, if necessary, Factory Reset the device.
Let’s unwrap the problem that you’ve stumbled upon in the upcoming fix guide!
D-Link DNS 321 Not Showing On Network – Fixed!
There are multiple ways that’ll allow us to target the functionality of your D-Link DNS 321 and prevent the storage from appearing on the local network.
However, in most cases there are external factors that can impact your networking setup, so let’s jump in!
Solution #1 Verify/Correct the WAN Connection
In order to see your D-Link DNS 321 in the first place, your device must also be connected via WAN to your network router or switch.
For direct access to the D-Link DNS only, you could connect the storage directly into your PC or laptop and access via web IP.
However, the most reliable way to always have access to the D-Link network storage is to connect the unit to your router directly and a PC/laptop of your choice.
Here’s how to verify/correct the WAN connection in your setup:
- Locate the Ethernet Port on the sides of your D-Link DNS 321.
- (Optional) Connect the supplied Ethernet cable to the port of your D-Link DNS.
- Plug the other end of the Ethernet into your network router.
- Wire the device you wish to access the DNS through, with another Ethernet.
- Attempt to access the D-Link DNS 321…
Said in simpler words, there must be a wired connection between your PC/laptop and the DNS unit for the device to show up.
WiFi does not deliver the correct communication signal and cannot transfer data either, and that’s why you have to use wired Ethernet.
Note: Connecting the DNS directly to your PC/laptop will also grant access to the storage.
Solution #2 Correct the DNS Device’s Access IP
One of the reasons that your D-Link DNS 321 isn’t showing on the network is that you’re trying to access the device with an incorrect IP Address.
Once you’ve established the WAN connection between your D-Link storage and the network router, you’ll be granted access.
After making sure that your WAN setup is correct, the next thing you should make sure of is that you’re using the D-Link DNS’ specific IP Address.
Here’s how to correct the IP:
- Open a browser on the device you’ll access the DNS with.
- Tap on the search field.
- Type the following IP Address: 192.168.0.32.
- Press “Enter” on your keyboard.
- Wait for results to appear and to be directed to the login page.
- Use “admin” (all small letters) for both username and password.
- Click the “Login” button to sign in to your D-Link DNS 321.
Do not get mistaken that your D-Link network storage has a specific access IP. Once connected to your router, it’ll use the following IP address by default to register in your network logs.
Note: When entering the password or IP, make sure you’re using a US keyboard.
Solution #3 Power Cycle the DNS Device
Perhaps, the reason that your D-Link DNS network storage device isn’t appearing is that it is going through some power problems.
The best way to address issues with the power of your D-Link DNS is to perform a power cycle on the device (also called Hard Reset).
Here’s how to power cycle your D-Link DNS device in easy steps:
- Unplug the network device from the power.
- Wait for 5 minutes.
- Reconnect the power cable of your D-Link DNS storage back into power.
- Wait for the device to turn on…
Keeping the D-Link DNS network storage disconnected from the power for a longer amount of time will help discharge the device even better.
Note: Do not plug your D-Link DNS back into power straight away, without waiting.
Solution #4 Access Through a Supported Browser
One of the factors that could prevent your D-Link DNS-321 from showing up on your network is that you’re not accessing the device through a supported browser.
This solution will help you even when your access to the settings of the DNS is constantly getting denied.
Supported D-Link DNS 321 access browsers:
- Mozilla Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
Not using one of the following browsers, will not guarantee that you’ll be able to access the settings of your network server.
Make sure you have one of the following browsers and use the same IP, we’ve introduced in Solution #2.
After typing the appropriate IP in the search file of your supported browser, press “Search” and you should be taken to the login screen of the browser.
After that, log in with the credentials we’ve also introduced in Solution #2 (“admin”) and test.
Note: There could be more supported browsers but those are the cataloged ones.
Solution #5 Reconnect the SATA Hard Drive
If your D-LInk DNS-321 has failed to detect the inserted SATA hard drive, the storage unit will probably fail to show up on the network.
That’s why you should reconnect the SATA hard drive from your D-Link DNS-321 and check if the device will show up on the network logs.
- Check-in which SATA bay is your SATA Hard Drive!
Follow these steps to reconnect your SATA Hard Drive from the D-Link storage bay:
- Pull out the SATA cable that connects with your solid-state drive.
- Unplug the SATA from the hard disk.
- (Optional) Blow once or twice on the port of the hard drive to get rid of the dust.
- Place the hard drive in the other bay of your D-Link network storage.
- Reconnect the SATA cable you’ve used with the drive.
- Test…
Try to spot any damages inflicted on the SATA cable of your hard drive. This could give away the problem with your network storage and let you know what your next move should be.
Alert: If the SATA cable is damaged, replace it as soon as possible to fix your D-Link device.
Solution #6 Factory Reset the Network Storage Unit
If nothing worked out so far, you should perform a Factory Reset on your D-Link DNS-321 storage unit.
Although it’ll not erase the content from your hard drive it’s an easy way to refresh the settings of your DNS-321 and address any functionality problems.
Here’s how to factory reset your D-Link DNS-321 in easy steps:
- Locate the Reset Button on the back of your storage unit.
- Make sure that the device is plugged in, with its LEDs turned on.
- Press and hold the Reset button on your storage unit.
- Hold the button for 15 seconds.
- Wait for the device to reset…
Once the LEDs of the network device start blinking, it means that the reset has started. Stop interacting with the unit until the device is reset.
Note: Once your D-Link DNS-321 is factory reset, its settings will be flushed to default.
What Is the DNS-321 Max Drive Size?
If you’re wondering what size your DNS-321 could support at maximum, the answer is up to 2 TB of storage, from externally-connected hard drives.
In total, the D-Link DNS 321 supports a total of two SATA drive bays and could read up to 1 TB from each baby.
That means the maximum you could get is 2 hard drives, each of them being 1 TB, adding up to a maximum of 2 TB overall network storage.
Quick Recap:
Well, in order to fix when D-Link DNS 321 not showing on network, we need to correct the WAN connection, Power Cycle the device, and access through a different browser.
If that didn’t work, we need to reconnect the Hard Drive and perform a Factory Reset.
We hope that this guide was helpful and for more relevant content, check our blog!
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Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites. Check out more about him here.