Thunderbolt NAS Disappears ON Putting Mac Pro 7.1 To Sleep and The Waking It UP

[Bengaldad]

I have a QNAP NAS (TVS-872XT) with a direct Thunderbolt 3 connection and an ethernet connection to my Mac Pro 7.1. When I boot the. Mac Pro the NAS connects via Thunderbolt, shows a Thunderbolt connection in Finder, and all is well. However, when I put the Mac Pro to sleep and later wake it up, the NAS has disconnected with only the ethernet connection working and showing in Finder. I can find no way of reconnecting to the much faster Thunderbolt connection without rebooting the Mac Pro. This issue arose only after installing Big Sur.

Does anyone have a solution to this problem that will allow me to retain the Thunderbolt NAS in the finder and reconnect by double clicking on it.?

Thank you in advance for responding.

Tom

 

[Average Pro]

Tom,

I also have a QNAP NAS (TVS-872XT) and is connected via TB3. The NAS disconnects if the computer hard drive goes to sleep. To reconnect I click on the NAS "Refresh" icon (the arrow in the shape of a circle).

However...after installing the latest Version (4.5.1.1495), I cannot connect to the NAS if the hard drive goes to sleep. I have to reboot the Mac Pro or the NAS. I have an open ticket with QNAP. I provided the logs, but they do not see the issue. They want me to connect via ethernet to determine if that connection also drops. I will try that later tonight. However, that would not be a fix. I want the TB3 connection.

Keep me in the loop.

 

[Bengaldad]

Average Pro,

I have never been able to reconnect my QNAP TVS-872XT NAS via Thunderbolt over I.P. since installing Big Sur. I tried the NAS refresh icon in Qfinder Pro that you referred to, but it would not reconnect the NAS via Thunderbolt.

I contacted Apple Enterprise Level support and I have been working with a support fellow named Kevin for the last two weeks. He has collected a lot of system diagnostic data, and forwarded it to Apple Engineers. Last Friday he told me the Apple Engineers had "opened an investigation" and that any resolution of this issue would likely come through a Big Sur update. Kevin has admitted the the problem is not a QNAP problem but is a problem with Big Sur, and since I did NOT have the problem with Catalina, I can certainly confirm that.

Furthermore, I have this exact same problem with an iMac Pro that is connected via Thunderbolt to my TVS-872XT NAS -- again indicating that it is a MacOS problem and not a QNAP problem since once again the problem did not exist under Catalina.

Quite honestly I do not believe that Apple will ever resolve this problem. Fortunately my Mac Pro 7.1 has two 10Gb ethernet ports so I have directly connected one of the 10Gb ethernet ports of my NAS with my Mac Pro 7.1. The 10Gb ethernet port is not lost or is restored when the Mac Pro wakes from sleep, and the data transfer speeds with 10 GbE are as fast if not faster than thunderbolt over I.P. To obtain a high speed connection to my iMac Pro which does not have two 10GbE ports, I shall have to buy an expensive 10GbE switch and the proper high bandwidth ethernet cables, which I am reluctant to do since this is just a secondary machine.

I am surprised that QNAP support support did not tell you immediately that dropping the Thunderbolt connection was an Apple MacOs problem and that they could provide no help. That is what they told me when I opened a ticket on the issue. I believe QHAP Support is telling the truth because (a) the problem did not exist under Catalina and (b) the vocal synthesizer on my TVS-872XT reports that Thunderbolt has been connected every time I wake my Mac Pro from sleep, but MacOS does not see the the Thunderbolt connection, only the far slower 1 GbE connection.

I'll certainly keep you posted on any further developments and I hope that tyou will do the same for me.

Tom

 

[Average Pro]

Interesting. Here are my observations.

Setting 01: Under Energy Saver, box checked for "prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off."
NAS did not disconnect under Catalina or Big Sur.

Setting 02: Under Energy Saver, box NOT checked for "prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off."
NAS reconnected (with "refresh") without problems for both Catalina and Big Sur.

The problem appeared after installing the latest QNAP version. The NAS will not reconnect if the box is NOT checked and allows the computer to go to sleep.

New Symptom: For the past day or two, the NAS will disconnect after the computer goes to sleep and the box is checked to prevent computer from sleeping. However, all I do to reconnect is click on "refresh".

I'll follow up with QNAP on Monday.

 

[Bengaldad]

Interesting. Here are my observations.

Setting 01: Under Energy Saver, box checked for "prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off."
NAS did not disconnect under Catalina or Big Sur.

Setting 02: Under Energy Saver, box NOT checked for "prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off."
NAS reconnected (with "refresh") without problems for both Catalina and Big Sur.

The problem appeared after installing the latest QNAP version. The NAS will not reconnect if the box is NOT checked and allows the computer to go to sleep.

New Symptom: For the past day or two, the NAS will disconnect after the computer goes to sleep and the box is checked to prevent computer from sleeping. However, all I do to reconnect is click on "refresh".

I'll follow up with QNAP on Monday.

Thanks for your detailed observations. After reading them I made sure that in System Preferences>Energy Saver I had the box checked for "prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off". I then rebooted my Mac Pro, and as is always the case when I reboot the Thunderbolt connection to my NAS was connected. I then put the Mac Pro to sleep, waited about five minutes and woke it up. As usual the Thunderbolt connection to the NAS was lost, but a few moments after waking the NAS stated that Thunderbolt had been connected. However, Qfinder and the MacOS Finder both showed that there was no Thunderbolt connection to the NAS. I then clicked on the Refresh button in Qfinder Pro, but after a few moment of an activity bar moving at the bottom right of Qfinder Pro, the NAS still did not connect via Thunderbolt to the NAS. I tried the Refresh button twice more with the same result. Frankly, if I could reconnect Thunderbolt via the Refresh button I would be happy but I cannot. The only way I can restore the Thunderbolt connection to the NAS after waking my Mac Pro from sleep is to reboot the Mac Pro. I am running the latest version of the QNAP software and Qfinder Pro.

Please keep me informed of any info that you get from QNAP and feel free to share with them that I am having the same Thunderbolt disconnect that you are.

 

[Bengaldad]

Average Pro,

Just curious if QNAP Support ever got back to you on the issue we have been discussing above of the Thunderbolt over I.P. connections disappearing after waking the Mac from sleep.

I spoke at length with a very competent and well-informed QNAP Support person yesterday and he told me a few interesting things: (1) This is definitely a MacOS issue not a QNAP issue. (2) It will have to be addressed by Apple, not by QNAP. (3) Not all Macs appear to have this issue. (This could explain why you were able to restore the Thunderbolt connection using the Refresh button in Qfinder Pro and I can not do so on either my iMac Pro or my Mac Pro 7.1.) (4) Thunderbolt over I.P. is very new and is on very few devices. The loss of the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection on waking from sleep is not just a Mac issue but occurs on Windows machines as well. Obviously, I cannot verify any of this, but this fellow seemed to really knew his stuff.

Beyond telling me the tthis problem would have to be resolved in a future MacOS update and that Apple engineers had opened an investigation into the issue, I have heard nothing further from the Apple Enterprise Support person that I was working with.

Tom

 

[PAO73]

Same problem for me with M1 mini Bug Sur 11.1 and Qnap 872XT connected with TB3 cable. Constantly disconnecting when mini on but not in use. I set the computer not to sleep when display is off but after a while it still disconnects and is a pain in the *ss to connect again. New Mac, new Qnap not impressed at all.

 

[PAO73]

Hard to know if it’s a Mac issue or Qnap. I’ve read allot of forums that say Qnap TB3 has had this problem dating back to 2018 !! Should have saved 1k and not gone for the TB3 NAS perhaps

 

[Bengaldad]

Hard to know if it’s a Mac issue or Qnap. I’ve read allot of forums that say Qnap TB3 has had this problem dating back to 2018 !! Should have saved 1k and not gone for the TB3 NAS perhaps

I have spoken at length with both QNAP Support and Apple Enterprise Level Support. The problem of the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection disconnecting when the Mac is put to sleep is definitely a macOS Big Sur problem. The problem did not exist during the more than three months that I used my QNAP TVS-872XT on Mac OS Catalina, but appeared immediately upon installing Big Sur. Apple Support has told me that the problem is definitely in the Mac OS and their engineers have an active investigation of it underway now. Perhaps it will be fixed in a future update to Mac OS Big Sur.

If you are doing video editing of 4K and higher resolution video, then the data transfer speed of Thunderbolt over I.P. or 10 GbE is essential in order to be able to use the NAS's large capacity for storing media. I feel that the QNAP NAS products are the only realistic solution of the media requirements of large storage capacity and high speed needed for video editing of high resolution media.

 

[Average Pro]

I'm working with the tech support team at QNAP. They believe the cause could be that the latest QNAP/NAS software. I will provide an update when I receive another response.

 

[Bengaldad]

I'm working with the tech support team at QNAP. They believe the cause could be that the latest QNAP/NAS software. I will provide an update when I receive another response.

Average Pro,

Thank you for checking in. You seem to be getting a very different response from QNAP Support than I have been getting. QNAP feels the problem is a MacOS problem. I certainly hope what they are telling you is correct and that we can get an update to the NAS firmware/software that solves the problem.

 

[jeyf]

i was going to say log into your QNap box as admin and get the latest firmware. QNap updates the firmware like every week so there is likely a new something.

seems like you already contacted them but qnap tec support = 909-595-2782
i also thinks QNap support has a cusotmer forum too.
long shot but:
try reddit.com
likely the QNap box has its own a sleep wake algrothium going
see if your apple settings have a share external drive setting, when activated sleep has less of an impact


not related to the original post but:
QNap NAS products suffer from a reoccuring malware infection called “QSnatch”
to this ends they have a virus scan built into their firmware. Enable the virus scan to run every day or week at 2am or something.
improve your admin password to >8 characters or better.

i own a QNap and often tell myseldf should have bought a...


do you have the option to run with a ethernet hook up into your home network instead of thunderboldt.
sorry this kinda works better.

 

[Bengaldad]

i was going to say log into your QNap box as admin and get the latest firmware. QNap updates the firmware like every week so there is likely a new something.

seems like you already contacted them but qnap tec support = 909-595-2782
i also thinks QNap support has a cusotmer forum too.

not related to the original post but:
QNap NAS products suffer from a reoccuring malware infection called “QSnatch”
to this ends they have a virus scan built into their firmware. Enable the virus scan to run every day or week at 2am or something.
improve your admin password to >8 characters or better.

i own a QNap and often tell myseldf should have bought a...


do you have the option to run with a ethernet hook up into your home network.
sorry this kinda works better.

Jeff,

I am running the latest firmware on my TVS-872XT, and I check it daily to be sure the firmware is up to date. I have spoken at length with QNAP Support, but they tell me this is a known MacOS problem that Apple will have to resolve. I believe them since I did not have the issue until I installed Big Sur.

I have posted the issue on the QNAP Forum but I did not receive any response.

I do have a 10 GbE direct connection from the NAS to the Mac Pro which I use when Thunderbolt over I.P. is lost on wake from sleep. Unfortunately my iMac Pro has only one 10 GbE port so unless I buy a 10 GbE switch I can only use the slower 1GbE connection when I lose Thunderbolt over I.P. On that machine.

 

[jeyf]

re locate your nas box next to your cable modem all in one box and use one of those ethernet ports.
or
put the cable modem in pass through mode and purchase a used $35.00 ebay HP 1810-8G model J9802A 8 port switch. Its a nice fast 1Gb residential switch.

the QNap box will not be that fast either way. On mine i installed the extra RAM which speed thing up a bit.

i have had issues with Catalina in sleep mode on a previous home project, BEST OF LUCK !

 

[Average Pro]

Spoke to QNAP Tech Support. Here are today's results:
(1) Connection via ethernet (10GB). Put the computer to sleep and then woke it up. The NAS remained connected.
(2) Connection via ethernet (10GB) and TB3. Disconnected TB3, put the computer to sleep and then woke it up. The NAS remained connected via ethernet, but TB3 disconnected. Unplugged the TB3 cable from the back of the NAS and plugged it into the other port (the NAS has two TB3 ports). Success - the TB3 reconnected.

Tonight, I will let the computer go to sleep with the ethernet and TB3 connected. In the morning, I will see if I can reconnect TB3 via the "refresh" button. If no, then I will unplug and plug the TB3 cable from the rear of the NAS.

Results to follow.

 

[jeyf]

verify the QNap box does not time out on its own and contributes to the error.

 

[Average Pro]

verify the QNap box does not time out on its own and contributes to the error.

Verified.

 

[Bengaldad]

Spoke to QNAP Tech Support. Here are today's results:
(1) Connection via ethernet (10GB). Put the computer to sleep and then woke it up. The NAS remained connected.
(2) Connection via ethernet (10GB) and TB3. Disconnected TB3, put the computer to sleep and then woke it up. The NAS remained connected via ethernet, but TB3 disconnected. Unplugged the TB3 cable from the back of the NAS and plugged it into the other port (the NAS has two TB3 ports). Success - the TB3 reconnected.

Tonight, I will let the computer go to sleep with the ethernet and TB3 connected. In the morning, I will see if I can reconnect TB3 via the "refresh" button. If no, then I will unplug and plug the TB3 cable from the rear of the NAS.

Results to follow.

Yes, most of this is totally consistent with what I see. I never have a problem with the 10 GbE being disconnected upon wake from sleep. It always remains connected even when the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection is lost on wake from sleep.

Every time that I put my Mac Pro to sleep and wake it up five minutes or more later, the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection is lost. I have never been able to restore it via the "refresh" button in Qfinder Pro. While I have not tried disconnecting and reconnecting the Thunderbolt cable from the NAS or from my Mac Pro once the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection has been lost, I have no doubt whatsoever that disconnecting and reconnecting the Thunderbolt cable at either end WILL restore the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection since such a disconnection process is the same as rebooting my Mac Pro (which always restores the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection). However I don't find disconnecting and reconnecting the Thunderbolt cable upon loss of Thunderbolt over I.P. a viable solution as that is more trouble than rebooting my Mac Pro to do the same thing.

Please continue to let me know our results.

 

[Average Pro]

New Year's Day results.

After waking the computer, the 10G connection remained. The TB3 disconnected.
(1) I unplugged the TB3 cable from the back of the Mac Pro and plugged it into another TB3 port - No change.
(2) I unplugged the TB3 cable from the back of the NAS and plugged it into the other NAS TB3 port - Success.

Not sure what this means, but easy to draw conclusions (valid or not). I do not know enough about TB3 ports on the Mac Pro or QNAP/NAS. Specifically, what happens to the port on each side when the computer goes to sleep? If the QNAP/NAS is the source of the problem, why would changing the port reconnect the NAS?

The next step: Leave the 10GB and TB3 connected. Allow the computer to fall asleep. Wake it and if the NAS is not connected, disconnect the TB3 cable on the back of the NAS and plug it back into the same NAS TB3 port.

Not sure if this makes a difference, but while typing this, the NAS disconnected via TB3. I hit refresh on the QNAS and reconnected.

 

[Bengaldad]

I have been able to reconnect if I immediately wake up my Mac Pro after putting it to sleep, but if I wait approximately 5 minutes or longer after putting it to sleep it will not reconnect Thundebolt over I.P. even if I kit the refresh icon in Qfinder Pro.

 

[Average Pro]

I recently discovered that the NAS will reconnect if I logout and login

 

[Bengaldad]

Average Pro,

My observations on both an iMac Pro and a Mac Pro 7.1 are quite different than yours.

On the Mac Pro, I always get both the 10GBE and Thunderbolt over I.P. connection to my QNAP TVS-872XT upon booting this machine. If I put the Mac Pro 7.1 to sleep and wait five minutes, the connection to the NAS Thunderbolt over I.P. is lost (i.e. disconnected), but the 10 GBE remains connected on waking from sleep. The Thunderbolt over I.P. connections remains lost (disconnected) upon logging out and logging back in.

With my iMac Pro I never get the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection to the NAS upon the initial boot up of the machine. I get only the 1 GBE connection since I do not have a 10 GBE connection to that computer. When I shut down the iMac Pro I frequently get a very slow shutdown followed by a reboot due to a panic attack. If I reboot the iMac Pro after the reboot from the panic attack or anytime I reboot the iMac Pro a second time, I get the Thunderbolt over I.P. connection to the NAS. Note that I have reinstalled Mac Big Sur twice on iMac Pro, but this made no difference in the behavior with respect to the NAS that I have reported above.

Quite some time ago you indicated that you were working with QNAP to find a solution to the disconnection of Thunderbolt over I.P. with the TVS-872XT after putting the Mac to sleep. You never followed up to indicate what QNAP support did to resolve this issue. My experience at contacting QNAP support regarding this issue was quite different from yours. Two different QNAP support people told me this was a Mac OS problem and Apple would have to resolve it. Apple tells me they are investigating the problem and it should be resolved in a firmware update to Big Sur which I am still waiting for.

Tom

 

[Street Kingpin]

I can confirm TB3 problems on my Qnap TB3 connection as well. I am on OS Catalina and my connection is lost when computer is put to sleep for a few minutes.

My only work-arounds discovered:
1) Unplug TB3 from Qnap and plug into same port after 5 seconds.
2) Don't put computer to sleep. In system preferences I can put "Turn display off" to Never. In this case I have to keep the screen saver on overnight, which isn't ideal.

 

[kuau]

Same problem for me with M1 mini Bug Sur 11.1 and Qnap 872XT connected with TB3 cable. Constantly disconnecting when mini on but not in use. I set the computer not to sleep when display is off but after a while it still disconnects and is a pain in the *ss to connect again. New Mac, new Qnap not impressed at all.

I have the same problem with my M1 Mini and my QNAP TVS-672XT... Though now what ever I try I cannot get a Thunderbolt 3 connection at all... Very frustrating I just ordered a TB3 to 10gbe ethernet adapter. Funny thing is I also have a Intel NUC with TB3 and it has never worked directly connected to my QNAp and is a known issue with Windows 10 which has never been fixed either

 

[jeyf]

macOS has had sleep, wake on lan issues for some time. Just saying its been a feature in quite a few disign cycles.
best of luck...