Linksys WRTSL54GS and Mac OS X
Anyone using a USB hard drive connected to Linksys’s WRTSL54GS Router and Mac OS X may come across an error that reads The operation cannot be completed because you do not have sufficient privileges for some of the items when trying to copy files to the USB hard drive. If copying one file, it will finish copying but you will receive the error at the end. When copying multiply files, the first file will copy then you will receive the error and no more files will copy.
This only happens in OS X and more specifically, Finder. If you copy files using terminal, they will copy fine. I’m not exactly sure of the cause of it but it has to so with the SMB server and permissions. Problem is, since the SMB server is running through firmware on the router, we can’t do in and make changes. I’ve used hacked firmwares with telnet access and still cant get chown to work. So that leaves us with using a workaround on OS X’s side. There really is two ways of doing this. Both are similar.
First the hard way:
Since all the files on the USB HDD connected to the WRTSL54GS are owned by root, we will make a root account on the router.
- Login to your router using its IP address, usually 192.168.1.1
- Click on the Storage Tab, then click on Administration
- First we are going to create a new group, name it root
- Next make a new user called root and add them to the root group
- Connect to your shares on the WRTSL54GS using �oot as your username
or a second way, and easier way, to do this is to use the built in admin account by setting a password for the admin account. Do this under Storage > Administration and not the Administration tab as that will change the router password. After that is set, when you connect to any share on the WRTSL54GS, make sure you login using admin as your username and use the password you set. No more error message.
You’re the man, Alec! Solution still relevant 24May2007 w/ firmware 2.06.0 and Mac OS X 10.4.9. Didn’t see this anywhere else. Thanks, Steve
Btw/ I’m using Seagate FreeAgentDesktop 500MB Drive attached to the WRTSL54GS and automounted on the iMacs on login (System Preferences -> Login Items -> +[add]). Apple says SMB networking works more smoothly when you set all workgroup names to “Workgroup” (case doesn’t matter). I did that to the Linksys and all the WinXP boxes; it’s the default on the Macs (see Directory Access.app).
Glad I could help. I spent many hours and many swears before I figured out the workaround.
You did the trick! Well, allmost… I tried admin and guest before, now I tried root, but unfortunately without any success. Then I created an account with the same credentials as the account on the iMac, et volila.
Thanks for getting me on track!
A decade with Macintoshes has taught me the suggestions are normally for Windows machines. The router was persistent – and the sticker was blocking the power port – so, I thought I’d humor it. I was right. The CD shipping was filled with setup software for Windows. Nothing about how to setup from a Macintosh. Anywhere.
Great !! It works perfectly !
Whoa!! Beauty Mate!! I’ve been looking for this SIMPLE answer for months… and there it is. I bet you can answer my next problem. A step by step of how to set up my 5 Mac network. User names? Account set ups? Most of all, free and open access without all the bloody (read only) messages. Plus the beachballs when 2 computers are ‘stealing’ files off each other at the same time. If you can answer this I’m sending you a case of beer.
I have a similar problem but I’m trying to connect to the shares on my storage router from a vista 64 machine. I get the login prompty, enter the credentials and it shows the shares. When I access them they are dispalyed as empty. I cannot create anything in these shares. Any ideas? This wasn’t a problem when accessing from a XP 32 bit machine. I’ve attempted to add users in storage -> administration with admin rights/privileges