Getting Network Error 53 “Network path not found"

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Recently we got a case where customer was unable to access NFS share from Windows 2008 R2, Client for NFS.

We tried mounting the NFS share using the command below:

The error we got after the command was completed was “Network Error 53”. Then to test the access, we tried mounting the share using the Map Network drive. It prompted for a user name and password. We observed the same behavior while trying to use the UNC path to access the share.

Later we found that the directory on the Solaris box, which we were trying to access, was shared both through SMB and NFS.

So, while we were trying to use the mount command, Windows client was assuming the share to be a SMB and failing. Due to the same reason, we were getting prompted for User name and Password.

Then we change the priority list in the provider order. We moved NFS on above “Microsoft Windows Network” and restarted the Client for NFS service. Provider order can be found under Network connection => Advance => Advance settings =>Provider order

Once we do this, the Multiple UNC Provider (MUP) checks for this request against the network providers according to their priority listing. Each network redirector responds back with a handle to the wanted resource.

Hence, when we moved NFS on top of “Microsoft Windows Network”, mount command started working as it was assuming it to be a NFS share. Even through UNC
things worked and we were not prompted for user name and Password.

This is applicable in case same directory is shared from Unix server through NFS and SMB. In other scenario, provider order does not matter a lot.