ipfs - I just cannot get it working reliably

Question

I'm new to IPFS.

I've installed the desktop client (MacOSX - Version 0.31.0 (0.31.0)) and imported files and I can see them in files. I copy the Share URL for one and paste in to a browser and it tries for a long time and then Gateway timeout. I leave it hours and try again but same problem.

I install the ipfs cli with brew.

The daemon is running since if i try and start the daemon in the CLI it fails with lock file exists.

Ok that sucks. Let me try some other things.

Now in the CLI I can list those files:

▶ ipfs files ls
2019-03 VanCouver Head.jpg
2022-09 Boo - Father’s Day card.pdf

I can stat a file:

▶ ipfs files stat "/2019-03 VanCouver Head.jpg"
QmcrNkR5jtKDq7JoEQtTHQ25s5eMCfvPTtkg9djZHYMTdW
Size: 339651
CumulativeSize: 339783
ChildBlocks: 2
Type: file

Again entering https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmcrNkR5jtKDq7JoEQtTHQ25s5eMCfvPTtkg9djZHYMTdW?filename=2019-03%20VanCouver%20Head.jpg gives same error.

Ok try something else:

▶ ipfs add 2023-01-07\ Indian.pdf
added QmX4rMiAFQq2E5KJfZWnXnUU8M72WDj2YmJYu4KqYnGgFD 2023-01-07 Indian.pdf
 136.07 KiB / 136.07 KiB [=========================================================================================================] 100.00%

~/tmp/receipts
▶ ipfs files ls
2019-03 VanCouver Head.jpg
2022-09 Boo - Father’s Day card.pdf

So file not being added in CLI.

The desktop status isn't showing any errors. And ipfs swarm peers looks to be ok:

▶ ipfs swarm peers
/ip4/108.62.0.103/udp/4001/quic-v1/p2p/12D3KooWJahwQCo4WW5GCZTqDKPpdXEDEiRxPToVVcaXyBbEkWzV
/ip4/120.226.39.192/tcp/4001/p2p/12D3KooWHJbyskaXBypYwE7PrgYNDMtqN8pATDQfLdHXCuEPUxHm
/ip4/120.226.39.246/tcp/4001/p2p/12D3KooWLcck3DE33chSgEUdrSKB7UUWt3uayStL6gcVww7eDxSo
/ip4/147.28.182.101/tcp/4001/p2p/12D3KooWLw82DUKijnx5aAbA7bBdzV18o7qKHBtVdwtee5TPxQ7A
/ip4/35.161.110.72/tcp/4001/p2p/12D3KooWS1ehpyirKUJma8tkVaMennGTCG9E822CXuWXnJ37YBqL
/ip4/45.76.55.81/udp/4001/quic-v1/p2p/12D3KooWRnuieBB7PZ6CrzgireoEu2DzzqBLULtGvJwvfpyqjZBL

So seems to be operating correctly.

No one seems to report such problems so the problem is my end. But I've no idea why - I'd appreciate any thoughts or advice.

Thanks!

---

More information:

• I have confirmed that the firewall is allowing incoming connections for the IPFS Desktop and CLI.
• I understand about the pinning service (eg. Can not access file in ipfs) and that it is just about garbage collection. The Vancouver Head file is pinned but regardless GC would not touch this file yet given my node is running.
• I read at https://docs.ipfs.tech/concepts/lifecycle/#_1-content-addressable-representation that advertising happens (only) every 12 hours. So maybe in another 6 hours or so the problem of not being able to see the file using shared links will be solved.