The AsanteTalks can be finicky. The best method I've found is to have all the devices on the Localtalk side powered up and connected, and then start/restart the AsanteTalk.
Not sure from the NetAtalk side if the that makes a difference, but it sounds like it might - have everything on both the Localtalk and ethernet side up and connected, and then restart the AsanteTalk. I don't seem to have trouble with devices on the ethernet side coming and going (I have an old SnapServer and one other device doing Ethertalk(?)) but adding something to the Localtalk side "on the fly" seems to require a restart of the AsanteTalk more often than not.
HTH
Not sure from the NetAtalk side if the that makes a difference, but it sounds like it might - have everything on both the Localtalk and ethernet side up and connected, and then restart the AsanteTalk. I don't seem to have trouble with devices on the ethernet side coming and going (I have an old SnapServer and one other device doing Ethertalk(?)) but adding something to the Localtalk side "on the fly" seems to require a restart of the AsanteTalk more often than not.
HTH