# Network Attached Storage (NAS)



## nutts (May 8, 2002)

Looking for a cheap solution... anyone know of any? 

Buffalo do a LinkStation 160GB for Â£166.20

I want to connect it to the wireless routr to allow anyone on the network to (wirelesly) access shared music/video/data/etc without the need for a laptop to be on.

Is NAS the best way?


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## rstinton (May 7, 2002)

Yup. Unless you have an old PC to which you can connect a USB disk more cheaply.....

Also has a print server so you can share a printer without a PC being connected/on.

Iomega do something similar

http://www.iomega-europe.com/eu/en/products/nas/nas_family_100d_en.aspx

You may need some client software in order to access it (??)


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

Too expensive!!! I said cheaply :wink: ... the Buffalo is only Â£160 for 160Gb 

And the point is that I don't want to have to leave a pc on all the time :?


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

NAS devices are just NFS/CIFS servers. As rstinton said, it's your best option unless you have an old PC doing nothing. If you've got space for a PC, it might be a chaper option. Any crappy old PC will do for what you need.


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

Cheers both! 

BUT I don't have an old pc and even if I did, I don't want it left on... so a dedicated NAS is my only option...

Still Â£160 for 160GB or Â£210 for 250GB is relatively cheap :?

I did see a 1.6 Terrabyte NAS, but I think the cost may be prohibitive 

My router doesn't have a USB, but all the NAS are Ethernet anyway, I have loads of 40GB disks that I can load to external (USB) drives... does anyone know of a solution to allow a USB drive to connect to an Ethernet port?


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## rstinton (May 7, 2002)

The Buffalo is your best option. You can add extra USB disks to it if 160Gb is not enough for your needs. The disk have to be reformatted as the device will not support NTFS (I read somewhere).


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## saint (Dec 6, 2002)

http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hardwar ... klinx=3M08

Other option


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## Chip_iTT (Nov 14, 2003)

1Terabyte = Â£675! and it can accomodate 2 USB TV tuners so you could do your own Sky+ equivalent!

160 = Â£160
250 = Â£205
300 = Â£309

btw, embedded LINUX so FAT drives only AFAIK
Spec here


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

Irving... those are the 2 that I found


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

saint said:


> http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hardware/storage/productView.htm?quicklinx=3M08
> 
> Other option


Slightly cheaper, but doesn't look to be expandable (as easily?) and as I have some 40GB external USB drives, I could plug these into the the Buffalo.


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

I've got my old PC in the living room. I just use wake on lan when I need to power it up.


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

Just popped into Staples for a few folders and they are doing a special on the Buffalo 250GB NAS... Â£179!!


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

I just use an old laptop ethernet connected to Airport Extreme, with a Maxtor 160gb usb drive for all my iTunes etc. Then allow the drive to be shared by all the PCs. It works fine.

Now if I could just get my 6340 iPaq to connetc properly and then figure out a way to run itunes from it, all would be well with the world.

One of my techies at work tells me that there are a bunch of wireless cheap sata disc RAID boxes in the offing. 4TB mirrored and stripped and up in the loft. Perfect.


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## kce821tt (May 17, 2002)

http://www.misco.co.uk/productinformati ... liate=7274

Â£109.99 + VAT, Ethernet or USB


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

kce821tt said:


> http://www.misco.co.uk/productinformation/~76992~WW~/index.htm?affiliate=7274
> 
> Â£109.99 + VAT, Ethernet or USB


Cheers


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## ttimp (Jul 9, 2003)

kce821tt said:


> http://www.misco.co.uk/productinformation/~76992~WW~/index.htm?affiliate=7274
> 
> Â£109.99 + VAT, Ethernet or USB


I've got one of these (OK, the 80GB version) and whilst it does what it says on the tin it's not a true NAS device. Needs a driver to be installed on each PC wanting to attach to it. If using multiple PCs then the driver versions must all be the same. Mine seems to occasionally (regularly in fact) 'go missing' and if you are in the same room as it it often can be heard spinning down - not necessarily a bad thing but there seems to be no control over anything like power saving etc. Not bad but just not quite as good in practice as it at first appears.


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Anyone recommend a wireless NAS ?, would like it located out of my office for security reasons.

Found E-Buyer sell a wireless cradle to which you add the IDE drive of your choice.


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

gcp said:


> Found E-Buyer sell a wireless cradle to which you add the IDE drive of your choice.


Do you have an ebuyer code number?


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

nutts said:


> gcp said:
> 
> 
> > Found E-Buyer sell a wireless cradle to which you add the IDE drive of your choice.
> ...


Quickfind code 83400
Mfr # 90-IGB31E04-2UA


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## Johnwx (Oct 31, 2004)

looks ok but only 2.5" drive (laptop HD) not 3.5" from what NUTTS has written his spare 40G HD would not be of any use


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Johnwx said:


> looks ok but only 2.5" drive (laptop HD) not 3.5" from what NUTTS has written his spare 40G HD would not be of any use


True, which makes size/price an issue too.


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Quickfind code: 60265

Mfr #: HD-H120LAN-1

The LinkStation Network Storage Center from Buffalo Technology offers an easy and economic solution to add 120 Gigabytes of network-attached storage via wired or *wireless* connections. Quick and simple installation allows you to instantly store and share your music, videos, images and other files via a web browser from both PCs and Macs. Offering a built-in print server, the LinkStation simplifies network printing, and with two USB 2.0 ports, additional hard drives can be added for extra space or backups instantly. Simple setup and maintenance, versatile usage, and a compact design make the LinkStation the "must have" solution for storing and sharing files on your home or small office network.

Anyone know how you would connect one of these wirelessly ?


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

I'm looking at the 250gb version (the Bufallo NAS looks favourite over all the others), but essentially you connect it via ethernet to a wireless router and then connect to it as you would another computer on the network


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

Johnwx said:


> looks ok but only 2.5" drive (laptop HD) not 3.5" from what NUTTS has written his spare 40G HD would not be of any use


I still want/need a larger NAS, but this could help... I have a few 20gb and 40gb 2.5 drives, that I could use to give extra wireless storage


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

nutts said:


> I'm looking at the 250gb version (the Bufallo NAS looks favourite over all the others), but essentially you connect it via ethernet to a wireless router and then connect to it as you would another computer on the network


I was hoping to put a wireless drive in the loft so not the best option for me by the look of it.


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

gcp said:


> nutts said:
> 
> 
> > I'm looking at the 250gb version (the Bufallo NAS looks favourite over all the others), but essentially you connect it via ethernet to a wireless router and then connect to it as you would another computer on the network
> ...


If you have power in the loft, then I wonder whether one of these would allow you to connect it via the power supply...?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... 1&doy=22m3


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

nutts said:


> gcp said:
> 
> 
> > nutts said:
> ...


Have power in the loft but think it might be simpler to run an ethernet cable up there from the router.


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

gcp said:


> nutts said:
> 
> 
> > gcp said:
> ...


Think you may be right :wink:


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## HardDrive (May 10, 2002)

I was thinking of putting one of the Buffalo devices in my shed with a wireless bridge to perform off-site backups. What's the security like? Is it NTFS compatible?


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

HardDrive said:



> I was thinking of putting one of the Buffalo devices in my shed with a wireless bridge to perform off-site backups. What's the security like? Is it NTFS compatible?


With a name like "Harddrive", I expect you to tell us 

Seriously though, I haven't a clue...


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## HardDrive (May 10, 2002)

I've downloaded the manual and it can either use an existing domain or it's own internal user list.

Might take a trip to Staples tomorrow to see if their offer is still on....


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