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ive been looking into a network attached storage solution for a while now. A place where I can tell all the computers in my house to backup and also store data so I can work from any computer in my house without much hassle. Every product I've looked into seems to require you to use some software to connect to the device and access the data. I dont want that! I want something that will allow me to access the files using simple SMB protocol so I can have at it from any machine on the network without needing to install stuff.

Does anyone know of such a product?

Chupa,

I have 2 Buffalo NAS products: a 1TB and a 2TB that both do exactly what you're looking for. I suspect there are other vendors with a very similar strategy, these were just the best deal at my local Fry's.

The software they come with finds the drive the first time you use it, simply for configuration purposes and is only required once on one PC. The software can then be uninstalled and the drive administered via a browser. Thereafter, they are accessible in the same way you would access a windows shared folder or samba share via a UNC path (\\somemachine\someshare). You can map a drive to it from each of the PCs in your house and backup to your heart's content.

All the software does is arp the LAN for a specific MAC range and pops a browser with the right IP address (it can also set a static IP for you). If you are REALLY opposed to loading their software on your machine, figure out which DHCP address your router assigns when you plug it in and you can skip the software install entirely.

hth

thanks for the info kheston. that's exactly what im looking for. Which product of theirs do you have specifically? Do you have any problems at all when them?

I have a 1TB and a 2TB:

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/net ... n-pro-duo/

If you have an unused computer laying around and hard drives to spare try http://www.freenas.org/, it's free and supports SMB. Though your envisioned solution to your needs might be low hassle I would be remiss if I didn't warn you of the insecurity in using SMB for storage. If you are using a wireless network that is using WEP or worse no encryption I hope you don't mind your neighbors tampering with your files. At the very minimum be behind a router and don't forward smb to the public network, keep it local access only.

That sounds good kheston. Thanks much!

my networks locked down pretty good. Im not worried about it to much!

That free nas thing sounds neat but I dont have any drives layin around, and it would probably cost more at this point to get IDE drives in the sizes i need than SATA

Chupa wrote:my networks locked down pretty good. Im not worried about it to much!

Just making sure you knew of the possible risks involved. If you want to super easy, high reliability and exorbitant expense check out the Drobo http://www.drobo.com/

I finally got around to getting a NAS. after weighing all the options, i changed my mind and actually decided to go with a freenas system. I was able to purchase a FULL system from newegg for ~$220, with a 1TB drive. This is excluding a case and PSU because I had one already available.

I must say, I am very impressed with it. Freenas has many many more useful features that a NAS appliance in the same price range will never have. The WEB GUI is very slick.

I after I get all settled in im going to start running some power usage tests as that's one of my biggest concerns.

Thanks for the heads up SETEC_Astronomy!

Glad you like it. Another win for open source!

I got my system down to 66W at full usage. 54W while Idle. and 48W when it goes into standby. It will cost me between $6.18 and $4.49 in power usage a month. And this is with only a >68% efficient PSU. I think I can improve on those numbers if I get a 80+ certified PSU. Im very happy with it!

Does anyone by chance have a regular NAS appliance they can measure the power usage on? I'm curious to see a comparison.