Wireless NAS

Amp34 · 10 Sep 2008 at 18:38

I've just been thinking about sorting my file storage out, which at the moment is spread over a Desktop and a Laptop. I was thinking about getting a NAS box as an intermediary to back up all the data and also allow me to retrieve data from each without having to have the systems on at the time.

My preference would be to have a NAS box that automatically backs up data and is connected to the Desktop via Ethernet and to the Laptop via Wireless.

This is where I seem to be hitting a snag. There is no wireless where I live. This got me thinking about looking for a wireless NAS, which I assumed would be pretty easy to find... Seems not, the only ones I can find which I guess would be suitable are by Freecom and Apple and both are rather expensive.

So either is there any reasonable wireless NAS boxes I have missed (I just want a 1TB box that will connect via wireless and ethernet, I don't care about all the spangly bits and connecting throught the net etc.)? Or is there another way I can do this without setting up an entire wireless network?

Would something like this be suitable to just plug the NAS into to connect to my laptop or is that not possible?

Thanks

Bry · 10 Sep 2008 at 18:43

If you want it connected to your desktop via wired. Then, all you would have to do is to connect the NAS via ethernet to a wireless router and from there you can ethernet it to your desktop and it will be seen wirelessly to your laptop via the wireless router?

Amp34 · 10 Sep 2008 at 18:59

I've been thinking that I have to connect it up to the internet as well, which I guess I don't need to do, so any wireless router will do? Although could I use a cable or ADSL to connect to the internet via an ethernet connection?

That's still a bit of a work around that I don't really want to do, I would prefer a NAS drive with built in wireless, which I would have assumed the major NAS companies would have made.

NicNac · 10 Sep 2008 at 21:24

why cant you connect it to a router its the easiest way

Dist · 10 Sep 2008 at 21:38

Why would companies put wireless on a NAS which would increase costs, when people could simply connect the NAS using an ethernet cable to a wireless router.

The only reason for a NAS to have wireless is if it was placed somewhere that doesnt have the option of a wired network, or if all the ports on a wireless router are full. But even so, its much simpler to just place the NAS next to wherever the wireless router is, connect them together, problem solved.

Amp34 · 11 Sep 2008 at 10:05

I guess (actually I completely forgot you could just plug it into a router

, and TBH I wanted an all in one solution) but i'm sure there would be a lot of people who would prefer an integrated solution than an Ad Hoc one that sticking a wireless router to it is.

The Apple time machine shows that Apple believe there is a market for it (as well as freecom) the only problem is being Apple they are charging twice as much as (to me) it's worth. How much is it going to cost (and how long would it take) to stick a little wireless dongle type device in an existing NAS? Hardly anything, which is why I am suprised none of the big players have come up with it. They could just have a wireless range next to the wired ranges, nothing hard and reletively cheap as the hardware would be almost identical.

Anyway as there seem to be no wireless systems around at a reasonable price couldsomeone recommend me a NAS box and router for as reasonalby cheap as possible?

I guess a WD Mybook or a LaCie would be suitable? How easy would it be to upgrade the HDD in these boxes?

Would it matter if I got an ADSL or Cable router? And if so could I connect the internet through it via a standard Cat5e cable from a switch? Which router would people recommend?

Thanks