ZyXEL NSA310 1-Bay NAS Media Server (With 500GB HDD) - €90.37 delivered [Dabs.ie]

uck51js9zml2yt · 24-02-2012 11:58pm

I ordered a 310 this evening.cant afford it but its done now.:D

how easy are these things to connect up?

daingeanrob · 25-02-2012 12:07am

sorely tempted, can't justify it but that never mattered before. cheers op!

Basq · 27-02-2012 11:38am

This arrived from CCLOnline this morning.. delivered via DPD.

Keith186 · 27-02-2012 12:48pm

Dual bay NAS going cheap on Amazon which will let you do a RAID set up.

Not sure if I need it at all myself. Havent ordered yet...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-ShareCenter-Network-Storage-Enclosure/dp/B004AIWOXY/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1330342886&sr=1-1

Basq · 27-02-2012 1:15pm

In my experience - most cheap 2 bay NAS's are cheap for a reason.

nodolan · 27-02-2012 1:59pm

I have a ZyXEL NSA221 from Dabs.

It has:

2x1TB internal
1TB External
2TB External

(BTW: Set up as JBOD and not Raid)

If you have a lot of data on various disks it takes a bit of calculating to transfer all your data over as you have to format the internal disk(s) for it to be used. The front USB port is used for backing up USB thumb drives mainly (there's a setting that allows you to do it automatically when you insert the thumb drive).

Have to say though that I ended up switching off all the extras (web sharing (LAN), torrents etc.) as the system was constantly indexing. I suppose with 4.5TB of data that's to be expected but it got very annoying. Also, I gave up on the zPilot software as it was very slow and I just mapped a network drive to it to transfer new data.

It runs a small Linux kernel and you can install add-ons from within the web interface - there's also a middling sized community out there that provides 'patches' to enable other stuff on it.

We use it almost every day and we stream movies and music across our home WiFi network to two laptops and an Android phone from it (with no stuttering etc.) so I'd highly recommend the ZyXEL.

mp3ireland2 · 27-02-2012 4:51pm

Bought a dislkless one just now for CCL... thought it had been reduced by a tenner, but the shipping was £15 :-( Just wondering does anybody know where to get a good value internal hard disk to use with it? I want a least a 2tb, do 3tb exist? are they a lot more pricey?

Basq · 27-02-2012 5:33pm

Do bear in mind... the security seal will be broken on the Zyxel from CCLOnline.

They come with a 500GB HDD pre-installed so CCLOnline open them, removed the HDD and then bundled it back together for sale.

My security seal was broken..however all plastic covering was intact, I've it installed and it works fine.

But a tad poor and unprofessional that it was never mentioned.. I only found mention of it over on HotUKDeals just there.

I've sent CCLOnline an angry e-mail.. but judging by the responses over on HotUKDeals, you can send it back if you want or reject it outright when it arrives.

Basq · 27-02-2012 8:01pm

This thing is bloody AWESOME!

Couple of things I've noticed / tested so far:

- transferring over WiFi to a SATA Internal Disk over FTP steadies out at 3MB a second so a 178MB file took a minute to transfer.
- 'Download Services' ability seems cool too. Input a direct link to download direct to NAS or even better, an RSS feed with your favourite TV shows / music / podcasts and it'll download it as soon as it's published and ready for your viewing in the morning.
- copy / sync to USB seems nifty. Pop in a USB key in the morning with your latest downloaded music / podcasts / TV shows (etc) and let it do a sync to your USB key and it'll beep when finished.
- couple of nice packages too including Polkast (browse your media easily on iOS devices) and auto upload to YouTube / Flickr - not used but promising enough from the sounds of it.

And loads more packages to do with Wordpress, SqueezeBox etc.

Very impressed with it!

wolfyboy555 · 27-02-2012 8:29pm

cool. Mine was only dispatched today but looking forward to getting it now!

uck51js9zml2yt · 27-02-2012 10:48pm

Are there any clear instructions anywhere on how to use this thing.

I've it ordered but where do I go from there

Basq · 27-02-2012 11:34pm

Kensley Rancid Pumpernickel wrote: »

Are there any clear instructions anywhere on how to use this thing.

I've it ordered but where do I go from there

There's a decent quick start guide.. basically:

a) use a coin or screwdrive to open the enclosure
b) install a SATA hard drive in it, and close it (all data will be wiped off, so bear that in mind!)
c) connect power supply to wall and ethernet cable to router (both supplied). Prop it alongside your router and turn it on.
d) install the software from CD, or get it from here!
e) follow configuration instructions in here / access the web interface.

wolfyboy555 · 27-02-2012 11:45pm

Balls it wipes off the data on the hard drive? I've all my stuff on this http://aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_13501.htm .It took me like a full day to put it on it from my computer! Also do i need a new cable other than usb to connect it?

AntiRip · 27-02-2012 11:49pm

Can you use Jdownloader on this?

Also, is the bittorrent client any good?

I got one of these before, cheap thing, but the client was crap. No scheduling function etc.

Does the client have the same functionality as uTorrent so u can use with private sites?

If it does have these functions it would be brilliant

Just wondering also why it wipes the hdd's? I have 2 1tb external hdd of media so I wouldn't be able to connect these to it?

Any help in understanding what it can do appreciated thanks

Basq · 28-02-2012 12:19am

AntiRip wrote: »

Can you use Jdownloader on this?

Can't see why not.. once the drive is mapped to your PC, you could just set your download path in JDownloader as the mapped drive,

AntiRip wrote: »

Also, is the bittorrent client any good?

Does the client have the same functionality as uTorrent so u can use with private sites?

Tried both a public and private RSS feed.. both worked as expected.

AntiRip wrote: »

Just wondering also why it wipes the hdd's?

Standard practice that NAS boxes format drives for use.

uck51js9zml2yt · 28-02-2012 1:52am

Basq wrote: »

There's a decent quick start guide.. basically:

a) use a coin or screwdrive to open the enclosure
b) install a SATA hard drive in it, and close it (all data will be wiped off, so bear that in mind!)
c) connect power supply to wall and ethernet cable to router (both supplied). Prop it alongside your router and turn it on.
d) install the software from CD, or get it from here!
e) follow configuration instructions in here / access the web interface.

I assume that since mine is the 500gb version that the "wipes your data" part is irrelevant.:)

Basq · 28-02-2012 2:17am

Yep, it'll come formatted.

AntiRip · 28-02-2012 9:07am

Basq wrote: »

Yep, it'll come formatted.

So basically, to add the external hdd's through the USB you'd have to transfer your data(media) to another hdd and upload that media again through the web interface?

Basq · 28-02-2012 10:12am

Yep.. sounds about right AntiRip.

Although "upload that media through the web interface" is a tad misleading.. you can see the drive as a network share so you just upload the files / folders same as you would for any other drive.

Woke up this morning to a NAS box full of last night's telly.. automated and downloaded overnight. Sweet!

AntiRip · 28-02-2012 10:35am

Basq wrote: »

Yep.. sounds about right AntiRip.

Although "upload that media through the web interface" is a tad misleading.. you can see the drive as a network share so you just upload the files / folders same as you would for any other drive.

Woke up this morning to a NAS box full of last night's telly.. automated and downloaded overnight. Sweet!

Awh that is sweet! Please don't say anymore... too late actually cause once it's in the head you'll keep thinking about it until you just impulsively buy it

Chet T16 · 28-02-2012 1:55pm

I got one of these from ibood a while ago, they're great.

They're actually running a webserver with php and mysql so you can run pretty much any site off it from what i can see

Any idea on the best way to transfer 400GB of mp3's from my NAS to this? At the minute i have them both mapped as drives in a pc and trying a folder sync but its sllooowwww

kaizersoze · 28-02-2012 2:07pm

Basq wrote: »

There's a decent quick start guide.. basically:

a) use a coin or screwdrive to open the enclosure
b) install a SATA hard drive in it, and close it (all data will be wiped off, so bear that in mind!)
c) connect power supply to wall and ethernet cable to router (both supplied). Prop it alongside your router and turn it on.
d) install the software from CD, or get it from here!
e) follow configuration instructions in here / access the web interface.

Just to add for those who bought the Dabs model with the pre-installed hard drive...
If you want to remove/upgrade the 500gig drive, the single screw used to open the enclosure won't release the drive. There is another screw inside fixing the drive to the metal frame. You have to open the 4 small screws inside. This allows the frame to slide out half way so you can remove the other fixing screw.

snowblind · 28-02-2012 4:39pm

Has anyone used this in combination with a PS3?
I want to use my PS3 as a media player, but browsing things is always ridiculously slow from my external FAT32 drive connected to the console.

Would this solve the problems with speed, if I had this connected to the router and would connect to this wirelessly from PS3?

Basq · 28-02-2012 4:52pm

snowblind wrote: »

Has anyone used this in combination with a PS3?
I want to use my PS3 as a media player, but browsing things is always ridiculously slow from my external FAT32 drive connected to the console.

Would this solve the problems with speed, if I had this connected to the router and would connect to this wirelessly from PS3?

Connecting directly via USB should certainly be faster than accessing it wirelessly.

I've used my PS3 with an external HDD and it works just fine.. never noticed it being particularly slow.

Although might depend how the disk is organised - is stuff sorted into folders or just files littered on the root of the disk? As the latter would suggest trying to retrieve filesizes / metadata of each of the videos. If it's the former - my advice would be put your money towards a USB disk with better read / write speeds, rather than this.

snowblind · 28-02-2012 5:12pm

Basq wrote: »

Connecting directly via USB should certainly be faster than accessing it wirelessly.

I've used my PS3 with an external HDD and it works just fine.. never noticed it being particularly slow.

Although might depend how the disk is organised - is stuff sorted into folders or just files littered on the root of the disk? As the latter would suggest trying to retrieve filesizes / metadata of each of the videos. If it's the former - my advice would be put your money towards a USB disk with better read / write speeds, rather than this.

Things are sorted pretty well into categoried folders etc.

I guess the issue is the lack of any sort of media library buffer on PS3, it will always search for the directories again and again. I refuse to categorize my music, and browsing through the list of artist takes a lot of time. Movies are much more easily branched out.

Thor · 28-02-2012 8:07pm

Okay, You all have me convinced that this is worth buying.

Not sure whether to go for the diskless version or not.

Simply question for those that ordered from CCLonline.

How long did it take to get to you.

As if i ordered it tonight and it shipped tomorrow, Would i get it by the Friday.

DPD from the UK to Ireland are normally always a two day service so, I should but just want to confirm.

Thanks in advance

Basq · 28-02-2012 8:29pm

Thor wrote: »

How long did it take to get to you.

As if i ordered it tonight and it shipped tomorrow, Would i get it by the Friday.

DPD from the UK to Ireland are normally always a two day service so, I should but just want to confirm.

Thanks in advance

I ordered it last Tuesday.. and it arrived on Monday, but according to DPD.. it was out for delivery last Friday but they couldn't locate my address (whether that's true or not is another thing).

I'd say you should have it by Friday if you order tonight.

Callipo · 28-02-2012 8:34pm

Thor wrote: »

Okay, You all have me convinced that this is worth buying.

Not sure whether to go for the diskless version or not.

Simply question for those that ordered from CCLonline.

How long did it take to get to you.

As if i ordered it tonight and it shipped tomorrow, Would i get it by the Friday.

DPD from the UK to Ireland are normally always a two day service so, I should but just want to confirm.

Thanks in advance

I ordered at 13:32 Yesterday (Monday)
Dispatched at 15:34 ish Yesterday.

Arrived today during lunch. (Dublin Business address)

I nearly fell off my chair with shock. I don't think I have ever seen such a fast turn around in my life....

RobertFoster · 28-02-2012 8:43pm

Ordered from CCL on Thursday. Dispatch email at 12:08 yesterday. Arrived about 16:30 today.

Thor · 28-02-2012 8:55pm

My god, That was some quick deliveries, Ordering now.

Going for the diskless versions as i have a 1TB versions here, It has stacks of films on it from old dvd rips, But i have been meaning to delete them for awhile now.

Slapping it into the NAS will do that for me.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Really shocked DPD get it over in one day.

**EDIT**

Couldn't use Paypal as i kept getting a CCLonline oops page, So just placed order with credit card.

Thanks again everyone for the help, looking forward to it arriving and setting it up.

ZyXEL NSA310 1-Bay NAS Media Server (With 500GB HDD) - €90.37 delivered [Dabs.ie]

Comments