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NAS storage

abakan

I am currently looking for an external hard drive that will plug into a port on the router/switch.

Most of the external hard drives i have looked at are USB connections and as there is no USB connection on the router, I am tending to look at just network connections, which are more expensive

But is there a connection I can get to convert the USB connection to a network one so it can be plugged into the router.

would there be a loss in performance in doing this?

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CraggyIslander

You'll probably end up with an external usb drive and the below:

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=307213

Performance wont be great as it still an external usb drive.:D

Foxwood

abakan wrote:

But is there a connection I can get to convert the USB connection to a network one so it can be plugged into the router.

The short answer is no. USB devices are essentially clients to a server (the drivers) running on your PC. You can't, for example, join two PCs together by connecting the USB ports, you need a special cable that has enough electronics in it to process the signal.

The Netgear Storage Central looks like better value for money, as it allows you to install bare drives into a network enclosure, rather than having to pay for a USB enclosure as well.

Saruman

Hey that is good value!!

abakan

Netgear Storage Central looks like better value for money, as it allows you to install bare drives into a network enclosure, rather than having to pay for a USB enclosure as well.[/QUOTE]

That does look good alrite, good find - do you think there would be much of a delay in accessing info to this over a 54MB wireless network

I have space 250GB so im ok that way

Foxwood

abakan wrote:

do you think there would be much of a delay in accessing info to this over a 54MB wireless network

I presume you've got more than one machine on the network, and that's why you're looking for network storage, rather than just a USB drive. Accessing data on the Netgear enclosure would be about as fast as accessing data on another PC on the network. Your wireless connection will be the limiting factor, and that speed is totally unpredictabe - it may be fast for you and slow for someone else in different circumstances.

abakan

Yes all the wireless equipment will be hidden away in a press and the Pc's and laptop will connect to the access point and then the NAS.

I am currently upgrading the wireless to the 108MP so it'll be a bit faster - all the computers have excellent connectivity to the network

DemoniK

I have one of these
http://www.dlink.co.uk/?go=jN7uAYLx/oIJaWVUDLYZU93ygJVYKuJQSNvhLPG3yV3oVY97hK4uO5soNaFn6jsq

Got it while I was in the US last xmas for $150 - I believe it can be got for less now

Not as hackable as the NSLU2 - but very handy. Have 1x 250GB drive internal, and 2 drives hanging off USB2. Works very well..

But beware - NAS over wireless is very low performance.

-RikD.

RangeR

abakan wrote:

Yes all the wireless equipment will be hidden away in a press and the Pc's and laptop will connect to the access point and then the NAS.

I am currently upgrading the wireless to the 108MP so it'll be a bit faster - all the computers have excellent connectivity to the network

If you are upgraeding your wireless at the moment, it might be a little better to hang on and wait until 802.11n is ready. That should be a bit faster and more stable than 108Mb 802g.

It shouldn't be too far away at this stage.

WizZard

Foxwood wrote:

The Netgear Storage Central looks like better value for money, as it allows you to install bare drives into a network enclosure, rather than having to pay for a USB enclosure as well.

Remember that the Netgear SC uses a proprietary client to access the device over the network. This means you can only access the SC form an OS that Netgear have provided a client for, i.e only Windows. Thus it's not a true NAS device (IMHO)

Foxwood

WizZard wrote:

Remember that the Netgear SC uses a proprietary client to access the device over the network. This means you can only access the SC form an OS that Netgear have provided a client for, i.e only Windows. Thus it's not a true NAS device (IMHO)

I wasn't aware of that. It probably won't be a problem for some users, but it's definitely worth considering.

For the more technical user, the Linksys device mentioned can have it's firmware replaced with an open source firmware. Apparently, you can even make it work as a USB print server. But if you want to set up username/password access to your USB drive on the network, the drive will have to be reformatted, and can't be used as a USB drive on Windows again, unless you install additional drivers on the Windows machine too.

I think I'll wait a while before investing in networked storge!

Kali

RikD wrote:

But beware - NAS over wireless is very low performance.

-RikD.

If you're running RAID0 on the device then probably... however 54Mbps will probably be just on the nose for the write speed for RAID5 (on lower end RAID devices)... concurrent access and packet loss will be the biggest problems.

RangeR

Kali wrote:

If you're running RAID0 on the device then probably... however 54Mbps will probably be just on the nose for the write speed for RAID5 (on lower end RAID devices)... concurrent access and packet loss will be the biggest problems.

Not a chance. 54Mbps is a thoeretical limit only ever achievable in lab conditions. Even if you put your computer right beside a wireless router / access point you will NEVER reach 54Mbps. Encryption, for one thing, eats into the throughput.

However, on my WLAN at home, I can copy a 700MB file to my laptop [downstairs] from my main PC [upstairs] in about 8 - 15 minutes depending on "variable" conditions.

ressem

however 54Mbps will probably be just on the nose for the write speed for RAID5 (on lower end RAID devices)

I think that you've mixed up Mbits and Mbytes there, an ideal 54Mbit < 7 MByte. my 3 year old laptop drive averages better than 24MByte writes.

SouperComputer

Kali wrote:

If you're running RAID0 on the device then probably... however 54Mbps will probably be just on the nose for the write speed for RAID5 (on lower end RAID devices)... concurrent access and packet loss will be the biggest problems.

54Mb's (Bits not bytes) Wireless is half duplex, divided amongst the connections minus wireless conditions minus encryption and TCP\IP and other protolcol (SMB\CIFS) overhead! IE nowhere near 54Mb's and definately nowhere near the average of 300Mb's (again bits not bytes) throughput of a run-of-the-mill IDE drive.

Also bear in mind that a good RAID 0 array can be faster than RAID 5, but natually it has no fault tolerance!

@ the OP, just grab an old PII computer, a 120mm case fan (keep the HD cool), install an IDE\SATA card (To correctly address modern HD's) and freeNAS. Throw the unit in the attic and enjoy

Foxwood

SouperComputer wrote:

Throw the unit in the attic and enjoy

the €200 or so you'll spend in electricity over the course of a year!

(If the system draws 150 watts, it'll cost about 60c/day to run).

SouperComputer

yes, 60c a day. Massive money isnt it

Foxwood

SouperComputer wrote:

yes, 60c a day. Massive money isnt it

I can think of a few things I'd rather spend €200 on, thanks very much. Even if the whole thing only drew 100watts 24x7x356, it's money down the drain.

Of course, if it's not your ESB bill.......

The Netgear SC101 comes with a power supply that can draw 60 watts, (it has to be able to support 2 drives), the NSLU2 apparently draws as litte as 15-20 watts, but you'd need to add the power for the USB drive too.