Wireless Storage

[Shags]

Afraid I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to servers and NAS.

I'm looking for a wireless server or NAS that people can recommend for use with SB3. I've got about 250GB of music to store.

Any and all help really appreciated.

Cheers

Clive

[Paul_B]

Can always use a wireless bridge to connect a wired NAS to your wireless infrastructure

[aubuti]

As Paul suggested, a wireless bridge will work. But often it makes more sense to place the NAS near your router (or any place you have a wired ethernet port) and use a wired connection, as you'll get faster and more reliable data transmission that way. And if wiring it directly isn't an option, you should at least consider connecting it via homeplus adapters (e.g., Netgear, Devolo).

[bpa]

Below is a Wireless NAS server/router - people have installed slimserver on the non-wireless version. Its performance would be like an NSLU2 which has similar processor (i.e. scanning may takes hours).

http://www.freecom.com/ecproduct_det...sCatID=1146629

[Michaelwagner]

I'm going to be boring and chime in with my usual rant about wireless. It's inherently unstable, it depends a lot on who all your future neighbours are going to be and what toys they might buy (that you can't control) that might have poor quality control and spray radio frequency garbage in your general direction.

Having your storage unit go offline during microwaved popcorn isn't a good idea. Microwaved popcorn takes 3 to 5 minutes, and that's more time than the size of a buffer in an SB3. And with some newer, larger microwave units, you can cook a turkey. Half an hour!

For a renter, like me, I can't go into the walls, so hard wired isn't an option. However, homeplug, as someone else mentioned, is. Homeplug is a trick to set up, you may have to have 2 sets of homeplug, one on each phase of your house, but once set up, it works and works and works.

I wish Slim made homeplug versions instead of or as well as wireless versions.

But for a storage unit, that no one anyways wants to see or hear, put it near your router and wire it in.

[Paul_B]

Interesting Michael. I must admit this technology seems to be making some real strides. I have only used a couple of cheap telephone modules in the past connected to the ring main.

How secure is the technology? What happens happens if two neighbours on the same phase use the same device?

[dennisd]

Paul, I am going to jump in here (and I'm living in the Red Rose county anyway). I have 4 Homeplug devices on SBs throughout my house, and all but eliminated wireless. You can encrypt them, similar to wireless. You can set up a local network name, similar to wireless. (My friend two doors down has one, and we can't see each others' units at all). Search for the reviews on these lovely devices. Unlike wireless, someone pretty much has to plug into your home mains. But basically I leave them alone. The mantra is "Plug It In and It Just Works!!). If you are in the UK, look for Solwise or Devolo. I expect others work fine, just the reviews on these got out first.

I operate my SBs in sync, simply impossible with wireless. I use the 85mbs version, but that is probably overkill. Then they over advertise the useful bandwidth and it is quite useful for other high bandwidth applications.
Dennisd

[Paul_B]

Thanks Dennis. I am lucky in that I am quite technical and into DIY so I am gradually flood wiring my house with Cat.6 cable. But the use of the powerline seems a good idea.

Encryption is useful if strong enough. Although I would say that anyone on your electrical phase could receive the cable. I know with x10 home-automation, assume similar technology, you can fit a filter at the main consumer unit to clean incoming and outgoing signals

[Michaelwagner]

How secure is the technology? What happens happens if two neighbours on the same phase use the same device?

I haven't tried this in detail, but from what I've read, I believe there are 3 issues:
1. the first upstream transformer blocks the signal. In north america mostly we have 1 upstream transformer per street block or so, so at most you have half a dozen neighbours who *might* be able to see your signal.
2. the signal has a distance limit, although I haven't the slightest idea what it is. I believe it's pretty short but I can't quantify it.
3. as someone else noted, you can use encryption and a name. You must key all "your" units to the same name and encryption key. Once that is done, the other units on the same block can't see the unit. And AFAIK, there is no "promiscuous mode" for the things.

I don't know if anyone has tried to break the encryption.

But you don't get wardrivers (people driving around with laptops looking for signals and trouble) because they'd have to plug into your house somehow before they could get the signal. This cuts down on the casual driveby evestroper.

If it's a neighbour doing it, you know where s/he lives!

[Shags]

As Paul suggested, a wireless bridge will work. But often it makes more sense to place the NAS near your router (or any place you have a wired ethernet port) and use a wired connection, as you'll get faster and more reliable data transmission that way. And if wiring it directly isn't an option, you should at least consider connecting it via homeplus adapters (e.g., Netgear, Devolo).

The most likely route for me is to place my NAS next to my router and wire it in, and then conncet the router to the SB3 via Homeplug.
But, has anyone had any luck using a QNAP and Homeplug with SKY Broadband?