Linksys NSLU2 Network Storage Link
By Alexander Grundner |
June 15th, 2004
(1)Comments
Linksys has just announced a new network device called the Network Storage Link for USB 2.0 external hard drives. The link essentially converts any external USB (1.1/2.0) hard drive and even flash drives into a network attached storage unit that can be shared by all the computers on a home network and even be accessed remotely via the Internet.
In addition, the Network Storage Link includes built-in disk utilities to format, backup, and scandisk the external drives, as well as offering file permission controls for making the drives publicly available or creating password-protected accounts for authorized users. Now users with external hard drives can easily share their music/photo/video/data files to other devices wired or wirelessly throughout the home.
Editor’s Note: If you don’t own an external hard drive, Personal Servers (aka consumer friendly Network Attached Storage servers) for syncronization and backup are an excellent all-in-one solution that may cost you less than this duo concept.
Reader Email: Mark chimes in and says, “Hey, most personal NAS devices that I have seen require that you load a driver to access the NAS drive. The linksys nslu2 is a samba server, you just map it with windows , os x, or samba as a windows drive. No drivers man, this is worth the extra cost imho. Also, worth nothing, is that you can connect two drives to this thing and have it mirror them on a schedule for a once a day backup, really sweet. I payed 96 bux for the nslu2 and 100 bux for a NICE metal usb 2.0 enclosure and 7200 rpm wd drive. So for 2 bills i have a REAL nas that does not need drivers with 80 gigs of storage. Not a bad deal imho. Just thought you would like to note the differences as linksys is not very clear on this.”
UPDATE: We may have changed our minds about the NSLU2. TomsNetworking has posted a new review and details about the device that made us rethink the products usefulness. Read about it here.
Filed in: Home Networking Gear
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http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2008/12/12/addonics-intros-a-55-nas-adapter-for-usb-storage-devices/ Addonics Intros a $55 NAS Adapter for USB Storage Devices | eHomeUpgrade