Buffalo LinkStation Live 500 GB Multimedia Storage Server HS-DH500GL Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm just writing this review because I believe this product and the company are dealt with a bit unfair in other reviews.
I just installed this device - I own a older Linkstation which works without any problems for non-stop 3 years now - and I would like to mention a few points. I also talked to Buffalo support before buying it (which yes, has a long waiting time on the phone but very compentent people, I believe, that answer at the end, and got clarification on a few points.
The good:
+ fast, just copying 75 GB in around 90 minutes on a 100 MBit network, and the speed is just fine
+ good looking, this device looks great
+ easy to install
The bad:
not much really
- if you enable the media server it reads/writes constantly, the reason is it indexes the disk for new files all the time - buffalo support is aware of this and will release a new firmware which allows you to index manually with a button on demand, this is a good solution for me
- no more bad, sorry ;-)
I find many of the reviews here a bit strange, lets talk about some examples:
- Scanner does not work (well, ALL these devices dont support Multifunction printers, because they technically can't, this is not Buffalos fault
- I put a new firmware on my device and now it's broken - well, apparently, earlier firmwares where different for the Pro and Live model, if you put the wrong firmware on it can't boot anymore, is this Buffalos fault??
- noisy hmmhh, mine is SUPER quiet - actually quieter than the old modell, how quiet do you expect a harddisk to be??
- web interface slow, that's true and I find it a bit strange, but how often are you changing parameters over the Web gui? It's a bit strange, but only a very minor nuissance.
I get the feeling that many users buying a media server are a bit novice at IT devices. Also because the PRO line gets better reviews.
Anyway, I nearly would not have bought this device because of all the bad reviews. But it would have been a mistake. I love it. It's not expensive and I personally recommend it!
Hope this helps.
Armin

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LinkStation Live 500GB Shared Network Storage

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Pogoplug Multimedia Sharing Device Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been using pogoplug connected to a 250GB external hard drive for about a month now, and can say they werent kidding how simple this is. It took longer for me to find room around my desk to connect everything than logging into their site download a simple application and off i go. The application creates a virtual drive on your computer that allows you to use it as a normal drive connect straight to the pc. Although they do provide a software to monitor for folder changes to sync to your files i opted for a more robust software. I decided to use SyncBackPro to monitor any changes on folders and sync then from my pc to pogoplug and pogoplug to pc (along w/ many other features). This seems to do the trick nicely. If you have multiple drives connected to your pogoplug you can do active sync which will transfer the files to another hard drive for redundant backups.
The website [...] looks and works wonderfully. Its able to transcode your videos into HTML5 allowing you to view your videos anywhere and pretty much anything. The sharing option is fantastic when working on projects. Only downside is if you share a folder that other party (and given full access) can use up as much storage on your hard drive as they want. There currently is no way to limit how many gigs they can use. It would be best to have a extra hard drive for sharing only in case your sharing.
As a android user they do have a app on the marketplace which recently had a update that really improved upon it. Again since videos are HTML 5 you can view them easily. It does get little choppy on 3G but on wifi works perfectly. Only downside is that you can upload documents/images from your phone to your pogoplug.

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Pogoplug's POGO-E02 multimedia sharing device lets you connect any external hard drive and then access and share your content over the internet. You have access to your content wherever you go, all files can be viewed, downloaded or streamed through any web browser. Access and share your content across multiple operating platforms; Pogoplug is compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux. Easily share content, including HD video and full resolution photos, with friends and family with no uploading. Sharing is as simple as sending an invitation through an automated email link. Pogoplug is also great for working professionals who need to share information with clients and partners. Allow others to view and download or give them full access, you can pick and choose who has access to what files and folders. You can even stream videos, music and photos directly to your iPhone, Blackberry, Droid and other mobile devices. Keeping up with friends and family is easier than ever, with a single click publish your selected photos, videos and more directly to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace. Installation takes less than 60 seconds and there are no monthly fees ever. Get plugged in today!

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Seagate FreeAgent DockStar Network Adapter STDSA10G-RK (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)You can use this as a home network server for windows without signing up with pogoplug or installing any software.
Plug your USB drive into your computer, format it (preferably with NTFS) and create a file on it named .ceid
Using notepad, or your favorite text editor, put these lines in the file (replacing yoursharename with a name of your own choosing). Note the mode=rw allows reading and writing.
servicename=yoursharename
xcode.metadata=never
xcode.thumbnail=never
xcode.stream=never
cifs.mode=rw
Plug the usb drive into the Dockstar, and you're all set. The drive will be available as
\\fadsMMMMMM\yoursharename (where MMMMMM are the last 6 letters and numbers of the Dockstar's mac address, which is on the label on the bottom).
Note you can plug up to 3 regular usb drives and one Seagate Go drive into this. You do not need a go drive.
For maximum security, I recommend using your internet router's firewall to block all internet access from whatever ip address gets assigned to the dockstar.

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The FreeAgent DockStar network adapter allows you to share your digital life with anyone, anywhere. Centralize your files to a single location and access them with any networked computer in your home. Create a shared space for your friends to download content you designate and to upload their own content.The FreeAgent DockStar network adapter is a compact dock which allows FreeAgent Go portable drives and most USB storage devices to be shared on your local network or accessed remotely via the internet, after service activation. The FreeAgent Go drive simply slides into the FreeAgent DockStar network adapter, making it easy to remove when you want to take the drive with you while on-the-go. All other USB storage devices plug into one of the two rear-mounted or one side-mounted USB ports. The FreeAgent DockStar network adapter simultaneously supports up to four storage devices, so you will never have to worry about running out of storage space. Simply plug in two cables (Ethernet and power) and visit the web activation page to activate and automatically configure the network adapter. Once activated, you can access all your files with a clean, web-based interface. The same interface is used to view files from any networked computer in your home and outside of the home when accessing files remotely. The user interface displays all the files on all of the drives you have connected to the FreeAgent DockStar network adapter, along with all of the files shared with you by other FreeAgent DockStar network adapter owners.You can easily navigate the user interface with thumbnail or list views, search by file name or filter by media type. The FreeAgent DockStar network adapter also appears like a local drive on your computer, so that you can easily navigate and drag-and-drop files just like a folder on your desktop.

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NETGEAR SC101 Storage Central Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Well I purchased 4 of these units, hoping to make this stack of 40GB, 80GB and 120GB drives I have laying around the house useful again. So far, buying these was not a good idea. I attribute most of my problems to there not being enough real technical review of the product available, and all documentation simply glosses over technical details in exchange for sales-speak. First, I'll say these are niftily crafted units that might have been pretty slick if they'd worked the way I expected them to. Problems encountered and gripes mounted include:
* These are not NAS devices, as some of the documentation might lead you to believe. A NAS device (network attached storage) typically offers clients the ability to connect to the device, using it's native fileshare method. CIFS for Windows, NFS for Linux/Unix, etc. These devices offer none of that.
* Device is available to Windows clients on the network only. If that's not bad enough, check the following gripe.
* Every PC that wants to access the device needs to have the software CD installed. Usually a NAS device will offer a shared filesystem that can be mounted in the OS's native method. With this box, all the PCs need to have a driver installed in order to see the device.
* DHCP only. There is no option to have a static IP address on the device. It is DHCP only.
* On first install, lamely worded error message hindered the install. After installing the device and the driver, it kept failing with the error "Unable to enumerate drive". The help file was useless. After an hour of messing with it and finally deleting all of my mapped drives, the installation suceeded and I was able to use the device.
* You MUST use the included software. Although the device seems to be listening on port 80, there is no web interface to configure it. The included software, running on Windows is the only way.
* Non-Windows systems are out of luck. This is a Windows only device. Do not try to connect to it with Mac OSX or Linux (both of which I have). The device can be connected and re-shared by a Windows PC, allowing Macs and Linux to get to it, but this has proved painstakingly slow.
* Painstakingly slow. I connected the device to an older Windows PC and the best sustained data transfer I could get (read or write) was around 3MB/s. Hardly a speed demon. My linux fileserver on the same network can easily sustain 10MB/s. I am going to connect the device to a faster Xeon based system and see how speedy it is then.
* Simple security. I saw no method of creating usernames or any kind of security on the device other than the single password that can be setup to access the device. Probably because this is designed for the home where there are not a bunch of users and passwords to manage.
Now this is a pretty new product, so hopefully it will get better with time. It seemed like such a good idea (obviously, I bought 4 of them), but I'm not convinced it was the best execution. Buyer beware.

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The NETGEAR SC101 Storage Central is an expandable storage system that allows shared access by all computers on your network. With space for two IDE hard drives, you can set the device up to mirror each other so you have a backup of all your files in case either one fails.
Excellent Value and Easy Setup Unlike other network-attached storage (NAS) devices, the SC101 does not come with any drives but requires you to purchase your own. This allows for considerable cost savings. Opening up the SC101 only requires turning a latch that can be done with a quarter; no tools are needed. Attach the power connectors and IDE cables, set the jumpers, and slide the drive into place, and that's it.
After the hard drives are installed, plug the device in, attach it to the network, and install the included software. The software guides you through setup step by step. When everything is ready to go, it looks like a new hard drive has been installed on your PC and you use it just as you would any other hard drive. Backup software is included for users who don't already have their own preferred software. Please note that the SC101 is only compatible with Windows machines and won't work with Macs or Linux.
Outstanding Performance with Various Storage Options The SC101 connects to your network via a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet connection for fast data transfers. When you connect two drives to the device, you have the option of having them "mirrored" or "spanned." Mirrored storage lets you keep two copies of every file, one on each drive, so that everything is backed up in case of drive failure. When two drives are set to span, they appear as one volume so they are easy to work with and the device will automatically find your data across both drives.
The front panel has three LEDs to let you know the status of the power, hard disk and network at a glance. The NETGEAR SC101 Storage Central is backed by a 1-year warranty.
What's in the Box SC101 Storage Central, resource CD, power adapter, Ethernet cable, installation guide, SmartSync Pro Backup Software CD, and warranty/support information card.

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LaCie Wireless Space 1 TB Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet Network Attached Storage 301932 Review

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(More customer reviews)Network attached storage on a wireless router is the concept of LaCie's Wireless Space- good one. However, this device has inherent flaws and shouldn't be on the market- at least until the flaws are addressed. The flaws are too big to ignore. I had no problem setting up the router, other than repeated attempts with the "Network Assitant". This so-called assistant has problems that you can read about elsewhere. I'm a network engineer by trade but the storage device does not unmount volumes and leaves the artifacts within "My Computer" to aggravate and possibly damage my XP operating system. I used a usb port to connect another hard drive to LaCie's wireless network and found the wireless capability to work as advertised. I had looked forward to a simple file transfer system but the device's mandatory software had taken simplicity away. There's nothing simple about the interface, which provides no information about why it malfunctions. I read the PC Magazine review on the product and found that it had the same issues as mine: [...]
I never took the plastic coating off to "enjoy" the stylization look that is supposed to make you happy. Nothing to enjoy- get a brick and paint it black and stare at it- you'll be happy you didn't purchase the LaCie instead. This thing isn't what it's cracked up to be. If someone does come up with a router/ NAS that works easily- without the inherent problems of the LaCie Wireless Space, then I'll buy it. Support doesn't recognize the flaws yet and will suggest you exchange the unit. Don't bother. All of them seem to have the same problems as mine, judging from the reviews. This was my first LaCie purchase because I had been told that the company made good products. Innovative products should be tested before they are offered for sale. Is there another company who makes the nas/ router? I'm interested. I would try the LaCie again too if the firmware updated to where the device was workable.

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The LaCie Wireless Space takes network-attached storage to the next level by implementing Wi-Fi technology, making it easy for you to access your files, no matter where they are in your house. It has three pre-configured modes that allow you to create a Wi-Fi access point, a Wi-Fi Ethernet extender to connect your printers or computers, or even use it as a Gigabit router. If you already have a Wi-Fi network, you can use the LaCie Wireless Space as wireless storage. With capacities of 1 and 2TB, it holds all of your music, movies, and photos, helping you to access and share them on any computer on your home network. You can even stream movies from the Wireless Space to any UPnP/DLNA compatible device, and it works in tandem with iTunes. Now, it's simple to organize your files in a central location and play them on all your devices. Use it as your network router-with static and dynamic port forwarding and PPoE connections, the Wireless Space performs even better than most cable routers, thanks to Wi-Fi n and Gigabit Ethernet performance. Box Content : LaCie Wireless Space, Ethernet cableExternal power supply, Utilities CD-ROM and User Manual, Quick Install Guide.

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Buffalo Technology LinkStation Quad 4 TB (4 X 1 TB) Network Attached Storage LS-Q4.0TL/R5(Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Good product for the price (paid $404 from Amazon). The price attracted me to this, since the "real" RAID 5 solution w/o performance issues are around ~$600~$800 w/o the hard drives. Bought it to protect my distributed data around 5 computers, and enough performance to keep all the files from the computers on the networked NAS drive, and protected.
RAID 1 (mirroring) was not my preference, and RAID 5 (parity, N+1 protection) was, which limited my choices to quad drive models.
Positives
- Easy management via browser, reasonable security and read/write privilege settings, even without setting up SMB server or equivalent (did not test the SMB server authentication yet).
- DLNA - for those who have DLNA TV, and TV connected to home network, the expected DLNA functions (content discovery, streaming, etc) worked well.
- Worked well with other SATA drives. Originally came w/ 4 x 250 G WD drives, and I put 500 G Maxtor, Seagate, WD, and Samsung drives, and all got recognized and ran without any issues.
- USB expansion -- I have a few of USB drives, that got instantly upgrade to NAS operation by connecting them (2) to this unit. Seems to handle mixed file systems fine: at least for NTFS and FAT32. Power on/off the external units as I need them.
Neutral
- Performance is reasonable -- works near 100% bandwidth in peaks over Fast Ethernet (100 Mb/s), but at Gigabit Ethernet speeds, it only peaks around 150~220 Mb/s. In human perception terms, no noticeable delay using files on NAS for editing or streaming music or video, but copy (e.g. back up) of 500 G data takes about 7~8 hours (compared to local disk to disk copy taking about 1~1.5 hrs).
- Performance during disk fault recovery operation is very good -- When fully operating, I removed a drive (simulated disk fault), and added a different drive (500G). The file server (access, copy from and copy to NAS) degraded performance was NOT noticeable during the fault recovery (as it shouldn't). A large directory copy (~20 G) was measurably noticeable (about 20~25% longer copy time).
- Performance per price point is reasonable that is.
Negatives
- RAID 5 should work on 3 or more drives. LinkStation Quad only supports RAID 5 on 4 drives. So, my original plan of using 3 drives for protected (and recoverable) data (e.g. family photo, work files), and 1 drive for bulk storage media (e.g. mp3 music, family video, etc) is not an option. So I configured RAID 5 over 4 internal drives, and put external USB drive for unprotected bulk storage.
- RAID initialization takes several days, YES, SEVERAL DAYS!. Manual warns about this, and it is true. I had several extra 500G drives, and had uses for 250G drives, so I bought the cheapest LinkStation Quad (1 TB model), and replaced it w/ 500G drives to get 2 TB (raw, before RAID). This replacement forced me to do format and the RAID initialization -- in my case, it took 2.5 days straight. The break down is about 1.5 days for individual drives to be low-level formatted to XFS (for 500G), and about 1 day to get RAID initialized (for 4 x 500 G) RAID 5 mode.
- Major ISSUE for Power users, but minor for casual users: Tested the gradual upgrade of the system capacity -- meaning start w/ 4 x 250 G, and start replacing each drive with 500 G, allowing to recover each time. When all 4 drives are replaced higher capacity drives, the unit SHOULD use higher capacity automatically, but it DID NOT. Had to remove all data, re-init the RAID 5 array (again 1 day), at which time the system reported higher capacity, and then put back the data (again about 1 day for 500 G).
Short Recommendation on selecting models (circa 01/2009) based on Price and Time only:
I bought 1 TB model, because I could use 4 x 250 G on my desktop PCs. But all the headaches and time does not justify the price difference. The 2 TB model is the best option (price, capacity, and upgrading w/ your own drives, all considered) if you have no use for the 4 x 250 G drives. 4 TB model seems to be the same price as if you bought 1 TB model plus 4 separate 1 TB drives (and you end up w/ "free" 4 x 250 GB drives. Again valuable only if you have use for those).
Not yet tested but will test:
- Access to this NAS storage behind home router from my work that has both firewall (incoming and outgoing), using both Buffalo's portal as well as fixed IP configuration. If this works well, my extended family could pull family photos directly from my home server, and I could access my personal documents on this NAS from work!


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Linkstaton Quad Nas 4tb 4x1tbPerpsata Raid Gbe 5 Web Access Dlna

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Iomega iConnect Wireless Data Station 34779 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was very wary about buying this product with so many negative reviews, but I wanted a way to make my USB printer accessible by the rest of the family from their wi-fi enabled laptops. I also thought it would be handy to add USB storage in the future. I looked at various NAS storage solutions, but all of them were more expensive than I needed for this simple job. The iConnect arrived, I followed the simple instructions, and, so far, it has done everything I wanted it to do.
I followed a couple of steps that may not have been obvious - I first of all plugged a 2GB flash drive into one of the USB ports to give it some local storage for its print serving function and connected it to a LAN port. I was able to see it fine, I checked for updates and found a newer release of firmware - that downloaded without problems and the device restarted. Then I set up the wireless information - no problem with seeing the WiFi from the basement. Then I disconnected the LAN and tried to connect wirelessly. It wasn't immediately seen by the iConnect software, and I noticed that there was an updated version of that software as well, so I downloaded and installed that. At that point, I could see the device and its storage wirelessly. I did give it a static IP address on my router, but that may not have been necessary. Finally, I plugged in the USB printer, loaded the drivers and it all worked fine.
I loaded the iConnect software on a couple of laptops (XP and Vista), updated the software, and then could see the printer.
Overall, this has worked as planned - I haven't stressed it yet, and I wish it had been seen wirelessly as soon as I had disconnected the LAN, but I got there in the end.

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The Iomega iConnect Wireless Data Station is a simple way to bring all of your desktop and portable USB storage to your network. Plug in your external USB drives or USB thumb drives (any brand) into the Iomega iConnect device and they are automatically connected to and accessible on your network. Remote access allows you to connect, share, and access your files securely from anywhere in the world via the Internet. Wireless connectivity allows you to place the Iomega iConnect device in the most convenient location in your home without having to run another cable. Taking backup data off-site for disaster recovery has never been easier. Simply back up all your networked computers through the Iomega iConnect device, and then take your hard drive off-site for safekeeping. The Iomega iConnect device truly makes your USB drives "smart" and includes the ultimate set of advanced media features, such as DLNA-certified UPnP AV media server, and iTunes server so that content can be easily shared between computers and any other digital media adapters such as game consoles, Iomega ScreenPlay products, digital picture frames, or networked TVs. Picture Transfer Protocol, torrent download compatibility, and the Cooliris slide show plug-in round out the advanced media features. Embedded RSA BSAFE encryption for protected installs and upgrades. Supports PC, Mac, and Linux clients. Three year warranty with product registration.

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