Mini/Cheap File Server??

  • Thread starter Thread starter scadav
  • Start date Start date
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scadav

Not sure if this exists, but I figured I would ask....

At home, I currently have a laptop that both my wife and I share. I am
going to be adding a desktop in our basement that she will use as her PC
and I am going to purchase a router that will allow us both to connect to
the intranet. I would like to connect some type of external hard drive
into the router so it can act as a mini file server. I have an 40 GB
external hard drive that connects to my laptop via USB and I was wondering
if there was some type of product, similar to this, that could plug
directly into a router so that our shared files will be available to either
of us. I realize that I could have my wife leave her desktop on all the
time and this would solve the problem, but I worry about her accidentally
shutting it down while I am trying to work with some of the files or she
forgets to leave it on and I am always going to start the machine to get at
the files. The external hard drive does not need to be large, 40 GB will
do it (actually 10 GB will do it), but I would like this device to be small
so I can place it next to the router where no one can shut it down.

Does anyone know if this type of device exists?
 
Of course, the device exists. Of course it will cost more than building a
dedicated server machine. Search for "Snap server". See also "NAS (Network
Attached Storage)"

Other products combine a router with a hard drive, and are called "All In
One Advanced Server Appliance Products (ASAP)". These are a little cheaper
than the SNAP product, and combine router functions. I am not familiar with
these products, but they sound good. ( d;~) )
************
The All In One Advanced Server Appliance Product (ASAP) fulfills the
multiple needs of a small to medium sized office in an inexpensive solution.
The ASAP includes a File Server, Router, Firewall, VPN and much more.
Multiple users can access the internet and share files regardless of the OS
using the built-in router. The 120GB NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a
cost effective solution for providing shared storage for networked users.
The cost of purchasing and maintaining a separate fileserver, VPN and
Firewall appliance, and router are now eliminated. Management of the system
does not require knowledge of server software, just an internet browser.
While basic in function, the Server Appliance has advanced features such as
a SPI firewall, IPSec/PPTP VPN and many more features found on high-end
solutions. ASAP is independent of applications and hardware so you can have
a stable platform to run an efficient business.
*************

The problem with trying to access a bare drive through the router is that
the drive is not capable of drawing its own IP addy. Your best bet may be
to find an old machine and tuck it on the shelf next to the router; I use
an old 486 (converted to 233mmx and max RAM) for this type usage.

I'm wondering if you could use your USB drive through a hub to have it
available to both machines. (???) I don't know; I don't use hubs.

Depending on your OS and PC hardware, you may be able to set the Desktop to
"wake on LAN", add the extra HD as a shared drive and either map that drive
or even use VPN to access files. There are a lot of ways to share files
once the hardware is in place and configured.

Have you considered a flash key/ pen drive for sharing files?

Perhaps the cheapest way to share files is to merely upload to your free
space on your ISP and it would not matter if either machine is turned off.
Your particular usage and sharing habits will dictate the proper solution to
your problem.
 
scadav said:
Not sure if this exists, but I figured I would ask....

At home, I currently have a laptop that both my wife and I share. I am
going to be adding a desktop in our basement that she will use as her PC
and I am going to purchase a router that will allow us both to connect to
the intranet. I would like to connect some type of external hard drive
into the router so it can act as a mini file server. I have an 40 GB
external hard drive that connects to my laptop via USB and I was wondering
if there was some type of product, similar to this, that could plug
directly into a router so that our shared files will be available to either
of us. I realize that I could have my wife leave her desktop on all the
time and this would solve the problem, but I worry about her accidentally
shutting it down while I am trying to work with some of the files or she
forgets to leave it on and I am always going to start the machine to get at
the files. The external hard drive does not need to be large, 40 GB will
do it (actually 10 GB will do it), but I would like this device to be small
so I can place it next to the router where no one can shut it down.

Does anyone know if this type of device exists?
Click to expand...

Yes they do exist and are quite handy.

http://www.dlink.com/products/category.asp?cid=65

check these out.
 
scadav said:
Not sure if this exists, but I figured I would ask....

At home, I currently have a laptop that both my wife and I share. I am
going to be adding a desktop in our basement that she will use as her PC
and I am going to purchase a router that will allow us both to connect to
the intranet. I would like to connect some type of external hard drive
into the router so it can act as a mini file server. I have an 40 GB
external hard drive that connects to my laptop via USB and I was wondering
if there was some type of product, similar to this, that could plug
directly into a router so that our shared files will be available to either
of us. I realize that I could have my wife leave her desktop on all the
time and this would solve the problem, but I worry about her accidentally
shutting it down while I am trying to work with some of the files or she
forgets to leave it on and I am always going to start the machine to get at
the files. The external hard drive does not need to be large, 40 GB will
do it (actually 10 GB will do it), but I would like this device to be small
so I can place it next to the router where no one can shut it down.

Does anyone know if this type of device exists?
Click to expand...
The cheapest "new" solution would be to use one of the VIA EPIA mini-ITX
boards running a minimal installation of Debian Linux with Samba. It could
control up to 4 IDE drives and supports MS networking.
 
scadav said:
Not sure if this exists, but I figured I would ask....

At home, I currently have a laptop that both my wife and I share. I am
going to be adding a desktop in our basement that she will use as her PC
and I am going to purchase a router that will allow us both to connect to
the intranet. I would like to connect some type of external hard drive
into the router so it can act as a mini file server. I have an 40 GB
external hard drive that connects to my laptop via USB and I was wondering
if there was some type of product, similar to this, that could plug
directly into a router so that our shared files will be available to either
of us. I realize that I could have my wife leave her desktop on all the
time and this would solve the problem, but I worry about her accidentally
shutting it down while I am trying to work with some of the files or she
forgets to leave it on and I am always going to start the machine to get at
the files. The external hard drive does not need to be large, 40 GB will
do it (actually 10 GB will do it), but I would like this device to be small
so I can place it next to the router where no one can shut it down.

Does anyone know if this type of device exists?
Click to expand...

It Does: Ximeta Netdisk (approx. USD 200)

Surely cheaper than a Via Epia based server :-)
 
The component you're needing to do what you ask is a computer. You CANNOT
just connect a harddrive to a router. The router needs to communicate with
an external harddrive IN a computer.
 
Rune Friis Jørgensen said:
Surely cheaper than a Via Epia based server :-)
Click to expand...
Yes, it is, unless you needed 4 hard drives or 3 with a backup device and a
printer server.
 
DaveW said:
The component you're needing to do what you ask is a computer. You CANNOT
just connect a harddrive to a router. The router needs to communicate with
an external harddrive IN a computer.
Click to expand...
Ummm dave W your wrong, I have a network based hard drive and it works like
a charm. It shows up under network neighborhood, just plug it into a wired
port on your router. You can see them at this link.

http://www.dlink.com/products/category.asp?cid=65
 
Alien Zord said:
Yes, it is, unless you needed 4 hard drives or 3 with a backup device and a
printer server.
Click to expand...

My reply was for scadav who requested a _small_ device with 10 GB...


Rune
 
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