Wireless Storage Advice Wanted

[tmw]

I currently use a laptop (yeah, I know I'd be much better off with a desktop, but I can't drag the desktop around), and have been limited by hard drive space (original 40GB was super-tight, and even the 120 GB now get tricky), so I have two USB enclosure drives for "storage". I also have a wireless network for connecting via DSL (768k down, 56k up) to the internet. Those are constraints, I'm not looking to change right now (e.g. please don't tell me to buy a desktop, because it's not an option).

I would love to have wireless storage for my laptop, e.g. being able to see the drive on the home network. I don't really want the files available on the Internet (my upload speeds are very slow anyway), but just having them available wirelessly would be great.

Speed isn't such a big deal (I'm using USB2.0 anyway, which isn't the fastest), but not having to drag out the hard drive, find an outlet for it, and plug it in would be wondeful.

Anyone have any ideas? I was thinking something like a low power PC (e.g Fit PC or Eee Box PC) that could plug into the router might work, although I'm not really sure how that works and accessing the files on other computers.

Can anyone point me in the right direction on how this might work, or a cost effective solution? Would something like a NAS solution be better--the reviews seem questionable on so many of those units.

Thanks,
Tim

[TooLFooL]

you say you have a wireless 'network', but do you mean you only have a modem, wireless router, and the laptop? if so, to use a NAS you will need one with it's own server since you don't really have a "network" with only one computer.

[redwudz]

I just use a couple of older computers stuffed full of hard drives and connected to my wireless router via CAT5 cables. The drives are all set up as shared. Internet access to them is blocked in the router, so security isn't really needed. Any OS will do, Linux is one choice.

I rarely watch the videos from my wireless laptop, but it works fine for that if I wanted. I view them more commonly over the wired LAN. The only PITA is I have to turn those computers on to access the videos. They sit beside the router in a back room.

[tmw]

I consider it a 'network' because it shows up when I click "View available wireless networks".... Terminology was never my strong point, hence my search for advice.

I had thought about the old computer, and that seems like an option. Will Win 98 or ME work? Do I need anything special software wise?

[RabidDog]

You could use a NAS all right .. just plug it into your router.. only problem I see with those is that the good ones are all quite expensive, on the order of a cheap computer.. quieter, cheaper to run, but not as versatile

[redwudz]

W98 or ME may work fine. The OS wouldn't be doing much of anything anyway. Linux is also a option. The PC is just setting up the HDDs as shared drives, you don't need to install any programs, just the OS. When you access them over your LAN (Wireless or otherwise), they should just appear like one of your PC drives. I would recommend blocking internet access to the server PC, or you will need all the antimalware programs up and running. Blocking internet access is easy with most routers. And I'm assuming you have already set your wireless network for WEP or at least WAP encryption, or at a minimum, selective MAC filtering so outsiders can't log into your LAN.

This is a bit different than a NAS box. The computer does all the data handling with it's OS, while a NAS would be a standalone unit. But it's also a lot cheaper and not difficult to set up. One of my servers has ten HDDs and I can add files, delete them, or play them back from any computer hooked to the LAN. I have now managed to get them to turn on remotely from one of the other computers using 'Wake-on-LAN'. I can also shut them down or do system maintenance on them by accessing the whole computer with UltraVNC.

[TooLFooL]

I had thought about the old computer, and that seems like an option. Will Win 98 or ME work? Do I need anything special software wise?

oh yeah, if you already have an old windows computer, that is definetly the way to go. you will actually 'create a network' and both computers will function together easily. you have everything you need.

[INFRATOM]

in these days network hard drives as external device is out of fashion. New externals are geared towards eSATA and USB or firewire, some just buy a firewire 800 card to get the hi speed. If you compare the speeds you find out why. A wireless speed is the lowest of them all. If your laptop doesn't have an input you can always get a card for it.

[ahhaa]

uhhmm... recent ad prices for 500G & even Terabyte USB drives makes me wonder what you really want.
This downturn means that thousands of high-end business machines are suddenly out of work and available for peanuts. Add a cheap wireless card & create a simple ad hoc network.

[tmw]

And I'm assuming you have already set your wireless network for WEP or at least WAP encryption, or at a minimum, selective MAC filtering so outsiders can't log into your LAN.

Actually, I leave my "network" (better called internet access) wide open for anyone to use. I would be happy to share something which costs me nothing incrementally, even if it only saves people from going to a library or dialing up to get their own connection. Because it's relatively slow, I doubt many power users care.

I'm been thinking about a fit-PC, because they are very low power users (like 5 watts) and work as file servers. Just the electricity costs of using that versus an old desktop (circa 1999) might make it worth it. And, it give me an excuse to play with Linux.

Am I out-of-my-mind? I figure I'll have to do some type of configuration to make sure the server protects the files from just anyone getting them, although they would be largely home video or pictures which nobody would want.

[tmw]

I decided the fit-PC, although cool, was out-of-my-league, beyond my free time and budget. I ordered a Buffalo 320 GB NAS drive for just over $50, which should last a while. I'll also keep the USB drives as another backup, because these things fail.

I guess now I'll have to secure my wireless network, so the neighbors aren't able to download my pictures or home videos. Thanks for everyone's thoughts.

[redwudz]

The neighbors downloading your files would be a small problem. The bigger problem would be someone maliciously logging into your system and doing damage or taking it over for their own use. They could also hog your bandwidth and that would slow your access, or they could even start downloading files though your ISP that might earn you a 'knock on the door' from the Motion Picture Association or your ISP.

I have several open routers in my neighborhood and they are accessible to change router passwords or have other mischief done by about anyone. At a minimum, use the MAC address filtering, and then you can permit the people you want to use your system without needing to set up encryption. Unless you really understand network security, I wouldn't leave a wireless system open.

[tmw]

I have several open routers in my neighborhood and they are accessible to change router passwords or have other mischief done by about anyone. At a minimum, use the MAC address filtering, and then you can permit the people you want to use your system without needing to set up encryption. Unless you really understand network security, I wouldn't leave a wireless system open.

My router had a password set (it wasn't still Linksys with the default Admin password) so it was largely just an open internet access point. Today I "closed" my system with a WEP key, although I'm fairly skeptical about how much protection this really provides. I've read the articles about cracking WEP keys fairly easily, so I'm not feling totally protected. However, it makes my wife feel more comfortable .

I also got my Buffalo NAS drive hooked up, so I now have 320 GB of wireless data storage it's as slow as people say, but compared to USB drives, at least I don't have to plug a port into my laptop, and also find a close by plug for the hard drive as well. I wonder if it will need the WEP key as well... And, I can use it like a USB drive (except via the LAN plug) if I want to go just a little faster....

Is there any guidance anywhere on how to use MAC address filtering? I think I may keep the drive normally turned off to "protect" my data. It's progress, even if slow.

Thanks!
Tim