Archive:NAS

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In short NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a a stand-alone device to which you can install one or more harddisk-drives in (either internally or externally), and then connect that device directly to your network. The NAS device is given its own IP-address and you configure it to share the harddrives and thier data contense on the network to multiple client devices such as XBMC and your computer. This way you do not have to have your computer(s) on all the the time and the data will still always be available on your network and accessable from multiple devices. Know that is also possible to 'convert' a modest computer into a dedicated NAS device, in fact that is the cheapest way to get your own NAS, (the downside with using a whole computer as NAS device is the size of the computer-case and possible the electricity it consums).


NAS (Network Attached Storage) and XBMC

XBMC already support SMB/SAMBA/CIFS (and UPnP) network-protocol which many NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices use. (It is also possible to stream via FTP to XBMC but that is not recommended becuase the FTP network-protocol was never designed for streaming so that will not be covered here, nor officialy supported). To stream from a NAS device to XBMC simply setup a SMB/SAMBA/CIFS (or UPnP) share on the NAS with a username and password, (once you have configured its network settings and connected it to your network), then add a bookmark for that share in XBMC.


The deffinition or NAS (Network Attached Storage)

NAS (Network Attached Storage) is the name given to dedicated data storage technology that can be connected directly to a computer-network to provide centralized data-access and storage to compatible network-clients. Normaly this means a harddisk-drive storage device that is attached direcly to your LAN (Local Area Network), typically a ethernet-based network, and assigned an own IP-address, rather than being attached to a computer that is serving data-files to a networks users. Network-Attached Storage consists of harddisk storage, (that can include support multi-disk RAID systems), and software for configuring and mapping file locations to the Network-Attached Device. NAS software can usually handle a number of network protocols, and share formats. Configuration, including the setting of user access priorities, is usually possible using a web browser.


NAS (Network Attached Storage) compatible with XBMC

This is a list of NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices and softwares compatible with XBMC.
Feel free to add any NAS device or software that you have tested and know works with XBMC.

NAS devices that works with XBMC

NAS softwares that work with XBMC

  • FreeNAS, a free open source FreeBSD-based operating-system that turns any x86 computer into a SMB NAS device.
  • NASLite, a non-free commersial closed source alternative to the above mentioned FreeNAS, boots from a single floppy diskette.
  • NASLite+, the big brother of NASLite, it has more features but is a little more expensive and must boot of a CD or a USB-stick.

NAS devices and softwares that do not work with XBMC

  • Hotec / Hotway / USBEX LanDrive, not working 100%, get different results with different firmwares.
  • Argosy HD363N, support SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested Mars 2005)
  • Tritton Simple NAS NSS001, support SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested September 2005)
  • Macpower Pleiades USB/LAN, support SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested November 2005)
  • CoolMax NAS Model CN-550, support SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested November 2005)
  • NetGear Storage Central SC101, does not support SMB (only added because so many asks)!
  • CompUSA external NAS enclosure


Converting an computer into a dedicated NAS

This guide on how to make and 'old' computer into a cheap dedicated NAS box using FreeNAS will get a little more step-by-step oriented over time but it but now a short description will have to do, so for now please refer to the FreeNAS website at www.freenas.org for more information such as documentation (user- manual) and FreeNAS FAQ.

FreeNAS is a complete operating-system and NAS software package that which free and open source, (so you do not not need any other operating-system on the target computer) and it features a nice web-interface for all configuration, (so no keyboard/video/mouse is needed after the initial installation). The FreeNAS boot-image itself takes up less than 32MB memory and be booted from a harddrive, a USB-stick, or a Compact Flash card (if you have a Compact Flash to IDE/ATA converter). The harddrives to be shared as storage can be connected via ATA/SATA, SCSI, USB or Firewire, it also support hardware RAID cards and software RAID 0, 1 and 5. Another nice feature is harddrive spin-down when idle (after ex. 30-minutes) which saves the life-time of the harddrives. The hardware needed is Intel or AMD x86 (IBM-compatible) computer, at least 200Mhz processor and 96MB of RAM (however 500Mhz+ processor and 256MB+ RAM to be able to disable the swap/page-file is recommened), and a network-controller/adapter, (FreeNAS even supports GigaBit NIC's which is great if your other computers supports GigaBit too). Note! By getting a computer which BIOS supports booting from USB you also free up a ATA/SATA-slot and are able to connect another harddrive to the system.

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