Network Access Servers??

[CME2C]

Does anyone out there have any experience with Network Access Servers. I basically have been using my home desktop as an always on file storage center and print server on our wireless home network. But I want to get rid of it and replace it with just the hard drive (external USB 2.0 300GB that I already have) and an ethernet print server. Any ideas on a good product. From what I see there are no good solutions.

D-link and Linksys have models for under a $100, but they sound awful. I want it to use the same format and be able to take the Ext HDD with me and use other places easily.

Any ideas?


Thanks,

Michael

[Jason Dunn]

Check this one out:

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=56459

[OSUKid7]

Check this one out:

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=56459
I didn't think that one worked with external/USB drives. What would really be nice is an NAS device that lets you attach USB hubs to have a seemingly infinite number of drives attached (well, I think there are limits on how far you can daisy-chain USB devices). I don't think such a device exists yet, but I can keep dreaming, right? ;)

[Jason Dunn]

This one supports two external USB drives:

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/Maxtor/menuitem.ba88f6d7cf664718376049b291346068/?channelpath=/en_us/Products/Network%20Storage/Maxtor%20Shared%20Storage%20Family/Maxtor%20Shared%20Storage

I have it, and only discovered after buying it that the drives need to be in FAT32 format because they're using some cheesy opensource driver that can't read NTFS. :roll:

[rhmorrison]

Take a look at the SimpleTech SimpleShare (http://www.hardfeed.com/srv/ramp/review/1393.html) NAS.
I'm thinking of buying one of these myself (possibly this week).

[CME2C]

Thanks for the input guys. I think the simpletech looks like the best solution, but is still NTFS read only. Must be some sort of limitation on the network side because I can't find a box that will allow USB 2.0 external hook-up to read/write NTFS. Guess I'll just wait awhile.

[rhmorrison]

Thanks for the input guys. I think the simpletech looks like the best solution, but is still NTFS read only. Must be some sort of limitation on the network side because I can't find a box that will allow USB 2.0 external hook-up to read/write NTFS. Guess I'll just wait awhile.

In the review it specifically states: "And its support of external FAT and NTFS drives should be popular with Windows users". As I understand this it is possible to plug in a USB 2.0 external drive that is formatted for NTFS and it should work!

[CME2C]

I read somewhere else in the review where NTFS is read-only Which is Ok, but not worth the $300 for me now. Although the Print Server capability is nice built-in.