Recommendation for a Home Storage (NAS) Setup

LMegatron on 09/03/2023 - 11:02
Last edited 09/03/2023 - 14:37 by 1 other user

Hi All,

I am looking for a NAS for home use with a variety of features and wondering if people have any recommendations.

The features I am looking for -

Must Have -

  1. NAS with minimum 4TB storage
  2. Must have an App that can be used to sync mobile/computer devices. So that it can act as a replacement for dropbox/Onedrive.
  3. Must be able to connect to TV/Media devices via Wifi and play content up to 4k
  4. Must have inbuilt security features, AV, Intrusion protection, etc.

Desirable -
1. Expandable storage bays so I can add another 4TB HDD in future.

Budget - Up to $500

Computing NAS

Comments

  • oscargamer on 09/03/2023 - 11:08
    +5

    Budget is too little - IMO

    • wisdomtooth on 09/03/2023 - 11:21

      Nah, it isn't.

      Just plug a hard drive to your router, and let Kodi do the talking.

      • ChipsChicky on 09/03/2023 - 11:27

        Can you elaborate please ?

        • wisdomtooth on 09/03/2023 - 11:38

          Here are a few options.

          Personally, I have a (much smaller) flash drive plugged into my router, and Kodi running on the Amazon Fire stick plugged into my TV. Pretty sure there are plenty of android apps to back up files across a WLAN.

      • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 11:29

        but its not a NAS ? so you saying get multiple 4tb bare hdd and connect to router?

        • wisdomtooth on 09/03/2023 - 11:44

          Why "multiple"? He says he only needs 4TB. If he needs more, he can simply get a bigger drive.

        • Chandler on 10/03/2023 - 13:17

          I get your point, but it is.

          NAS = Network Attached Storage. Plugging a HDD into a router and sharing it via SAMBA/DLNA is NAS.

          A consumer-grade NAS would get you a tidy form-factor, hot-swapable bays, redundancy potentialy (i.e. RAID) and a user-friendly OS, potentially with an app store/marketplace (ALA Synology). All of this isn't absolutely necessary.

      • geekcohen on 09/03/2023 - 11:36
        +1

        If you are going to get a NAS, it generally means more than 1 HDD. You would be going two a minimum. So you are looking at $200 easy for HDDs even if you get the cheap ones.

        Plus the NAS. This is a cheap one, so you could get away with it for just over $500.

        But I doubt you'd get it for under $500.

        If you are going to do it, try and do it right. $500 is a bit on the low side for sure.

        • wisdomtooth on 09/03/2023 - 11:42

          It seems to me the OP doesn't really need the redundancy; what he refers to as "NAS" is quite simply network storage.

          • geekcohen on 09/03/2023 - 11:46

            @wisdomtooth: But they have also said:

            Must have inbuilt security features, AV, Intrusion protection, etc.

            So, you would want redundancy.

            • wisdomtooth on 09/03/2023 - 11:51

              @geekcohen: I'd install that in a fire stick or media box plugged somewhere else, but that's me. If the OP wants an actual server, not just storage, then he'd probably have to spend more.

              • geekcohen on 09/03/2023 - 12:24

                @wisdomtooth:

                If the OP wants an actual server, not just storage, then he'd probably have to spend more.

                Yes, I agree.

          • Given on 10/03/2023 - 08:05
            +1

            @wisdomtooth: One could almost say he needs… Network attached storage.

        • rumblytangara on 09/03/2023 - 12:58
          +1

          Plenty NAS boxes are single-drive, or zero redundancy…

          I mean, it's not ideal for uptime, but you can back up critical stuff easily still.

        • Megatron on 09/03/2023 - 13:30

          thanks mate.. what would be the right spend? I put $500 as a guide but a few more is not a problem.

  • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 11:31

    get a second job, save more $ then get synology 4 bays

    • Megatron on 09/03/2023 - 11:46
      +1

      haha.. who is going to use all the content on the NAS if I were to take up a second job.. defeats the purpose lol.

      • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 14:13

        later la…. work hard now for few months and then you enjoy later
        thats the right way.
        not borrow money so you can enjoy the NAS now and then struggle to pay later

  • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 11:31
    1. Expendable memory so I can add another 4 TB HD in future.

    wrong

    1. Expendable hdd slots so I can add another 4 TB HD in future.
    • Ramrunner on 10/03/2023 - 13:53

      Technically "Expandable"

      expendable
      /ɪkˈspɛndəbl,ɛkˈspɛndəbl/
      adjective
      of relatively little significance, and therefore able to be abandoned or destroyed.
      "they are being made to feel like their work is expendable"

      • CyberMurning on 10/03/2023 - 15:16
        +1

        oh yeah, but i wanted to point the memory. its not memory he was talking about but hdd

        • Ramrunner on 10/03/2023 - 15:53

          Yeah I got that and you're 100% correct. I just get twitches when I see bad spelling. If there's bad spelling on my grave stone I'll guess I'll find out whether I was loved in life or not LoL.

  • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 11:33

    there is a cheaper NAS brand sometimes got posted here in ozb just search NAS keyword and find it.
    otherwise, search synology or qnap here, find which stores are selling cheap, and go to each of them to see if they are running promo at the moment.
    if not, set up some search notification.

    or go to gumtree, fbmarket

    here
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/search/node/NAS%20type%3Aforum

    • Megatron on 09/03/2023 - 11:45

      This looks great.. and assuming no compatibility issues given they are 2 different brands?

      I have a couple of newer smart TVs (Samsung). Is there generally an App that can connect the TV to the NAS and play content? Or how would it work?

      • lgacb08 on 09/03/2023 - 12:06

        Mate with that money you'll not get pass the required hdd, let alone talking about cloud, protection. If you want to play media then it will add another level of complexity unless you know how to fiddle around with samba/network files set up and what sort of network capabilities your smart TVs are. But you sound clueless so I think the most suitable solution is plex built in, but a decent nas with that features and transcoding ability will set you back double that budget already.

        • Megatron on 09/03/2023 - 13:25

          Yeah you arent wrong - If I knew, I wouldnt be asking here :)

      • Silvershark on 09/03/2023 - 12:38

        Yeah,

        There's DS Video on the Samsung TV store
        https://kb.synology.com/en-sg/DSM/tutorial/What_should_I_kno…

        Or theres emby app as well which you can use.

        There's the Plex option as well.

      • Silvershark on 09/03/2023 - 12:42

        With compatibility, the link WD drive will work
        https://www.synology.com/en-af/compatibility?search_by=produ…

        • Megatron on 09/03/2023 - 13:27

          Thanks for your responsed Silvershark.. much appreciated.

          What would be the drawbacks or benefits of going with WD Mycloud vs a NAS? I understandthe storage will not be expandable with Mycloud.

          https://www.amazon.com.au/Cloud-Home-Personal-Storage-WDBVXC…

          • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 14:15

            @Megatron: if you have to ask that, probably that WD is enough for you.
            hint: thats like comparing scooter with car

          • Silvershark on 09/03/2023 - 18:33

            @Megatron: I havent had much experience with the WD Mycloud, but just by having a look the hardware came out in 2017 (WD MyCloud, 6 years old…Yikes!) whereas the Ds223 was released this year.

            Looks like there are some limitations with the WD MyCloud as well.
            https://community.wd.com/t/why-there-is-5gb-limit/251554

            • Chandler on 10/03/2023 - 13:20

              @Silvershark: Wasn't there an issue with the MyCloud's where if the (NAS) hardware failed the disk became unreadable (even if removed and put into another device/caddy)…?

      • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 14:14

        no prob with diff. brand or diff.capacity of disks. (this is for synology SHR)

      • Chandler on 10/03/2023 - 16:25

        Depends. There's an old protocol called DLNA (wow, 2003!) that allowed devices to stream media over the local network: many smart TV's and device (i.e. Xbox, Playstation) supported it at the time, as well as consumer NAS's and operating systems. It doesn't seem to be used/supported much any more (the alliance was apparently dissolved in 2017) and has been replaced by separate protocols/apps i.e. *cast (Chromecast, Miracast, etc), Google TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Stan, Binge, Paramount+, Peacock, Hulu, Roku, HBO Max…

        Self-hosters generally utilise services/apps such as Plex, XBMC, Kodi, Jellyfin, etc. to serve their own content locally.

  • freefall101 on 09/03/2023 - 12:31

    Is this just a shared drive for media or will it be all your backups or have important files? Because if it has important files you might want to think of some redundancy.

    • Megatron on 09/03/2023 - 13:28

      Hi Freefall,

      While I wouldnt want to lose any of the stored data, it will not be end of life for me if I lost. So unless redundancy can be attained for a smallish amount, it is not required.

      • CyberMurning on 09/03/2023 - 14:16

        well redun means you need to buy more hdds

      • Andremelb on 10/03/2023 - 11:32

        Synology also has automated Hyper Backup - you can schedule regular back ups of selected folders to another Synology if you have trusted friends or family that also have a Synology. It would require a small amount of set up (accounts, port forwarding and initial setting) but once set is automatic. Two or more drives in a RAID configuration will give you local redundancy for failed HDD's while remote backups will provide protection against fire, electrical, theft or destruction.

  • RowanLucas on 09/03/2023 - 15:56

    You can look into xpenology with one of the cheap n5105 itx mobo/prebuilt. It does require lots of DIY tho

  • oscargamer on 09/03/2023 - 17:18

    If I were you I'd get a ds220j and 2 x 4tb drives. Set up in mirror raid. When the 4tb is full, buy 2 x whatever size you want and sell the 4tb's.

  • Marty-69 on 09/03/2023 - 17:46

    1 NAS with minimum 4TB storage
    2 Must have an App that can be used to sync mobile/computer devices. So that it can act as a replacement for dropbox/Onedrive.
    3 Must be able to connect to TV/Media devices via Wifi and play content up to 4k
    4 Must have inbuilt security features, AV, Intrusion protection, etc.
    5 Expandable storage bays so I can add another 4TB HDD in future

    1 You don't mention data redundancy so start with one disk within your budget. Can add a second later for redundancy or more storage.
    2 Synology Drive Client
    3 Plex on Synology
    4 Synology
    5 So minimum a 2-disk system

    DS220j with one disk is under $500. If the disk crashes, everything is gone. Get 2 disks and run RAID-1.

    • oscargamer on 09/03/2023 - 18:11

      Fairly sure the post above yours says exactly what you just said….

  • FoxJump on 09/03/2023 - 18:31

    plex on qnap sucks (4k hevc) unless you pay for the plex pass. because hardware transcoding only available with the plex pass

  • Chris Topher on 09/03/2023 - 20:47

    My info for this: I acquired a used QNAP 4 bay NAS for a good price, met the seller, all very genuine.

    Eventually I have thrown 2x WD Red 4TB's in it mirrored, a 4TB and 1 TB in the other 2 bays for file manipulation, playing with, temp location, etc.

    It has 2x USB3x ports. I't hard connected to my modem/router firewalled. QNAP has a multitude of apps , utilities, etc.

    Suits me fine as a home server with 2 users.

  • trankillity on 10/03/2023 - 09:42

    I've been running a DS418play for the last 7-8 years. Has been absolutely rock solid. You could get by with a 2-bay NAS with no redundancy, and syncing selective folders to a cloud backup solution. I went with the 4-bay with 25% redundancy so I'm not losing as much space to redundancy. That way when one drive dies, I just go out and grab a replacement, chuck it in, lose no downtime. This has already happened to me twice over the course of ownership, so it was definitely worth it in my use case.

    If you go for something less powerful, you will need to be careful with transcoding vs. direct streaming. Your end devices will need to be able to decode the original file format or your NAS will need to transcode it, and there aren't that many NAS with Intel QuickSync these days (hardware transcoding).

  • CyberMurning on 10/03/2023 - 10:15

    my 4 bays syno is 12 years old, only had 1 issue so far but that due to the harddisk not the nas itself.
    running almost everyday except when i had long overseas holiday which is rare.

    only issue is the usb port is version 2.0 only and processor unable to decode x265.
    but difficult to justify spending $600++ to upgrade as its fine for me

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