External HDD and WiFi?

[rico]

I'm going over to a wireless router soon. I know I could get a wireless printer so i don't have to plug in if i want to print, but is there any way to connect my LaCie external HDD to the network? It only has USB and Firewire ports on the back.

Cheers

[bogie]

easiest and cheapest way is just to share it out on the PC its attached to.

[rico]

I was planning on just running a laptop (mac). Is there no way of attaching the HDD to the router without another computer?

[tvrforever]

Yup just need to look in the right places :-

www.twonkyvision.de/UPnP/nas.html

Just looking at the Linksys NSLU2 at the moment to use this to front my WD USB2 160GB HD.

Misco have them at £58 inc VAT but there will be plenty of better deals around...

www.misco.co.uk/productinformation/~94038~WW~/index.htm

[ATG]

rico said:

I was planning on just running a laptop (mac). Is there no way of attaching the HDD to the router without another computer?

You'll need a computer of some sort to do it. Something has to act as a server to (a) implement the network security stuff (b) provide the physical interface between the USB and the network signals and protocols. There's no reason why a manufacturer couldn't build that "server" functionality into the router or into the HDD itself, but I've not seen one on the market that does this. Closest thing you can get is a dedicated "NAS" (Network Attached Storaged) device aimed at business networks ... its just an array of hard discs and usually a unix-based computer that implements some windows network protocol ... usually badly.


Well, i may not have seen one, but TVRForever has! There you go, sod's law...

>> Edited by ATG on Monday 2nd May 15:04

[bogie]

you could get a router with built in USB host port - but the dont do one with ADSL modem built in....but fine if you are on cable (NTL/Telewest etc)

www.dsl-warehouse.co.uk/product.asp?pr=WGT634U

[JamieBeeston]

Be aware tho, any of these WiFi hdd options will drastically reduce your speed of access / transfer.

FireWire 480 transfers at ~ 50MB/sec

Fastest Wifi is only 108mbit, but only GIVES around 5MB/sec..

54mbit WiFi will give around 2MB/sec

Depends on what you use / plan to use your LaCiE for.

J

[rico]

Interesting thoughts

I'm just using it as a backup and to store larger files to save space on the laptop.

I'll look into the links and suggestions

[JamieBeeston]

In that case, I'd say just wear plugging it in every week or so to backup.

If you need more space on your laptop, delete some of your or buy a bigger hdd for it

J

[roop]

Things will slow down drastically when running the drive over WiFi, although I get a sustained 4-5MB/sec across my WiFi setup (3Com 802.11g)

JamieBeeston said:

...54mbit WiFi will give around 2MB/sec

[JamieBeeston]

roop said:

Things will slow down drastically when running the drive over WiFi, although I get a sustained 4-5MB/sec across my WiFi setup (3Com 802.11g) JamieBeeston said: ...54mbit WiFi will give around 2MB/sec

Only if you use turbo / 104mbit.

54mbit just wont give 5MB/sec, Wifi is commonly accepted to deliver 50% of Advertised thruput.

If you are actually seeing 5MB/sec (how are you measureing this? Perf Mon? Task Manager?) then you are on 104mbit

Anyway, doesnt really matter

J

[LongQ]

Just noticed in a recent dabs catalogue that Freecom do a network attachable 250Gb drive (Classic SL 250Gb Network Drive by name!) which it claims can just be attached to a LAN.

Presumably a WiFi LAN would be OK. But dont expect lightening speed as previously mentioned.

[tvrforever]

LongQ said:

Just noticed in a recent dabs catalogue that Freecom do a network attachable 250Gb drive (Classic SL 250Gb Network Drive by name!) which it claims can just be attached to a LAN. Presumably a WiFi LAN would be OK. But dont expect lightening speed as previously mentioned.

I'm a bit wary of these though as they don't appear to support industry standard CIFS & NFS as file protocols...

[deckster]

tvrforever said:

LongQ said: Just noticed in a recent dabs catalogue that Freecom do a network attachable 250Gb drive (Classic SL 250Gb Network Drive by name!) which it claims can just be attached to a LAN. Presumably a WiFi LAN would be OK. But dont expect lightening speed as previously mentioned. I'm a bit wary of these though as they don't appear to support industry standard CIFS & NFS as file protocols...

Depends what you're using it for I guess. I've just bought a Buffalo Linkstation that's essentially a Linux box running Samba - does the job for me. I can't imagine many home users caring one way or the other about NFS.