adding a nas

A NAS (Network Attached Storage)is, by definition, an ethernet device only...

Although some can also connect via USB they are no longer a NAS when used as an external USB HDD.

Attaching the NAS to your network is indeed done via a wired ethernet connection directky from your router. Typically with DHCP enabled ( usually the default setting) which allows the router to dynamically assigne the NAS an IP address on your network.

Your computer should then 'see' the NAS as a device and be able to look at it's Hard disk which you typically create seperate shared folders on for music, photos, videos etc.

I suspect the Buffalo will also be able to act as a direct sever to i-tunes which means it will appear in i-tunes and allow you to easily both rip and download music to it.

Transfer of the music you already have on the Mac would then also need to be managed by i-tunes so that all the metadata associated with it remains in place.

regards
Geoff

I'm still sorting all this out in my own mind. Currently using BT Home Hub (wifi/broadband).

If I understand it correctly, I could connect a 2TB Buffalo linkstation pro to my hub by Ethernet cable, and then all the other devices logging into my router could "see" this device, even via their wifi connection?

Then I connect a Unitiserve to the hub as well, so that would also "see" the NAS drive?

I also assume that if I got a Unitiserve with hard drive, then other devices on the network could "see" the drive on the unitiserve? Or would that not happen?

For the sake of of future-proofing, is there any problem (other than the slightly higher cost) in using CAT6 cable to set up the Ethernet network?

I think I might need to go into the loft and retrieve the newer BT Home Hub sent to me last year, as that has 4 Ethernet ports IIRC, and the one I am otherwise still using only has 2.

Sorry for the questions, but although I have been using computers for many years (probably since before quite a few of you were born!), I have never had any need until now to set up such a hardwired network.

Hi,

My setup is as follows :

Main computer attached (hardwired ethernet) to router - NAS hardwired to router.

Other computers in my home wifi connected to router.

For music : a Macbook Pro wifi connected also to the router, connected to Dac (Cambridge audio).

I often read on the forum that hardwirded ethernet is preferred but no dropouts on the wifi for me (and no noisy NAS near my system).

Philippe

quote:

Originally posted by Dungassin:
I'm still sorting all this out in my own mind. Currently using BT Home Hub (wifi/broadband).

If I understand it correctly, I could connect a 2TB Buffalo linkstation pro to my hub by Ethernet cable, and then all the other devices logging into my router could "see" this device, even via their wifi connection?

Correct.

quote:

Then I connect a Unitiserve to the hub as well, so that would also "see" the NAS drive?

Also correct.

quote:

I also assume that if I got a Unitiserve with hard drive, then other devices on the network could "see" the drive on the unitiserve? Or would that not happen?

Depending on the services that the UnitiServe is set up for. The UnitiServe would be seen as a UPnP server (for devices such as NaimUniti, UnitiQute and Linn DS to see). I'm unsure if it shares it's files via SMB (Windows File Sharing) or other methods.

quote:

For the sake of of future-proofing, is there any problem (other than the slightly higher cost) in using CAT6 cable to set up the Ethernet network?

No, no problem.

quote:

I think I might need to go into the loft and retrieve the newer BT Home Hub sent to me last year, as that has 4 Ethernet ports IIRC, and the one I am otherwise still using only has 2.

My advise would be to buy a small Ethernet switch rather than relying on your router's built in hub. Something like a NetGear GS105E at around £60 (or even a larger 8 or 16 port version isn't much compared with the cost of your audio equipment) connected to your router will allow audio traffic to be separate from other network traffic, while still allowing Internet access. Slightly more complicated but a more belt-and-braces approach.

quote:

Sorry for the questions, but although I have been using computers for many years (probably since before quite a few of you were born!), I have never had any need until now to set up such a hardwired network.

You're welcome. Others will no doubt disagree with my advise and say the switch is unnecessary - which it is, but allows for a more reliable network system.

Eloise

quote:

Originally posted by P.Bonte:
Hi,

My setup is as follows :

Main computer attached (hardwired ethernet) to router - NAS hardwired to router.

Other computers in my home wifi connected to router.

For music : a MacBook Pro WiFi connected also to the router, connected to DAC (Cambridge audio).

I often read on the forum that hardwired Ethernet is preferred but no dropouts on the WiFi for me (and no noisy NAS near my system).

Philippe

You are avoiding a lot of the problems associated with dropouts using WiFi as you only have one WiFi link in use (MacBook Pro to router) rather than two or more (NAS / server computer to router AND MacBook Pro to router). There tends to be less troubles with dropouts where you are using standard file sharing to a computer than using UPnP AV to a device such as NaimUniti.

Where it's possible I would always prefer to use wired Ethernet, but that doesn't mean that wireless won't work.

Eloise

quote:

My advise would be to buy a small Ethernet switch rather than relying on your router's built in hub. Something like a NetGear GS105E at around £60 (or even a larger 8 or 16 port version isn't much compared with the cost of your audio equipment) connected to your router will allow audio traffic to be separate from other network traffic, while still allowing Internet access. Slightly more complicated but a more belt-and-braces approach.


quote:
Sorry for the questions, but although I have been using computers for many years (probably since before quite a few of you were born!), I have never had any need until now to set up such a hardwired network.

You're welcome. Others will no doubt disagree with my advise and say the switch is unnecessary - which it is, but allows for a more reliable network system.

So ... you're saying that other devices connected to a router via ethernet could possible corrupt the audio information?

quote:

Originally posted by Dungassin:
So ... you're saying that other devices connected to a router via Ethernet could possible corrupt the audio information?

No, I don't mean that other devices could corrupt the signal as such, but that the transmission of other data/devices will affect the availability of the audio devices to communicate (sorry not sure if I said that very well).

With a standard hub (like is built into 99% of broadband routers) when a network packet is sent, the hub receives the packet and sends it immediately to every device on the network. During that transmission no other data can be sent, if some other device wishes to send data then it has to wait. It's a 1 to many system.

With a switch however, each packet the switch receives is examined and the switch only sends that packet onto the device the packet is destined for. This is a 1 to 1 system.

In 90% of systems, the two are completely identical in use, however adding a switch *may* alleviate dropouts and other network issues. IIRC Linn recommend using a dedicated switch for your NAS and DS devices; however it's my believe that this will not affect sound quality except to the extent that the audio is either there, or it's not.

Eloise

quote:

Originally posted by Eloise:
...
Depending on the services that the UnitiServe is set up for. The UnitiServe would be seen as a UPnP server (for devices such as NaimUniti, UnitiQute and Linn DS to see). I'm unsure if it shares it's files via SMB (Windows File Sharing) or other methods.
...
Eloise

I was told by Paul Stephenson that the HDX, and I believe the UnitiServe will use at least those same ones, uses the following protocols

quote:

Protocol Application Protocol Comment
=================================================
TCP/IP SMB / CIFS Primarily used by Windows on a windows network.
NetBios can be used to resolve network names if need be.
SPX over IPX SAP Novell networks

-
aleg

quote:

I was told by Paul Stephenson that the HDX, and I believe the UnitiServe will use at least those same ones, uses the following protocols

quote:
Protocol Application Protocol Comment
=================================================
TCP/IP SMB / CIFS Primarily used by Windows on a windows network.
NetBios can be used to resolve network names if need be.
SPX over IPX SAP Novell networks

So, can you or can't you access the Unitiserve or HDX hard disc over the network?

quote:

No, I don't mean that other devices could corrupt the signal as such, but that the transmission of other data/devices will affect the availability of the audio devices to communicate (sorry not sure if I said that very well).

With a standard hub (like is built into 99% of broadband routers) when a network packet is sent, the hub receives the packet and sends it immediately to every device on the network. During that transmission no other data can be sent, if some other device wishes to send data then it has to wait. It's a 1 to many system.

With a switch however, each packet the switch receives is examined and the switch only sends that packet onto the device the packet is destined for. This is a 1 to 1 system.

In 90% of systems, the two are completely identical in use, however adding a switch *may* alleviate dropouts and other network issues. IIRC Linn recommend using a dedicated switch for your NAS and DS devices; however it's my believe that this will not affect sound quality except to the extent that the audio is either there, or it's not.

Thanks. So if I read this correctly, I could just go with my router and no switcher initially, and just add a switcher later if I have problems?

quote:

Originally posted by Dungassin:

quote:

I was told by Paul Stephenson that the HDX, and I believe the UnitiServe will use at least those same ones, uses the following protocols

quote:
Protocol Application Protocol Comment
=================================================
TCP/IP SMB / CIFS Primarily used by Windows on a windows network.
NetBios can be used to resolve network names if need be.
SPX over IPX SAP Novell networks

So, can you or can't you access the Unitiserve or HDX hard disc over the network?

Dungassin

That I can't answer directly.

The above answer was given to me to show which protocols are supported to let the HDX (/UnitiServe) see a NAS.

I don't know if the HDX's (/UnitiServe) internal disk is actually shared as a Windows Share or kept private (but any HDX user with a network should be able to tell us).

So on second thought I may have given an answer to a different question than you actually asked

-
aleg

The HDX music folders are shared - you can see them on a Windows network - don't know about Mac

quote:

In 90% of systems, the two are completely identical in use, however adding a switch *may* alleviate dropouts and other network issues. IIRC Linn recommend using a dedicated switch for your NAS and DS devices; however it's my believe that this will not affect sound quality except to the extent that the audio is either there, or it's not.

Just to finish pursuing this thought ...

The Unitiserve without Hard Disc has 16GB of memory on board. I had assumed this was to act as a buffer just to avoid this sort of problem. Or am I just totally confused? (wouldn't be the first time!)

Not a totally theoretical question, as I have ordered my 2TB Buffalo Pro from Amazon although I suspect I may have to wait until my birthday in November before I am allowed to get the Unitiserve.

quote:

My advise would be to buy a small Ethernet switch rather than relying on your router's built in hub. Something like a NetGear GS105E at around £60 (or even a larger 8 or 16 port version isn't much compared with the cost of your audio equipment) connected to your router will allow audio traffic to be separate from other network traffic, while still allowing Internet access. Slightly more complicated but a more belt-and-braces approach.

Yep - good solution and what i use. Allows the kids to be blasting away on the internet without causing me issues (more of a problem in my early squeezebox days than the Mac in memory play)

James

Another vote for the separate switch. My Bebox regularly needs turning off and on as it over heats and crashes. There is no way I can trust it to reliably stream music. I bought a HP ProCurve Switch 1400-8g for about 60 squid and I have never had a single problem with it. Its not a huge outlay of cash compared to any of the hifi so it would seem daft to penny pinch on something like this.

Dave

Since I have chosen to go to the 'Dark side'...err a Linn Akurate DS I did a bit of homework reading Linn papers on these topics.

Eloise is right about Linn favoring a Switch over a straight Router connection. They feel that since a switch just has to be a switch and not handle the assignment of IP address etc off an incoming modem aswell it is more effective at dealing with data transfer at multiple ports simultaneaously than a router.

Modern Routers are pretty much certain to have both Wirelass and wired ports. As suggested if you run any PC connections off the wireless and dedicate wired port usage to the NAS and the Music streamer /DAC system it works in an optimum way. At least thats how I have done it for the DS and all has run smoothly with no hiccups for 3 weeks so far.

I will probably get a switch since they are so inexpensive since it makse sense to get the best environment possible for the high quality audio trandfer.

The thing that happens if you get 'drop outs' which are quite common on wireless connections is that the music currently playing may 'stutter' and a small gap or silence will ocuur in the audio. Obviously this is not at all desirable andis very much less likely to occur with a wired connection.

regards
geoff

quote:

The Unitiserve without Hard Disc has 16GB of memory on board. I had assumed this was to act as a buffer just to avoid this sort of problem. Or am I just totally confused? (wouldn't be the first time!)

As I understand it you are talking about the SSD verison which uses a relatively small amount of Solid State memory ( no noisy wirring hard disk so a better environment) for the functions that are needed to make the Unitiserve work and assumes you will use an extrenal NAS from day one.

The other version of the Unitiserve comes with an onboard 1 TB hard drive but allows for the fact that if you fill that up you will need to then resort to more storage on a external NAS one day.

Geoff

Geoff beat me to it. The 16GB is for OS, internal CD database, and local ripping with a bit of wiggle room, before the rip is offloaded to the Music Store on the NAS

So Geoff, any thoughts on the ADS? Or is it rude to ask here...

quote:

Geoff beat me to it. The 16GB is for OS, internal CD database, and local ripping with a bit of wiggle room, before the rip is offloaded to the Music Store on the NASquote]

Thanks. All clear now.

[quote]My advise would be to buy a small Ethernet switch rather than relying on your router's built in hub. Something like a NetGear GS105E at around £60 (or even a larger 8 or 16 port version isn't much compared with the cost of your audio equipment) connected to your router will allow audio traffic to be separate from other network traffic, while still allowing Internet access. Slightly more complicated but a more belt-and-braces approach.

So, just to make sure I've got it right before I order the bits or decide that I need to speak to a proper installer to come and hardwire the network with nice little wall sockets etc ... I basically just plug the Ethernet switch into one of the Ethernet sockets on the Hub and then plug everything else into the switch?

quote:

So Geoff, any thoughts on the ADS? Or is it rude to ask here...

It's not rude to ask here as far as I am concerned. I think you know how I came to my decision from a physical system point of view from an earlier thread where I made the point that in my particular circumstance with a 500/552 and a NAS and network cable audio delivery already in place I felt my money would be better spent on a box that did not have circuitry such as pre or power amps and hard drives etc that were superfulous to my needs. I also wanted to not have to purchase a multiple box solution to get the data out of an ethernet cable and have to convert it into a different form before being able to connect into audio replay.

Hence the Linn DS boxes were where I looked. After a home demo of both the Majik and the Akurate compared against my soon to depart CDS3/555PS I concluded that the Akurate was on a par with the CDS3 replay which is pretty damn good, plus of course, as with the Naim Dac's it will process high res audio at 196/24 for example. Listening to a few of such audio files I have downloaded so far there is a clarity and dynamism that differentiates them from 44.1/16 replay.

There has been comment from some here that the Linn sound is not the same as the Naim sound which is perhaps true in subtle ways but there is definite feel of music signal purity and resolved detail from the Linn that to my ears ( the ones that matter) is just as enjoyable and affecting as the musical character of the CDS3 in my system..

I also like that fact that the money spent was put into only the elements of streamed audio replay that I absolutely needed...so I am happy.

regards
geoff

Perhaps it's my age, but I'm getting more and more confused by this Ethernet Network thing.

My plans at the moment basically consist of setting up a network using Ethernet for some things such as audio, NAS and video, while keeping wifi for things such as the odd bit of equipment which updates itself and visitors' internet access.

Devices to be connected by Ethernet would be :
My laptop
My wifi BT Homehub (if appropriate)
Buffalo Linkstation Pro
Perhaps a second NAS drive
Unitiserve SSD (or equivalent)
Second Unitiserve SSD or HDX in another room
? Future connection of TV "boxes" (2, in separate rooms)

I'm confused by whether I could just do this via my HomeHub, or whether I actually need a separate Ethernet switch.

I think what I need is an "Idiot Guide" to see whether I could realistically set all this up myself (plenty of time on my hands), or whether I should just get it done professionally.

Sometimes I think I'll just abandon the whole idea. Oh for the days when I could just take the equipment out of the box and plug it in and all would work.

Anyone point me towards a simple book or such on the topic?

quote:

I think what I need is an "Idiot Guide"

You and me both.

Is this Idiot enough?
Home Computer Networks 101 Guide to Wired and Wireless Home Networking

quote:

Is this Idiot enough?
Home Computer Networks 101 Guide to Wired and Wireless Home Networking

I'll let you know in a couple of days when I've read and digested it.