adding a nas

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Originally posted by Dungassin:

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unless you've got multiple computers that want to share files or you want to stick it in another room then I can't see why you need a NAS

If you want a Unitiserve, then you have either rip to the internal HD (if you have that version) or to NAS. That answer your question?

See this link for Naim's reply when I asked them this question :

https://forums.naimaudio.com/ev...552919237#5552919237

Sorry was really responding to BigH - I accept that this will probably not work with the UnitiServe unless it supports directly attached USB drives (no idea if it does). BigH is a Mac user hence the reply - it'll work for him and no networking stuff required.

OK, Gary. I have not quoted your last post, so if I get a bit disjointed, please forgive me ...

I don't use BT's appalling (IMO) software. I just plugged the HomeHub in and entered the password key in the appropriate box when I set up the network connection. Then entered my email address and password, and off you go. So, no problem there.

The only reason I ever got involved in this thread is that I was looking for a simple, user-friendly solution to streaming music, but wanted to get something that is at least a little future-proofed.

Unitiserve SSD and NAS would work very nicely with my study setup, and possibly a second Unitiserve/nDAC in the living room should my CDS die.

All I really want at the moment is a reasonably powerful wifi router/switch so that I can connect up to 4 Ethernet devices, as I don't need any more for the time being. The main use of the Ethernet initially would be for one NAS drive and a Unitiserve. Wifi signal strength OK upstairs, but occasionally a bit iffy downstairs. The HomeHub is upstairs, of course.

It is possible that at some future date I might want to stream video (catchup TV etc). Wifi still important for most other uses - ordinary internet, wii etc.

My telephone line apparently only goes up to 3MB (according to BT) so no great point in paying for high-speed broadband at this address

I do suffer from occasional pauses in Internet Access - usually finish up rebooting Internet Exploder (sic), then it works. Seems to occur at high usage times, so I assumed the problem was at BT's end. Seems I was wrong.

So, in essence, what I want is a simple plug and play device to connect my laptop, NAS drive, Unitiserve via Ethernet, and everything else (for now) via wifi. I also don't want to have the potential problems that Eloise describes with music streaming and interference from other things accessing the router at the same time (e.g. Windoze downloading yet another load of "updates") - hence all the confusion about switches vs.routers.

I also note the recent post about NAS problems with HDX - certainly don't want to get into that area if I can avoid it. That's one of the few things I really tried to get across to juniors - easier to avoid a problem than solve it.

Funnily enough, now that you mention it, I never could get my HP6L printer to function on a wifi network with my laptop and desktop PC (when I still had one). Thought it was me just being thick, and just used to save the file and then print from the desktop PC. We live and learn.

I'm a great believer in "Idiot Guides". Written a few in my time for other hospital staff, and have also been guilty of writing patient information leaflets - always got them proof-read by non-medical niece, to make sure no jargon was used, and to see if she understood the message I wanted to get across.

OK to be passionate. I'm the same when TV programs/films etc get simple medical details wrong - or more usually grossly over/underestimate the problems.

Haha, not into house then?

In fairness the homehub is easy in that BT simply use your phone number to set it up, in other words you just plug it into the computer and the phone line and it works. BT are in a unique position to be able to do this as they own the line and the broadband (And the router)

But if you want rock solid day to day performance you have to look beyond the homehub. and accept that yes there is probably going to be 15 minutes of set up, but after that, you fit and forget.

But anyway your choice!

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Posted Fri 23 July 2010 18:47 Hide Post
I recommend one router to every one here Draytek:

Specifically this one for the price concerned. Although I find it highly amusing you are happy to spend 2 grand on a receiving streaming device but don't want to pay £100 for the router delivering that stream

http://draytek.com/user/PdInfoDetail.php?Id=83

BT

I note that the link is to the Draytek 2710, but you use a 2820. Haven't really compared the 2 in detail, but any real difference between them other than the fact that latter does 1000base as well as 10/100?

To further expose my ignorance, if I decided for example to stream HD video, would 100base be adequate?

Also, no information on the wifi range of these devices. Are they adequate to cover my whole house? (farthest point from router is about 60 feet in a straight line)

I also assume they use some form of wireless key to prevent unauthorised wifi access to the network?

You set the wireless key. As I said I use a switch which is gigabit so to be fair I did not consider the speed of the links, but yes you should have no issue streaming hidef on 10/100 and indeed over wireless. Remember the theoretical speeds of these lines can never be met it only identifies how much bandwidth it could deal with.

For instance I have gigabit throughout but real word speeds are more like 300-400MBs a second, which is a good speed.

Draytek might be considered overkill, for a little cheaper you can walk away withe a netgear rangemax which are also good.

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Originally posted by ROTF:

unless you've got multiple computers that want to share files or you want to stick it in another room then I can't see why you need a NAS

The best advice of all!
I've got a NAS & use it successfully (after a lot of fiddling about) with a modem/router, gigabit switch, Time Capsule etc.

But although there are a couple of other computers connected to it, they're not used for music & in retrospect the LaCie 1Tb Firewire 800- equipped hard drive I use for backup purposes would have been a better bet than the NAS.

From your postings John, it appears you won't need to access music from other computers in the house?

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Haha, not into house then?

In fairness the homehub is easy in that BT simply use your phone number to set it up, in other words you just plug it into the computer and the phone line and it works. BT are in a unique position to be able to do this as they own the line and the broadband (And the router)

But if you want rock solid day to day performance you have to look beyond the homehub. and accept that yes there is probably going to be 15 minutes of set up, but after that, you fit and forget.

But anyway your choice!

House? Moderately amusing, but unbelievable medical scenarios. Any real hospital would have sacked him long ago. As for the cases - most of the time it amazes me that he takes so long to get to the diagnosis, and the rest of it I end up thinking "but there's a much simpler explanation for that".

As regards the Hub/Router thingy, I'm getting the Homehub 2.0 out of the loft, and I'll run with that for a while. If it exhibits the same problems as the Homehub 1.0 (currently in use), then I will look for a better alternative.

Not strictly related, but I've been thinking again (dangerous, I know) ...

If I read things correctly, is it possible that getting data on/off an Ethernet connected NAS drive may be faster than a USB drive. Or is the read/write speed of the drive the real limiting factor?

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From your postings John, it appears you won't need to access music from other computers in the house?

Not at the moment, but I like to think ahead and anticipate likely future problems such as a second Unitiserve. The funny thing is that I may eventually decide to give up the whole idea of streamed music and just get a better transport to go with the nDAC. As you know, I do like to think out these upgrades well before I actually do them.

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If I read things correctly, is it possible that getting data on/off an Ethernet connected NAS drive may be faster than a USB drive. Or is the read/write speed of the drive the real limiting factor?

IME at least with Windoz, as ROTF calls it, the relative speeds of a NAS and a USB attached Drive are not worth debating they are pretty much the same in fact the USB drive might just have the edge. The important thing is that either can stream music way faster than they need to ( assuming the connection is a good one).

As far as the debate about the need for a NAS is concerned. It is about storage requirements and being prepared to buy quality.

As I mentioned earlier 2,300 to 2,500 CDs ripped as Wave files occupy about 1 TB. Then if you are planning once they are ripped to dispose of the original CDs you need a back up copy of all your music on a seperate disc so that adds up to 2 TB in my example.

Then it depends whether you are into photography. SLR cameras with 15 Megapixel sensors for example result in seriously large RAW format files so you might want to store quite a lot of photographic data. For example my duplicated Photo files total out at 100 GB.

Incidentally there is enough bandwidth on a solid ethernet connection so you can stream photos to a TV panel at the same time as you listen to music. It is quite nice to have a slideshow running with the music.

The other is the option is to backup your computer(s) completely so you can restore the operating system and programs asily. This can use up anything form 200Gb to 1 Tb depending on how many computers you run.

If you want to operate like that then you can see a good capacity NAS is pretty much the solution ( I have 4 1Tb disks in mine.)

If on the other hand you only ever expect to use about 1 Tb max for all your storage needs COMBINED then working with USB attached drives and a media server running (such as Windoz Media PLayer or I-tunes) on your PC will probably do the job.

regards
Geoff

Haven't counted my CDs recently, but measuring shelf-lengths, allowing for boxed sets (e.g.Philips Mozart Collection), then I have approx 3000 of the things. Not bad for someone who actually prefers vinyl!

I'd probably hang onto the original CDs.

Currently have 250GB of JPEGs (SWMBO take photos like they're going out of fashion - just wish she wouldn't print so many). 300GB MP3s of audiobooks/radio shows and plays. 60GB in my iTunes folder. 30GB HD camcorder files, 50GB of other saved files. All these currently exist as 2 copies of each on 500GB "laptop" USB hard drives. Would be nice to persuade SWMBO to get a HiDef TV for the living room and set it up so she could stream photos from a NAS - would save a lot of space on storing all her photo prints. (I wouldn't mind, but the only one who ever seems to look at them is me!)

So, NAS drive + local Ethernet setup seems a good way to go, even if I don't get into streaming audio. Would save a lot of USB hard drive plugging/unplugging, as I would keep the new originals on the laptops drive for 3 months and then back them up to the USB drives en masse, but keep more frequent backups to the NAS.

SWMBO objecting to me climbing into the loft, as my orthopod friend has told me not to use my right arm above my head for a few weeks (had my painful shoulder injected this week). I'll have to wait until she goes out, I think ...

A proper NAS is the way forward for you. Depending on how you configure it won't offer back up against stupidity, (i.e. if you delete a folder off it, then its gone) but it will offer disk failure.

I have a qnap TS410 and its superb. Its loaded with four 1.5tb drives on raid five so all in I have around 4.6tb of available data. all important stuff is back up with rysync, which in essences is my flac folder and work folder. Most other stuff is expendable, i.e. dvd rips and that sort of thing.

Thanks. I'm probably looking at getting a second NAS drive later on. I'm very much a belt and braces man when it comes to backups. I like at least 2, and for important family stuff, 3. Overkill, perhaps, but it makes me happy.

SWMBO is gardening ATM, so I managed to sneak into the loft and get the HomeHub 2.0 down. Now connected and working. So far no sign of pauses or hesitancy, and even loaded my home page immediately on starting Windoze Exploder, which is something the HomeHub1.0 seemed very reluctant to do - often had to wait 30 seconds while it thought about it. Think I'll consign that router to the recycling bin. If the HH2.0 starts showing the same problems, I will be getting a better router/switch.

Now, I think I'll connect this HomeHub up to the laptop by Ethernet. Wonder how confused it will get by the fact that the laptop has wifi connection to the hub as well. Of course, I can always just switch the wifi on the laptop off, and then on again when I do want to take it to other parts of the house ...

Must go and change the password settings for wifi broadband on the XBox360 and wii, while I'm thinking about it. Already done that for the iPhone wifi connection.

Just been looking for info on n-Serve. No obvious manual for it on the Naim website, and on iTunes App Shop, just there with very little info. Would be nice to know how it works and searches etc.

That will come down to the laptop which should offer your priority for which connection to use.

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That will come down to the laptop which should offer your priority for which connection to use.

Thanks.

SWMBO's been planing me down again ... no wonder I'm so short.

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If you experience any of the following: Dropouts, weird pauses in internet access, not able sometimes to print to network printers, Cannot access your shared drives for a while, have to restart your lappy when you bring it home 'cause it won't connect etc, this is all the homehub.

Alas, looks like the HomeHub2 is exhibiting pauses etc, so I think I will be going for a better router. Being one of those who tends to get something overspecified, I think I might go for the Draytek Vigor2710Vn

I downloaded and have just been reading the quick setup guide for it. I hope that it will just be a case of plugging it in, entering the WPA key, and then going into the web browser bit, and sorting that out.

However, a couple of things confuse me (and not just in relation to this router/switch

1. I currently have the analogue phone extension in my study plugged into the spare socket on the ADSL Filter/Router. It seems the Draytek would like me to plug the phone into it.
What's wrong with doing it the way I have been for years?

2. Browser setup will ask me to enter what sort of service my ISP provide PPPoE, PPPoA with a couple of variants, or one of several types of 183 bridge. I have no idea what BT Broadband offer, and their website is singularly unhelpful.

3. Browser setup will also apparently ask me for my ISP Username/password. The only password I have is that which I use to log into BTYahoo. Hopefully that is the one they mean!

Oh, I wish I could just do as I do for my Homehub - plug it in, enter the WPA key on my PC Network setup, and use the BTYahoo password when I want to get my email from Yahoo.

Just occurred to me that my current phone splitter arrangement might be the cause of some of my "pause" problems, so I've moved that connection to the back of the HomeHub2

The phone filter is important and should be on every phone in the house that connects to the phone socket.

I would agree this may be part of your issue. Try that before paying out.

Also get the BT broadband plate for your main line in and connect the router to this (If its not already)

People still have "phones"? Luddites!!!!

I'm well aware of the HH's Christmas cracker toy - like quality and capabilities. It is a piece of poo. Mine is working fine for broadband, webphone, network, HDX connection to internet and NAS access, the latter two being via a Buffalo bridge. I've also streamed from HDX op PC over wifi with no drops. I wouldn't advocate anyone willingly obtaining one but it ain't broke for my needs and I'm not inclined to fix it until I need to. You can always do worse. In this case worse equals having nothing. Experience has taught me that expenditure and time on theoretical issues seldom results in the anticipated end point.

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Also get the BT broadband plate for your main line in and connect the router to this (If its not already)

Broadband plate? I'll have to look that one up ...

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People still have "phones"? Luddites!!!!

And what would YOU call those things you use to make telephone calls? Seriously, the mobile signal at Chez Martin is a bit iffy, so a land line connected phone is essential - not to mention the fact that SWMBO still can't get her head round how to use a mobile phone (even my iPhone)


Anyway. Buffalo Pro 2TB and the CAT6 cables I ordered all arrived this morning. Some time today I'll have to use bad language and run the long one through the conduit behind the LP shelves. Then I'll connect the whole lot up. No Unitiserve yet - as I said, that will probably have to wait until my birthday in November (hints are being dropped already )

The other task for the day is to sit down with all the cables from my CB/Olive system (hopefully now wending its way back from Naim), and label them all with this nice new Brother labelling machine I bought. Also, although it is probably anathema to some, I shall be pre-sorting some of the cables into cable tidies. Infra dig, I know, but in the real world the cable tangle with an active system becomes very tiresome otherwise. I will, of course, try to keep the power cables away from the signal ones.

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Broadband plate? I'll have to look that one up ...

Well, I looked it up on BT's website, and not compatible with our telephone master socket.

Tried to find out on their site whether I could get the socket upgraded, and also whether the acceleration would still work if I plugged the Broadband plate into an extension socket (not really practical to site the router near the main telephone socket). Surprise, surprise - couldn't find that info anywhere on the site, so have emailed them.

Plate goes on the main socket only.
If it can't update your socket it's probably a newer one that doesn't need it.

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Plate goes on the main socket only.
If it can't update your socket it's probably a newer one that doesn't need it.

Not that new. Was installed in 1981 when we moved here - at least that's when we got the telephone extension sockets put in.

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Originally posted by Dungassin:

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Plate goes on the main socket only.
If it can't update your socket it's probably a newer one that doesn't need it.

Not that new. Was installed in 1981 when we moved here - at least that's when we got the telephone extension sockets put in.

I think it could possibly be too old! (IIRC) The broadband "plates" work on Master sockets where half the front can be removed by the end user to fit extensions, etc.

I don't think the BT supplied plates are designed for extensions, though you can get extension sockets with built in broadband filters IIRC.

Eloise

This is the BT website product link -- http://www.shop.bt.com/product...ccelerator-58LT.html

I'm assuming that I'm correct in using the term "extensions". When we moved here in 1981, there was only the one phone socket - in the living room. I got them to come and fit extra sockets in 3 of the bedrooms, one of which is now my study - and that's where the BTHomeHub2 lives.

Anyway, just finished setting up my 2TB Buffalo Pro NAS. Had to connect my laptop to the HomeHub by Ethernet before the Buffalo would let me set it up, but now working OK on wireless.

Had one hiccup when for some reason I couldn't copy the directory containing my Word files onto the NAS. Kept saying the original files didn't exist! Finished up right-clicking, then clicking SHARE etc, after that they copied OK. Don't know why, as I hadn't restricted access to them.

I'll have to wait until Friday week when our youngest (and granddaughter etc) come to stay for the weekend. Then I'll see if she can access the NAS from her Mac Book Pro - that's assuming she'll let install NAS Navigator on it, of course.