Easy Steps To Central Storage

A new breed of standalone network-attached storage (NAS) devices has arrived. They offer increased storage capacity and the ability to serve up media content, and are as easy to install as they are powerful. By adding one of these NAS devices to your small-business customer's network, you can deliver all the benefits of central data storage, plus offer them a central media server. Better yet, these "always on" network devices have server software built in. That means they can dole out media files as needed, without requiring a PC to manage the effort.

Two NAS devices I recommend are Maxtor's Shared Storage Plus and Buffalo's Link Station. Both are 200-GB to 300-GB NAS drives, with competitive street prices hovering around the $350 mark. They also are equipped with embedded software that can turn a NAS drive--already useful for central storage and backups--into a full-fledged media server.

There are four basic steps to setting up a network with NAS, along with a digital media adapter (DMA), which connects your client's network to legacy entertainment devices, such as TVs and stereos, in order to have streaming media to PCs. In this example, we'll use Maxtor's NAS device. Once you assemble the necessary components (see "Product Recommendations," center), you're ready to begin; if you require more specific installation details, they're available on TechBuilder.org.

Get to know the network configuration: Understanding the demands on a sample network like ours is easy since we're only dealing with a couple of PCs, but looking at a complex network is different. You may want to diagram your target network for a NAS installation. Look for an open port on a central router and avoid a crowded or busy hub.

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Install and configure the NAS device: Maxtor's NAS device requires at least one PC with a Pentium III/500-MHz processor (or better), Windows (98SE, 2000 and XP) and Internet Explorer (version 6.0 or higher). The NAS device also requires a 10/100 TCP/IP network with DHCP and DNS servers. Finally, Client for Microsoft Networks is required on each PC to enable the NAS.

After you've installed the NAS device, map the new network disk to a drive on each PC using Start/My Network Places /Add a Network Place. The Install Wizard will prompt you to select "Choose another network location." Then click Next. Browse for the NAS device, which will look like this: "Public on mss-010A9C(192.168.1.140)." Each PC can now access the NAS. Follow the same routine for any private, password-protected folders you create, and add them to My Network Places where needed.

Install and configure the DMA device(s): Because the Linksys WMA11B is an older device, it depends on the PC software to find the adapter on the network. But you can get around this by pointing the adapter to the NAS directory using a mapped drive. (Newer DMAs don't have this limitation.) On a related note, while you won't be thrilled about the speed of this device, you will like the price, as it gives you the ability to stream audio to your legacy entertainment center for less than $100.

Test the network: Play some music on the DMA-connected audio and video devices. Any disruption in the playback indicates a potential network issue. Finally, be sure to follow good cabling techniques with wired components. If you use wireless devices, place the wireless antennas as high as possible.

Andy McDonough is a freelance writer based in New Jersey.