Home NAS media server: Can someone help me understand

[Frldyz]

Been watching a handful of videos on "the tube" about servers.
But honestly I really don't know what one is and I'm a little confused about them.

Yes I have done a handful of google searches and lots of youtube videos. But it's still not quit clear to me.

1) A home media NAS media server is a central location for HDD's to store files which can be uploaded, viewed and access from other devices?
2) These other devices can be other desktops, laptops?
3) Do these also include android tablets and iOS prodocts like iphones?
4) How do I connect to this home media NAS server with my portable devices ( androids and iOS products ). Is there an app. on my devices I install and from that app. I can I directly upload my daily pictures taken on my phone? Is this a PITS to do with iphone? Or do I have to go to a webspage for my NAS?
5) Is it relatively easy to upload your daily photos and videos from your portable device?
6) Do I need to be connected to the NAS when my product is connected to the same router? Or can I upload remotely even when I am 100's of miles away?
7) In order to access my NAS do I need a password?

Security:
7) The NAS connects diretly to my router?
Is a 2nd router needed?
9) If my computer gets infected will that infection automatically spread to my NAS? Or by having a NAS are your files more secure and safe?

Tons and tons of questions.
I sincerely appreciate anyone taking the time to read this.

It would be nice to have a central location to store, view and upload all my pics, videos and movies. Since we have multiples iOS products, android, desktops, laptops, linux and windows PC's.

[AndyMH]

I've got a synology NAS with 2x2TB drives which is used for three things:

• For it's surveillance station s/w - the primary reason for buying it (someone drove down the side of my merc about a year ago and did a runner, £3,000+ damage). It records the CCTV cameras I've got installed. Minor niggle, the client s/w to view recordings only works with win or apple (in spite of the synology running a variant of linux).

• As a media server - I've uploaded all my music to it and ripped all my DVDs (another story - not straightforward) and copied them up. Plus point - my LG smart TV found both the music and videos without asking.

• As a backup destination - this is still a work in progress, waiting for time so that I can get backintime working over SSH to the diskstation (do have it mounted in my fstab and have used it with rysnc).

Admin of the diskstation is done through my browser (chromium in my case). The diskstation is allocated a fixed IP address, 192.168.0.5 in my case. So you can get at it with any device with a browser.

For synology there are apps you can download to your phone/tablet to access and a whole host of apps installed (or can be installed) on the NAS. Screenshot gives you a flavour.

nas.jpg

Yes you can access remotely, i.e when not connected to your home wifi, but I've not done this (no need and would need more homework on my part to sort out also worried about security).

On my laptop I can get at it via a launcher I've got on the desktop:

Code: Select all

nemo smb://diskstation.local

Having said that, just installed mint 19 on a gash laptop and it won't work, suspect permissions, more work to do.

No you don't need another router, just plug it into what you've got.

Yes you need a password.

I rate myself as beginner/novice - I've had it a year, but only scratched the surface of what I can do with it.

Costs - Synology DS216j £240, 2x2TB HDDs £120.

[lazarus]

I use a Synology NAS for system backups & multimedia sharing on our LAN.

There are more 'elegant' solutions but I prefer the NAS as it has low power usage, which I like considering it is online 24/7, along with the router & modem. Everything else in the LAN is only powered as required, cutting power bills.

1) A home media NAS media server is a central location for HDD's to store files which can be uploaded, viewed and access from other devices?
2) These other devices can be other desktops, laptops?
3) Do these also include android tablets and iOS prodocts like iphones?

Yes to all the above.

4) How do I connect to this home media NAS server with my portable devices ( androids and iOS products ). Is there an app. on my devices I install and from that app. I can I directly upload my daily pictures taken on my phone? Is this a PITS to do with iphone? Or do I have to go to a webspage for my NAS?
5) Is it relatively easy to upload your daily photos and videos from your portable device?

I believe the answer is yes to the above, but I've never tried. I've kept it simple for most users here - access through a webpage - simply because HW comes and goes (depending on what family member changes their 'toys' ) and I don't want to be forever changing settings.

Android devices work well, I can't speak for iOS or Apple. (We have none and they're only given minimal guest access to the internet thru wifi. But that's a router thing, nothing to do with the NAS.)

My own desktop PC is set up so I can simply browse through Nemo. I'm a hypocrite, I know. But it's my network.

6) Do I need to be connected to the NAS when my product is connected to the same router? Or can I upload remotely even when I am 100's of miles away?
7) In order to access my NAS do I need a password?

No, yes and yes. I'm in the midst of changing most of the LAN from Win to Linux, so my NAS is still set up for samba. Linux can remember the samba password if told to, so it can be a one-off thing, For remote logins through the WAN (internet) a password is required.

I'm looking at moving to ssh for various reasons, but it has worked well using samba so far.

7) The NAS connects diretly to my router?
Is a 2nd router needed?
9) If my computer gets infected will that infection automatically spread to my NAS? Or by having a NAS are your files more secure and safe?

Yes, no and it shouldn't. The NAS doesn't run any of the files you store on it, it merely serves them. For the record, Synology has an excellent record for keeping on top of security updates, which it should... the main risk to it is from hacking, not an infected local computer. Although an infected local PC can be used for hacking.