Hard routers
Is it possible to connect an external harddisk to a router and so share a common disk at home and when away from home? I came to the conclusion that my girlfriend does not like cloud-based things for photos and stuff like that, although she does use Google Sheets to share things for projects.
Then I realised that NAS means network attached storage and that these things work. And then, concurrently, I realised that my internet access problem (slowness and hanging) is probably due to the router supplied by the ISP and so I have to find a router into which I can plug my big external hard disk. Or buy a big disk to go inside the new router. That is just a question of money!
The real problem, for me, is how to get access from my Linux PC and for my girlfriend from her Windows PC. From here in the apartment in Warsaw or when away.
Steve Smoult, via email Neil says We’re not exactly the LXF Answers section here (see p92) but we do like to help out when we can… That’s a really good question and I can see your problem, trying to offer a solution that’s easy for everyone to access. You’re likely to find that most solutions are either going to try and use a cloud service (such as Google Drive) or be technically tricky to set up and maintain (such as OwnCloud).
Have you considered Dropbox or perhaps Box? Box looks like it has a simple Linux solution and its Windows client is good too ( http://bit.ly/BoxOnLinux).
Else something like the Synology DS216 NAS offers a solid home network solution with the ability to share folders over the interwebs or provide sync services. Though it is pricey.
Depending on your broadband technology we can usually recommend Fritz! routers, but most Netgear and D-Link solutions seem to perform well too. It is actually a really complex subject once you start drilling down into the options.