10 BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH A NAS DRIVE
Create your own media-streaming library
Most NAS devices come with their own built-in media server – a tool that can index any audio, video and photo files stored on it. Once set up, you can browse and stream this media across your network, including to other computers, smart TVS, phones, tablets and TV set-top boxes.
How you set up the media server will depend on your choice of NAS. With our Synology Ds218play, media streaming is already enabled by default, meaning any files in the device’s Music, Photo and Video folders are available to stream. You can include additional folders for streaming by going to Control Panel in the Synology Diskstation Manager (DSM) menus, Indexing Service, Indexed Folder (see screenshot above right and page 55 for how to access your NAS devices menus).
On other models, you may need to enable the media server yourself. On Qnap NAS devices, for example, go to the NAS’S menus, open the Control Panel, click Applications, then DLNA Media Server and tick the Enable DLNA Media Server option.
With your media server set up, go to the device you want to stream to, open its media player app and select your NAS device as the source. For example, on an Android phone you could use the free network media player Bubbleupnp ( www.snipca.com/34960). Simply tap the Library tab, then tap the yellow folder icon and select your NAS’S media server as your library. As we explain on page 53, you can also use your NAS to stream media files when you’re away from home.
Depending on your device, you may be able to use Plex instead of your NAS’S media-streaming tool (see which NAS drives work with Plex at www.snipca. com/34961). One of the great things about Plex is its Netflix-style menus, which make it easy to browse your media files. Plex is widely supported, with apps for mobile devices, smart TVS and more. To set it up, you’ll need to download the Plex media server tool from your NAS device’s app store or package centre (see page 53 for more on installing apps).
2Access all your files from any device
Because most of us use a combination of tech – PC, laptop, tablet, phone – our files often end up scattered across a number of devices. It can, therefore, often be tricky to find what you’re looking for. A NAS helps to make life easier by providing a single, centralised storage space where all your files are kept. Better still, anything you store on your NAS will be available on any device connected to your home network.
Once your NAS is up and running, you can access any files on it from a PC by opening File Explorer (press Windows+e), clicking This PC and looking under the ‘Network locations’ section. If you don’t see an icon for your NAS here, you may need to change a few Windows networking settings. To do so, click Start, Settings, ‘Network & Internet’, ‘Sharing options’.
Under your current profile (this should be Private) make sure that ‘Turn on network discovery’ is selected and ‘Turn on automatic setup of network-connected devices’ is ticked (see screenshot below left). Below, make sure ‘Turn on file and printer sharing’ is selected. Click ‘Save changes’.
If you frequently access a specific folder on your NAS, you can make it easier to reach by mapping it to a drive letter (this makes it appear as a separate drive in Windows). Open File Explorer, right-click This PC, then select ‘Map network drive’. Select a drive letter, then type the location of your network folder. For example, to map the Homes folder on a Synology device, type \\synology\homes (see screenshot above). Tick the ‘Connect using different credentials’ and ‘Reconnect at sign-in’ boxes, then click Finish. You’ll be asked to ‘Enter network credentials’ here – use the same username and password you use to log into your NAS device, tick the ‘Remember my credentials’ box then click OK.
You can also access files on your NAS from your phone and tablet. Most manufacturers provide their own apps to do this, such as Synology’s DS File. If yours doesn’t, there are plenty apps you can use, such as Solid Explorer File Manager ( www.snipca.com/34967).
While a NAS is great for creating a single location for storing all your files, you might not want everyone in your home having access to them. Much like with Windows, you can set up individual accounts for everyone in your home, meaning they’ll all have their own password-protected folders.
To set up a new user for a Synology NAS, for example, log into your NAS, then click Control Panel, User, Create, then work your way through the User Creation Wizard (see screenshot right). You can even set specific permissions, storage quotas and bandwidth limits for individual users. In Synology’s DSM, for instance, go to the Control Panel, User, then right-click a user, select Edit and use the tabs to set things up.
4Encrypt your files
Setting up user accounts lets you password-protect folders, but if you have particularly sensitive files on your NAS you can also encrypt them. This means if someone were to steal your NAS, they wouldn’t be able to access files in the encrypted folders.
On the Ds218play, you do this by going to its Control Panel, selecting Shared Folder, then Create. Next, tick the ‘Encrypt this shared folder’ option (see screenshot below), then enter your chosen password – don’t forget this, as there’s no way to recover the files if you do. Click Next to complete the process.
While encrypted folders add another layer of security, it also means your NAS will be a little slower when accessing the files within. We therefore recommend you only use it on those folders that contain personal information.
5Create an automatic backup routine
NAS devices can be configured to work with most backup tools, including
Windows’ built-in File History backup utility. However, it’s often best to use your NAS manufacturer’s own backup tool, as it will be optimised to work with your device. Synology, for example, provides a tool called Synology Drive Client ( www. snipca.com/34962), which you install on your PC.
Run the tool, click Start Now, then Backup Task and connect to your NAS, logging in with your Quickconnect ID (see page 53 for more on this) and user account details when prompted. Select your Windows user account folder as the backup source and click Next, then choose your backup mode. ‘Continuous backup’ (see screenshot below) will automatically back up your files whenever you change them; ‘Manual backup’ lets you start the process whenever you like; and ‘Scheduled backup’ will allow you to specify days and times for the automatic backup to run. Click Next, then work your way through the remaining steps.
Alternatively, to back up to a NAS with File History in Windows, click Start, Settings, ‘Update & Security’, Backup. Click ‘More options’, then ‘See advanced settings’. In the window that opens, click ‘Select a network location’, then click ‘Add network location’. In some cases, an icon for your NAS may already appear under ‘Network locations’. If not, you’ll need to enter your NAS’S address in the address bar, specifying the name of the NAS device and the folder you want to save the backup to.
For example, if you’re backing up to the ‘homes’ folder on a Synology NAS, type \\synology\homes into the address bar, then press Enter. You’ll be prompted to ‘Enter network credentials’ here. Use the same username and password you use to log into your NAS device, tick the ‘Remember my credentials’ box and click OK, then OK again.
Your NAS may even be able to back up files from your phone or tablet. Synology’s DS Photo app, for example (available for Android and IOS www.snipca.com/34987), can upload photos from your phone to your NAS – click the menu icon in the app, then tap Photo Backup to enable it.
6Monitor your home
Your NAS can also help you keep your home secure. Most NAS devices, including models from Synology and Qnap, can link up with any network cameras you have, letting you use the NAS as a home-security hub. From here, you can manage, monitor and record your cameras via your web browser or mobile device and even receive notifications for specific events (such as the detection of motion on one of the cameras). You’ll need to make sure the IP cameras you use are compatible with your NAS – check your manufacturer’s help pages before you buy anything. And you’ll need to install an additional app – Synology and Qnap both offer a downloadable security cam app called Surveillance Station (see page 53 for more on installing apps on your NAS).
In most cases, it’s relatively easy to access your NAS from any internet-connected device wherever you are. For example, when you set up a Synology NAS, you can create what’s called a Quickconnect ID (if you skipped this step during setup, you can enable it by opening the Control Panel in your NAS and clicking Quickconnect). Once you’ve got a Quickconnect ID, you can use it to connect to your NAS from mobile apps and PC browsers.
In some cases, you may need to also adjust your router’s port forwarding settings to allow network traffic to and from your NAS, which involves accessing your router’s settings page. On a BT Smart Hub, for example, these are located under ‘Advanced settings’, then Firewall.
Here you’ll need to create new port forwarding rules. The precise rules and the ports you need to forward will depend on the device you’re using, so refer to your NAS manufacturer’s help pages for more information (Synology has a port-forwarding guide at www.snipca. com/34992). In our screenshot above right, we’re forwarding ports 5000-5001 to our NAS drive.
8Add more NAS storage as you need it
The great thing about NAS devices is that you can add more storage as you need it. This is easiest if your NAS has one or more spare drive bays – you simply insert a new drive, then use your NAS to format it (see page 55 for more on setting up your NAS). However, depending on how you set up your NAS (see box below on
RAID volumes), you may still be able to increase the size of its storage. In most cases, this requires you to replace one drive at a time, but it’s important to follow your NAS manufacturer’s instructions so you don’t lose any data (Synology has a comprehensive guide at www.snipca.com/34998).
9Extend your home’s Wi-fi signal
Does your home suffer from Wi-fi black spots? If so, you may be able to use your NAS to extend your wireless signal. Your NAS must have built-in Wi-fi, and you’ll need a powerline networking adapter or a long ethernet cable to make a wired connection between your router and the NAS (this allows you to place it close to your Wi-fi blackspot).
Once you’ve done this, you can enable your NAS’S AP (access point) mode. On a Synology NAS, go to the device’s Control
Panel, Wireless, then Network Map. From here, select Wireless Hotspot mode and click Apply. Selecting the Wi-fi tab, then Edit will allow you to set the name for your extended wireless network.
10Install free apps
In addition to the tools that come preinstalled, most NAS devices let you add features using free, downloadable apps. Some of these will be from your NAS manufacturer, but you’ll also find apps developed by other companies, such as the Plex media server we mentioned earlier. To see what’s available, you need to launch your NAS’S version of an app store – on Synology devices, this means launching the Package Centre, while on Qnap models this is called the App Centre.
In the Synology Package Centre, for example, you’ll find a handy itunes Server tool (see screenshot below) that will let you stream your itunes library around your home. There are alternative backup and sync apps to try and tools that will let you set up your own email server or host your own Wordpress website from your NAS. Click the Install button to load an app.