Network-Attached Storage (NAS)
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- Lg Nas N1t1 Software Download
- Lg Nas N2a2 Mac Software Free
- Lg Nas N2a2 Mac Software Download
Editor Rating: Good (3.5)
Pros
- Excellent performance.
- Data redundancy capabilities.
- Total capacity up to 4TB (6TB with RAID 0).
Cons
- Management software issues.
- Poor documentation.
- Lack of software add-ons to extend feature set.
Bottom Line
This NAS offers impressive hardware at a good price, the ReadyNAS Duo v2 software and documentation fall short of the excellence we've come to expect from Netgear.
I have installed win 10 today on one of my many machines and I'm unable to connect to my NAS Drive, it does not show on my network I have 3 other desktop machines, 1 laptop & 1 notebook all running Win 7 and they see it fine so I know the NAS drive is ok. All machines are on the same workgroup and all the win 7 machines see the win 10 machine. Aug 21, 2017 I have recently purchased a 4 bay NAS drive. Whilst I can access the drive with the bundled software I can't see the drive as a network attached device in the Windows 10 file explorer. I have previously had a WD Mybook Live and an LG NAS running fine in Windows 7 & 8. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Dec 10, 2012 I use it with a mac on a daily basis. Attach the NAS to your router install software on mac. Answered by: Tomcody42. Date published: 2013-10-22. Latest firmware for 2T Nas-Server. What is the network speed for the N2A2 NAS? Explore the best in 3D viewing technology with LG’s Power DVD-BD 3DVer software for the ultimate 3D.
Netgear's ReadyNAS Duo v2 (diskless $199, 1TB single drive $269, 1TB 2 drives $299) is a scaled-down version of its prosumer-class NAS offering, the Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 6 an excellent NAS for the small business. While the ReadyNAS Duo v2 offers excellent Read/Write speed with a Marvell Kirkwood 6282 1.6 GHz processor, the updated management interface needs work. In fact, several features, such as backing up shared Windows folders and setting up power off/on schedules and a woeful lack of good documentation could use some improvement—surprising lapses from Netgear, and a shame given the product's excellent hardware.
Specs
The ReadyNAS Duo, is a small, very quiet NAS with two drive bays for hot-swappable SATA drives. Maximum drive capacity is 3TB, which topped by the ReadyNAS Duo's close competitor, theD-Link ShareCenter 2-Bay Network Storage (DNS-325) which caps capacity at 4TB. However, the ReadyNAS Duo can support up to 6TB running in RAID 0 configuration--but you lose data redundancy.
The ReadyNAS Duo, is a small, very quiet NAS with two drive bays for hot-swappable SATA drives. Maximum drive capacity is 3TB, which topped by the ReadyNAS Duo's close competitor, the
Netgear's ReadyNAS Duo ships with 256 MB PC2700 DDR-SDRAM SO-DIMM. That memory, along with the Marvell Kirkwood processor and embedded 128MB flash memory for the device's OS, makes for one of the best performing NAS devices in the Consumer/SOHO space. The device also features a Gigabit Ethernet port, one USB 2.0 port and two USB 3.0 ports for attaching additional storage, or directly connecting a camera to upload pictures and video.
The ReadyNAS Duo also has the one-touch backup button commonly found now on consumer NAses and supports Windows, Mac and Linux/UNIX clients. Yes, Mac users, this version of ReadyNAS will back up your OS X Lion Time Machine files.
Setup
You set up the ReadyNAS Duo using Netgear's RAIDar utility—the same software used across its line of NAS products. The NAS and the computer used to set it up, must be connected to the same network—typically by wiring both to a router. The ReadyNAS obtains an IP address from DHCP, again, for most home users, through the router. The RAIDar utility, which is on an accompanying CD, scans your network and locates the NAS. When I first initiated RAIDar, the utility detected a newer version of itself from Netgear's site, which it downloaded and installed.
You set up the ReadyNAS Duo using Netgear's RAIDar utility—the same software used across its line of NAS products. The NAS and the computer used to set it up, must be connected to the same network—typically by wiring both to a router. The ReadyNAS obtains an IP address from DHCP, again, for most home users, through the router. The RAIDar utility, which is on an accompanying CD, scans your network and locates the NAS. When I first initiated RAIDar, the utility detected a newer version of itself from Netgear's site, which it downloaded and installed.
After the upgrade, RAIDar froze on me when I tried to open it. Although setup did not instruct me to, I rebooted my computer. That took care of the freezing.
Once RAIDar detects the NAS—and in my case it did so in seconds—another screen opens up, providing such information about the device as MAC and IP addresses. The screen also gives graphical representations of drive activity, power, and the device's temperature. From this screen, users can browse the two default shared folders already setup on the NAS: 'Backup' and 'Media' or they can click to get into the NAS' management interface to configure.
Once RAIDar detects the NAS—and in my case it did so in seconds—another screen opens up, providing such information about the device as MAC and IP addresses. The screen also gives graphical representations of drive activity, power, and the device's temperature. From this screen, users can browse the two default shared folders already setup on the NAS: 'Backup' and 'Media' or they can click to get into the NAS' management interface to configure.
Interface Overhaul
Netgear's NAS interface has been tweaked since I last saw it, in the Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra. It seems to be more graphics-heavy. It opens up with animated images representing the network connection status, an image showing the rotation of the device's internal fan, and a thermometer to display the temperature of the device.
Netgear's NAS interface has been tweaked since I last saw it, in the Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra. It seems to be more graphics-heavy. It opens up with animated images representing the network connection status, an image showing the rotation of the device's internal fan, and a thermometer to display the temperature of the device.
I thought loading the interface with graphics made working in the interface a bit slow, but Netgear engineers told me this slowness was most likely due to the background processes that load when the NAS is first booted up. While sifting through the various configuration screens, I noted some images appeared as broken links in IE8. Switching to Firefox alleviated the issues.
Overall, I am not convinced that the interface changes from when we last looked at the ReadyNAS Ultra 6 add any benefit to the user experience. The interface seems…unfinished. For instance, while I was working within it, I received a message that the device had a new firmware update available. I clicked OK to download it, but afterwards I couldn't tell if the firmware was downloading, installing, or had been upgraded. After a few minutes, a message finally flashed, telling me to reboot the NAS to finish the update process, but until then I had no idea what was happening.
In another scenario, I was configuring the ReadyNAS Photos II app which comes pre-installed. This app allows you to share photos and slideshows with users outside a home network. To do this, you have to enable UPnP and port forwarding on your network, which the interface walks you through. After going through this setup process, I received an on-screen message, 'Ready to use Web forwarding service, but some issues found.' However, there were no details about what those issues were.
These cryptic messages and the lack of follow through on some screens, exemplifies what I mean by a sort of 'incompleteness' of the management console. It feels more like beta software than the smooth, polished interface typically found in Netgear's products.
Backup and Other Features
Most users will want to use a NAS to backup data from computers on their networks. Users can accomplish this on the ReadyNas in one of two ways: by copying data to a USB drive and then backing up to the NAS, or by copying data directly from Linux, Windows or Mac machines.
Most users will want to use a NAS to backup data from computers on their networks. Users can accomplish this on the ReadyNas in one of two ways: by copying data to a USB drive and then backing up to the NAS, or by copying data directly from Linux, Windows or Mac machines.
While I was able to successfully back up data from a shared folder on a Windows 7 machine, I found the process likely to confuse typical Windows home users. Accessing a shared folder requires entering rather unconventional parameters in the interface: usually when you want to authenticate from a remote machine to Windows, you have to specify the domain name or hostname of the machine like so: '< />< /> domain or hostname>'. This very common method of establishing authentication would not allow me to access the shared Windows folder from the NAS. < />
< />< />A Netgear engineer advised me to change the parameter to use ' instead of ' between the domain and username. This did work, but is counter-intuitive to someone used to working in Windows. And even I had to ask a Netgear engineer. The average user won't be willing or able to do the same. Furthermore, there is no documentation of this issue in the user manual or online in Netegar's help texts, which is even worse. Backing up to USB drives and in particular, the one-touch backup button, works very well, however. < />
The ReadyNAS Duo has almost no available add-on software to extend its feature set. Other NASes in its class typically offer add-ons that allow granular backup and restore, honed multimedia streaming, and rich collaboration, for example. Besides the ReadyNAS Photos II, the only other installable app is one for remote access. Netgear assures there will be more software choices available in the near future.
Update: Upon publishing, Netgear advised there are now 11 add-ons for the ReadyNAS Duo.
Netgear's interface allows you to set the ReadyNAS Duo on a power on or off schedule. You can select day and time via a calendar grid. It works, but I found using the grid to be slightly confusing and, it was difficult to discern if the NAS was being set to shut off or on at a specific time, since choices are color-coded, not really a bad design but more unintuitive than if you can select specific days and times from a drop down calendar.
Data redundancy is provided with Netgear's X-RAID technology. My testing unit was shipped with 1TB SATA drives. I hot-loaded another 1TB drive and X-RAID kicked in, mirroring data from drive to the second. While this does not add capacity, you can add a larger drive, once you have a mirrored set, thereby increasing capacity.
Performance
Although I found the interface lacking in areas, the ReadyNAS duo compensated for this in my performance testing. The best testing for real-world performance of consumer NASes is to upload and download a large file.
Although I found the interface lacking in areas, the ReadyNAS duo compensated for this in my performance testing. The best testing for real-world performance of consumer NASes is to upload and download a large file.
This is one speedy NAS, giving Read/Write performance typically found in much more expensive business-class NASes with beefier hardware. Write performance doing a file copy via Windows Explorer to the shared folder on the NAS was an exceptional 52 Mbps. Reads were twice as fast, clocking a blazing 100 MBps. I/O performance took a big hit when I was performing a file copy through the NAS' interface. An upload of a 1.5GB file took 4 minutes—a comparatively snail's-paced 6.24 MBps speed.
Good, But Could Be Better
We've seen so many incredible networking products from Netgear in the last year, that even the quite respectable ReadyNas Duo v2 feels like a bit of a letdown. It's a decent NAS for home use, but interface issues and the sloppy documentation are sure to frustrate some users.
We've seen so many incredible networking products from Netgear in the last year, that even the quite respectable ReadyNas Duo v2 feels like a bit of a letdown. It's a decent NAS for home use, but interface issues and the sloppy documentation are sure to frustrate some users.
The ReadyNas Duo v2's closest competition is the D-Link DNS-325 NAS. The two are neck and neck: D-Link's NAS has an edge with its software and setup process, but the breakneck speed of the ReadyNAS Duo blows away the DNS-325's performance and gives the Netgear device a slight edge and 3.5 stars. Our EC for consumer/SOHO NASes, the LG Super Multi N2A2 NAS ,while not as speedy as the ReadyNas, still retains an edge for its amazing interface, extensive features and functionality at a great price.
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LG Super Multi NAS N2A2
Editor Rating: Excellent (4.5)
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Pros
- Hassle-free setup.
- Runs quietly.
- Sharp interface.
- Multiple capabilities.
- Excellent performance.
Cons
- Some text errors throughout interface.
- No automated drive mapping to shared folders.
Bottom Line
An easy-to-use yet powerfully performing NAS for consumers or small business.
I last took a look at an LG NAS when I tested the N1T1 1 TB Super Multi NAS , which received a good but not great review. The LG SuperMulti-NAS N2A2 is a big step up, with faster performance, a vastly improved interface, and two USB ports for additional storage, backup, or printer sharing. The N2A2 is a versatile, flexible device that can multi-task as a media server, iTunes server, FTP, or printer server. With media and file sharing, backup, and other capabilities, the N2A2 is perfect for a digitally dependent family (or a small business with light-duty needs). Priced online for around $259 for 2 TB, it's a great deal. LG also offers the same features in a 1 TB model, priced at $150.
Many newer NASes, such as Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive, Cloud Edition and Pogoplug , target consumers by incorporating cloud services to remotely access files and media content on the NAS from anywhere. The N2A2, on the other hand, uses Dynamic DNS to accomplish remote access. It's just as effective as many of the cloud offerings, though novice users may prefer the ultra user-friendly Iomega and Pogoplug cloud services.
Setup and Design
The N2A2 retains the same look as the N1T1: a white casing and black panels. The N2A2 does not have the built-in DVD writer, which seemed somewhat antiquated on the N1T1. Instead, it has two USB 2.0 ports for connecting storage devices and printers—a much more useful feature.
The N2A2 retains the same look as the N1T1: a white casing and black panels. The N2A2 does not have the built-in DVD writer, which seemed somewhat antiquated on the N1T1. Instead, it has two USB 2.0 ports for connecting storage devices and printers—a much more useful feature.
The front panel has LEDs and a button to backup to a USB drive. The rear panel has another USB 2.0 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a Kensington lock for physically securing the NAS. It's somewhat larger than many consumer NASes on the market at a WxHxD of 115x159x230 mm, but it's certainly not as large as most business NASes, which usually house more than two HDDs. The N2A2 ships with a Marvell 88F6281 1.0 GHz processor and 128 MB RAM.
As with the N1T1, the N2A2 was fun to test. This, in part, can be attributed to its oh-so-easy setup. The N2A2 comes with two CDs: 'LG Network Storage PC Software Installer' and 'LG Network Storage Multimedia User Guide.' The setup is done from the software installer disk.
Upon initiating setup, a splash screen pops open with four options: 'NAS Detector,' 'NAS Monitor,' 'Nero BackItUp&Burn Essentials,' and 'LG NAS Installation Wizard.' The setup guide that comes with the NAS advises to begin with the 'NAS Detector.' Doing so starts the installation of the NASDetector application. The Detector took no time to find the NAS on my network. Once it has discovered the hardware, the software displays the device's MAC and IP addresses and other networking information. You can change the network info from the detector UI or open the web menu or a folder on the NAS.
The install CD also has an LG NAS Installation Wizard that the documentation states, 'is a program that helps you to install NAS and set a complicated network easily.' The first thing the wizard does is look for firmware upgrades. The wizard displays a diagram of how the NAS should be connected. It then searches for the NAS on the network. Once it finds the NAS, the wizard walks you through setting up a Dynamic DNS hostname and password to remotely access the NAS. LG uses its own domain hosting service with the address lgnas.com rather than a third-party DDNS service. After this is setup, it checks to make sure services like HTTP, FTP, and the connection to Torrent are valid. It also checks to ensure that an outside connection to the NAS is valid. That's pretty much the extent of the setup wizard, but those steps are important, and can also be some of the most frustrating for users.
Features and Performance
While the N2A2 is not tricked out with all of the enterprise features some businesses may need, it is more than sufficient for power home users and smaller business. It supports RAID 0, 1, JBOD, RAID 1+JBOD, and individual volume configurations. If you're unclear what these RAID terms mean, check out PCMag's'RAID Levels Explained' .
While the N2A2 is not tricked out with all of the enterprise features some businesses may need, it is more than sufficient for power home users and smaller business. It supports RAID 0, 1, JBOD, RAID 1+JBOD, and individual volume configurations. If you're unclear what these RAID terms mean, check out PCMag's
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CIFS/SMB network file sharing protocol is supported, as well as HTTP/HTTPs, FTP/FTPs, uPnP, AV, Mac AFP, and Bonjour. Services that can be enabled are NTP, DHCP, DLNA, BitTorrent server, and iTunes. You can also connect a webcam for video surveillance.
Working within the Web interface is a breeze. The interface is well designed, and any changes you apply are made quickly without any hiccups in the browser. I also like the fact that when you reboot or restart the NAS, a musical chirp sound indicates the unit is back online. The device also runs very quietly and remains cool even after running constantly for over 24 hours.
By default, the dual HDDs are configured as separate individual volumes. I was able to convert to RAID 0 volume and the device had the volume setup in under 10 minutes. Changing the volume configuration deletes all of the data on the drives, so if you want to employ RAID, do so before putting the N2A2 into production. AjaXEplorer is used for file management in the N2A2 as in the N1T1. It's easy to use and file uploading and folder creation is hassle-free. To stream multimedia files to other machines or portable devices, just upload them to one of the DLNA folders already created and enable the DLNA service—straightforward and painless.
In case you do get stuck or have a question about one of the features, there's help text within the interface. Thank goodness someone proofread the newer interface, because reading it did not make me wince nearly as often as the N1T1s' did. For you grammar freaks out there, the text in the N2A2 interface is still not 100 percent error-free. I kept seeing the phrase 'disk stripping' throughout the management UI and text, when what was clearly meant was 'disk striping.'
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To test performance, I uploaded a 1.5 GB file to the NAS. The write speed was double that of the N1T1's and in fact among the fastest I've tested with consumer NASes. The speed was 21 MBps-- faster than the N1T1's average 11 MBps and Iomega's Home Media NAS, which also managed a little over 11 MBps.
If I have one criticism, I would say it's that the N2A2 does not seem to auto-map folder shares for access via Windows Explorer. Sure, you can map manually, but the automation of map drives would make file management via Explorer more familiar for home users and easier for them to backup data using the accompanying Nero Backup Software.
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Super NAS
Despite a few minor criticisms, the Super Multi N2A2 is a hit. Users are demanding more ways to share files, and network attached storage servers are becoming as commonplace in homes as wireless routers. LG has a good product in the LG Super Multi-NAS N2A2, and it's an easy Editors' Choice winner for consumer/SOHO NASes—though it can work for small businesses for file sharing and light data storage needs.
Despite a few minor criticisms, the Super Multi N2A2 is a hit. Users are demanding more ways to share files, and network attached storage servers are becoming as commonplace in homes as wireless routers. LG has a good product in the LG Super Multi-NAS N2A2, and it's an easy Editors' Choice winner for consumer/SOHO NASes—though it can work for small businesses for file sharing and light data storage needs.
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