NAS not my best option for my situation?

mgh-pa

Member
Mar 15, 2011
55
0
66
I've been putting off implementing a solid backup system for far too long. I'm only concerned with my Photos, Documents, and Videos (both Lightroom Catalogs and my Project/Scratch Premiere files as well as final exports). Being able to access these files remotely would be nice as well as on various devices within my home, but aside from that, my requirements end. I don't foresee the need for a major multi-drive array. I build my own PCs, but that's about as far as I go, so while a DIY NAS running FreeNAS or WHS is appealing, I'm sort of drawn to the prebuilt offerings.

I'm thinking two drives will suffice, but my problem is this:

We're in a tri-level home, and when we moved in, there was one master phone line coming into the basement, but all lines had been cut as they were routed through the home. We have DSL and no cable service where we live. As such, my router and modem (all in one) is located in the basement near the master phone line. I'm using WiFi for all devices in the house.

My problem is that the NAS is going to be SLOW over wifi, and being a tri-level home that we're going to be moving out of in a few years, it doesn't make me feel inclined to physically run network cables around the house. It's hard to explain without photos, but I'm not planning to fish network cables around.

Would I be better served by a hot swap external enclosure attached to my workstation with scheduled nightly backups, and then physically connect this to my other devices when I want to back them up?

I'm shooting in the dark here, and not sure what my best options would be. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 

raf051888

Member
Jan 17, 2011
167
0
76
You could possibly use a Powerline networking kit with a switch to make your desktop and the NAS wired. Depending on the age of the wiring that may solve the issue of slow backups.

I'm probably a little biased for the WHS based solution as that's what I'm using. I'm using multiple drives also, but in a software RAID via Stablebit DrivePool.
 

ronbo613

Golden Member
Jan 9, 2010
1,237
45
91
Why not connect a two bay NAS directly to your workstation with a network cable? My Synology NAS is about three feet from my workstation on a CAT6 connection. Two 3 or 4TB drives should provide a good deal of backup. You might also consider a multi-bay external hard drive or RAID enclosure.
As far as your DSL goes, running a phone line to a more central router location in your home should not be that big of a deal.
 

mgh-pa

Member
Mar 15, 2011
55
0
66
I'm not worried about re routing the DSL line, so I suppose moving it to a more central location and then connecting the NAS there would be better.

Connecting the NAS to the PC via a crossover requires a lot of modifications, right?
 

raf051888

Member
Jan 17, 2011
167
0
76
Using the power-line adapter shouldn't require you re locating / routing the DSL line. It would simply require an ethernet cable from your router to the power line kit.

The other end of the power-line kit would plug into the switch for your desktop and NAS, so you don't have to use a powerline cable.
 

mgh-pa

Member
Mar 15, 2011
55
0
66
Using the power-line adapter shouldn't require you re locating / routing the DSL line. It would simply require an ethernet cable from your router to the power line kit.

The other end of the power-line kit would plug into the switch for your desktop and NAS, so you don't have to use a powerline cable.

The kits have to be plugged into the same circuit, though, right? That wouldn't work. The outlet in the computer room/office is on a separate circuit than where the DSL modem/router is.
 

raf051888

Member
Jan 17, 2011
167
0
76
The kits have to be plugged into the same circuit, though, right? That wouldn't work. The outlet in the computer room/office is on a separate circuit than where the DSL modem/router is.

I don't believe they have to be plugged into the same circuit. I didn't look at that at all in the two homes I've used them in. I believe as long as it is the same electrical panel then you should be fine. However the units can be sensitive to the age of wiring.