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#1
best home router/network storage combination
I want to set up a router and some central storage my wife with her laptop and I with my desktop can share and that is secure. I also want to save energy, and have a secure network.
currently we use a separate DSL modem and router (netgear WPN824) and have a W7 home group. My desktop has RAID 1 and I do frequent backups of data to an external HDD. but whne my desktop is off (and I don't want to waste energy, so leaving that on all day is not an option), my wife can't access it. I also would like to have something where I can have automatic backup.
I eyed buying the NetgearDGND3300 that has a DSL modem built in and is ENERGY STAR rated. Deleting one device (separate modem) also would de-clutter my desk. It also seems to have more security options than my current router, which I like. It has a USB port.
- does that mean I could attach an USB HDD and use that as my network storage and backup? I don't know if that is what the USB port on that router is for. Will I then be able to control the HDD like any other HDD and format it in whatever way W7 lets me?
- are the USB HDDs good enough to be on all the time? they use less energy, don't need additional power supplies etc. But do they last as long?
I also was looking at some network storage, but from reading the reviews the less expensive ones are slow and they use a proprietary file format. If I'm desperate and the thing fails, I want to be able to take the HDD, plug it into my desktop and read the data in Windows, without needing any netear/D-link or whatever software. And I still would need a router, so the expense would be high and power consumption probably too. And the HDDs in there don't get cooled so well.
I don't want to run a separate server for cost, energy reasons and I also like the Hardware firewall the router offers.
Any ideas what the best would be?
I don't want to build a small server,