MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
what are my options here?
I have an external hard drive that I'm looking to network so we can store docs and stuff from our 3 laptops locally. It'll also be used as our film and music store.
Since ditching the desktop I had it hooked direct to our BT homehub 2 but unfortunately that is a little on the quirky side so no longer sees it.
What's the cheapest way of networking it? I had thought that a wireless USB hub (about £40) would do it, that way I could locate it in our office and hook up the printer too.
Any cheaper or smarter ways to do it?
Thanks
The external hard drive should connect to the Homehub and be supplied with an IP address. My advice would be to replace the Homehub with a better router and then the hard drive can be independent of any laptop. You could use the USB hub but it will then be dependent on the laptop and these USB devices are inherently more quirky than the Homehub!
ahh I see.
The USB hub I was thinking of was something like [url= http://www.mavit.co.uk/iogear-guwip204-wirelessly-usb-share-device-39798-p.asp ]this[/url]
if they are just as bad as the homehub then that's a bit rubbish. We use the homehub's phone though, so ideally would like something to sit next to the printer in the 'office' (spare room) upstairs.
The homehub did work, for a bit, but after about a month, the HD wouldn't be recognised. It says there's nothing attached to the USB socket.
either that or I go for an ethernet or wireless capable enclosure, but then it's finding one with an IDE...for much cheapness....
Something like this maybe?
http://www.ebuyer.com/127634-dynamode-3-5-ide-ethernet-lan-caddy-w-fan-and-1-button-back-nas-eth3-5
My mistake, I assumed it was a network hard drive. Best bet really is to connect it to one of the laptops and share the drive. Obviously the machine it is shared on needs to be powered up for other devices to see it but this is the same if you were to use a USB hub.
Or buy a network hard drive: -
[url= http://www.misco.co.uk/product/165822/Freecom-Network-Drive-XS-1TB-LAN-USB2-NAS ]Linky[/url]
I'd go with the proper networked hard drive. ours allows usb devices (a printer or another drive) to be plugged in and be visible to all other devices on the network so you can keep the one you have too.
Cool, cheers, may well get one of the caddy's then.
Thanks muchly.