How do you connect to your home network NAS?

[Hollings514]

Does anyone know how to connect to a local/home NAS? There doesn't appear to be a simple straight forward solution. I am successfully logged into my home Wifi with no issues. I don't want to network through a PC - just trying to connect directly to my NAS.

Thanks for your help!

[darreno1]

Some NAS use proprietary software for setup. If yours came with a cd you'll more than likely need to use that cd to setup up it's ip address. Hopefully it came with the drives already installed and formatted. If the drives aren't formatted, you'll also have to do that via the software as well. Some of the more expensive ones allow configuration via IP.

You should in the least have it already plugged into your router via an ethernet cable. Can you post the make/model of your NAS?

[Hollings514]

Some NAS use proprietary software for setup. If yours came with a cd you'll more than likely need to use that cd to setup up it's ip address. Hopefully it came with the drives already installed and formatted. If the drives aren't formatted, you'll also have to do that via the software as well. Some of the more expensive ones allow configuration via IP.

You should in the least have it already plugged into your router via an ethernet cable. Can you post the make/model of your NAS?

Thanks darren01..I realized after reading your respone that I should have been more specific. I'm trying to connect my Droid directly to my NAS..I have regular usage with my NAS on my network...just trying to connect my Droid....thanks for your help!

[darreno1]

Ah, I misunderstood. You might be able to do this using Orb. Orb lets you browse for media sources and I believe you can add a network drive/location as a media source. But you'll need to load orb on a PC that will act as the server. That shouldn't be a problem for you though. Once you get orb up and running, on your Droid all you'll have to do is log into your account on the Orb website. From there you should be able to browse your NAS.

Orb accounts are free BTW.

[SGTiger]

I use Estrongs File Explorer. It easily connects to your Lan and let's you access all the resources on your network. I love this app.

[apeshitninja]

I use Estrongs File Explorer. It easily connects to your Lan and let's you access all the resources on your network. I love this app.

Exactly. You can easily connect via SMB to a Windows file share or NAS device using a file explorer. If your NAS does not use SMB, you may have to do some more digging.

[darreno1]

^^That's exactly what the OP's looking for. However Orb lets you connect anywhere. I guess there's no reason he can't have both.

[jackprw1]

Hi,
I understand your dillemma. I do have a NAS, Buffalo 250 GB Linkstation, and I love it. Im a student and I need to get my access my files both from school and home. I do not know what kind of NAS you have, that information would be helpful, or if you are looking for one, Id go with the linkstation, great reviews on newegg and cnet, and it only cost about 164.00 dollars after I found an online coupon. ANYWAYS, how do you connect to the home computer from outside? Fairly simply. Get your NAS system first, install the software that came with it. Most software programs now are so simple that anyone shouldnt have an issue. During set up it will set your IP for the NAS device. Also, the software will create the NAS device as an FTP or HTTP server (its a feature of NAS usually, from what I read, FTP is better and more common). THere will be an option to set a static IP, find it and do it. That means your NAS device will always have the same IP and won't change every 3-10 minutes like some Internet providers have theirs do. From a remote computer you can put in the IP and presto, your NAS device. I know you say you arent interested in "FTP" however that is how NAS devices do it, so if you are looking for something else, then dont buy an NAS and keep looking for this magically device. Feel free to ask me any questions, I know it was a long time and a lot of research before I settled on my NAS.

[hughesjr]

Hi,
I understand your dillemma. I do have a NAS, Buffalo 250 GB Linkstation, and I love it. Im a student and I need to get my access my files both from school and home. I do not know what kind of NAS you have, that information would be helpful, or if you are looking for one, Id go with the linkstation, great reviews on newegg and cnet, and it only cost about 164.00 dollars after I found an online coupon. ANYWAYS, how do you connect to the home computer from outside? Fairly simply. Get your NAS system first, install the software that came with it. Most software programs now are so simple that anyone shouldnt have an issue. During set up it will set your IP for the NAS device. Also, the software will create the NAS device as an FTP or HTTP server (its a feature of NAS usually, from what I read, FTP is better and more common). THere will be an option to set a static IP, find it and do it. That means your NAS device will always have the same IP and won't change every 3-10 minutes like some Internet providers have theirs do. From a remote computer you can put in the IP and presto, your NAS device. I know you say you arent interested in "FTP" however that is how NAS devices do it, so if you are looking for something else, then dont buy an NAS and keep looking for this magically device. Feel free to ask me any questions, I know it was a long time and a lot of research before I settled on my NAS.

Some of the things you are saying do not make sense ...

1. You can not control the "External IP Address" that your device has and whether it is static or dynamic. This is totally controlled by your ISP. You can control if your device has a static IP Address on your local network (usually a 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x address) if you have an internet firewall. You would usually need some kind of internet firewall to have more than one device on your local network (like a computer and an NAS).

2. If you are opening up your NAS to the outside world and not using some kind of VPN type software then you are just asking for trouble. FTP logins are not encrypted, so anyone who can see the traffic can figure out your username and password. You need to setup an encrypted VPN type connection if you connect from any shared external location.

[timothytim]

SGTiger had it right. Use ES File Explorer (Free) and you should be able to find the Linkstation or other NAS with no problem. I realize there has been a gap since the previous post, but wanted to confirm that ES File Explorer does work. When I found SGTiger's post, i installed ES and was able to get to my Linkstation.