# Ethernet network storage - your recommendation?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethernet-network-storage-your-recommendation/254483
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 10, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethernet-network-storage-your-recommendation/254483 "2004-07-10T20:57:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethernet-network-storage-your-recommendation/254483/1 "2004-07-10T20:57:12Z")
I have a hardwired ethernet Windows p2p network through my house, including a very nice Linksys EFG80 hard drive that serves as our fileserver. I want to add another networked fileserver out in the barn, to serve as a backup (in case the house should burn up, heaven forbid).
Can you recommend a network fileserver?
The EFG80 is my standard for comparison. I like everything about it, except the price - I paid about $500 maybe a year ago. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great product. But if I am getting something just for backup, it’s pretty dear.
I saw something at Best Buy a month ago that was about $200, and that would be great (forget the brand). But I wondered what people have tried and liked.
BTW, if you want to point out that I can just add another disk drive to the EFG80 and have cheap automated backup, thanks, I’ve thought about it - but since it’s necessarily in the same location it’s not really complete insurance.
---
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethernet-network-storage-your-recommendation/254483/2 "2004-07-11T15:22:42Z")
You can get an entire XP PC with a 120 gig drive for around $ 500. Most file servers in the 100+ gig range are not going to be that cheap as the are designed for business and corporate network use.
[This new Linksys product](http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=35&prid=640) (around $80-100 online) would seem to be a good way to go. You can also get 120 gig USB 2.0 Western Digital external drives for around 100 on sale after rebate at Circuit City.
> [@](#):
>
> Easily Add Storage Space to Your Network
> Now you can quickly and easily add gigabytes of storage space onto your network with the Network Storage Link from Linksys. This tiny network appliance connects USB 2.0 hard drives directly to your Ethernet network. You can connect up to two stand-alone USB disk drives of any size, and access them from anywhere on your network. You can even plug a USB flash disk into the Network Storage Link, for a convenient way of accessing your portable data files. The Network Storage Link can also be set up so that your storage devices are accessible from the Internet – files can be easily downloaded via your web browser. Your files can be available publicly, or create password-protected accounts for authorized users.
>
> Installation of the Network Storage Link is simple – just plug it directly into your 10/100 Ethernet network, and attach your USB 2.0 hard drives or flash disk. It can self-configure to your network via DHCP or you can use the built-in utility to manually configure it. With the speedy USB 2.0 interface, you’ll get quick response times with even your largest files.
>
> The Network Storage Link features built-in disk utilities, accessible through your web browser. You can format new disk drives, and scan drives for errors. The built-in backup program lets you schedule full, incremental, or synchronization backups of your network drives to the Network Storage Link, or vice versa. It will even send you an email message when a hard drive gets nearly full, completely full, or has an error.
>
> The Network Storage Link is a fast, simple, flexible and economical way to add storage to your network.