Best NAS

The QNAP TS-251 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS is our best NAS which allows you to stream instantly on the go and you can also use it to integrate with Google TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV for your home media center or entertainment hub. You can easily centralize your file storage with this NAS and it also has an HDMI output (HDMI 1.4a) for your video needs.

Our step-up pick is the Synology DS916+ (8GB) NAS DiskStation (Diskless) and with up to 4 bays for you to install a disk of your preference, the NAS is great for managing data with up to 65000 snapshots for your backup needs. It also helps you in terms of sharing and storing HD media content so it can be a great deposit for your HD videos, movies and the like.

The budget pick is the Synology 2-Bay DS216J NAS DiskStation (DS216j) and it is great for streaming videos and movies as well as TV shows on the go and it helps you to stay connected with your files at home such as your movies and music. It also has automated backups for your everyday life needs so you can backup data as much as possible when it is needed.

A Little Background

A NAS or a network attached storage is a small server that carries multiple disk drives. The NAS can be used to take hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs) and put them together stacked into a disk array or RAID, which stands for redundant array of independent disks.

The main purpose of a NAS is to act like a server for homes, offices and business. The NAS can be used as a server for sharing files among business employees, company employees or even family members at home, so there is no need for using wires to connect their disks to the PC or other device just to access the files. Having a NAS is a good solution for small businesses or entrepreneurs who want their employees to easily access inventory files, time log data and the like, through a small cost server at their own place, without having to pay a lot for cloud or server fees.

Setting up a NAS is very easy versus larger servers. All you need to provide are disks for the NAS, if it comes diskless. The NAS connects to your router through WiFi or through LAN for easy file sharing across your home or office network. In fact, most NAS units are so compact that they won’t need a separate server room and can just be stored at the comfort of your desk, perhaps alongside the router.

NAS is seen as a simple storage solution for home owners, business owners and the like, and holds an array of disks known as RAID. You can have your own mini-RAID system if you have a NAS unit at the office, at your shop or at home. You should choose the appropriate size for your business or company. If you plan on a simple retail store then having 2 to 4 drives is okay, but you can upgrade it if you’re going to offer franchising services.

The main purpose of a NAS unit is to serve as a mini-server that allows many users to access the files at the same time. Unlike a regular disk drive, a NAS is a multitude of disk drives and is an entire computer system on its own, with its own unique IP address. You can also use NAS for cloud storage backup for your phone or device.
NAS units are very simple to set up, such that you may not even need IT personnel to put it together. They are also cheaper than most larger server setups so if you own a small business then you can try a NAS unit for your needs. It is also very easy to access and simple to operate. You also have the choice to put your preferred brand of disks into the array.

How We Picked

When choosing the best NAS, here are some considerations you should follow:
Storage capacity: a NAS can take disks from 80 GB up to 4 TB and more. The importance of disk space is important not just for each individual disks that you can put in it but also for the whole system, so it can act as a reliable disk system as a whole.
Number of bays: a NAS can take from 2 to 10 bays on the average, for either RAID or non-RAID purposes, sometimes exceeding 10 bays. A NAS unit that has more bays for you to put disks in is much more effective because it allows you to add more disks and thus, add more storage capacity to your NAS unit. Businesses and companies who want to have a nice, reliable and cheap RAID solution may opt for a NAS unit with many drive bays.
Processor core: some NAS units can be dual core, quad core or even more, which dictates how fast it is to retrieve and send data to and from it. Do remember that a NAS unit is like one single computer but with no user interface, other than being able to access it remotely. Having a fast processor for your NAS unit means that you will be able to access data and make transfers faster, even if your disk drives aren’t SSDs.
Purpose: a NAS can be used for RAID purposes or for cloud storage. Know when your NAS will be used for which application: gaming server, office server, business server, home entertainment server, personal cloud backup, among others. Consider a NAS unit with enough bays and allowed size for your home or business needs.
Disk or diskless: most NAS units are diskless so you have to provide your own disks for it, either in HDD or SSD. Having a disk provided unit means you will be ready to use the NAS right out of the box. On the other hand, having a NAS unit that is diskless technically means that you will be able to add your own disks at your own pace. Moreover, diskless NAS systems and units are generally cheaper than those with disks already. This is generally better than having a disk or two in the system already but they are substandard or don’t have the right capacity that you need.
Connecting ports: some NAS units can have more Ethernet ports and other connections you might need. Connections are important since a NAS unit is like a mini server that lets you access files remotely and then maybe print or share them elsewhere.
SATA3 compatible: a NAS unit that is SATA3 or SATA III compatible means that it’s really fast, reaching up to 6 Gbit/s of speed in terms of data transfer. This allows you to get the best speed out of your disks or RAID system, even if you only use HDDs instead of SSDs.

Our Pick

QNAP TS-251 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS
Our best NAS would be the QNAP TS-251 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS in which you can stream full HD videos on the go as a mini server. This NAS has a total of 2 bays in its capacity and it is great for business and home users alike due to its compact style and convenience.
It allows you to stream 1080p videos anywhere and anytime and you can also share your multimedia files from this NAS. It is great for your home entertainment needs and it also has 7.1 channel surround sound, which gives you the advantage for home and media entertainment anywhere and anytime.
With up to 1 GB of RAM for faster data transfer, it is a good NAS for data backup ad it supports both IPv4 and IPv6. Wherever you are, you can depend upon this NAS for connectivity without failure as it is powered by 2 Gigabit RJ-45 Ethernet ports included.
You can use it for Plex, DLNA and AirPlay as it includes 1 HDMI port for you to use. Sharing and backup is a breeze with this NAS and you can also connect other devices with the 2 USB 3.0 ports. You can also run a virtual machine with this NAS and use the App Center to your expansion needs.
With a QTS operating system, this NAS is definitely a good companion for keeping your backup data and files and it can be accessed using your computers and mobile devices. There is also a USB printer support so companies and businesses can use it to print files on the go with just the NAS unit.
You can use this NAS as a personal cloud for all of your backup needs, such as for your photos, videos and the like. You can also upgrade the RAM to 2 GB or 4 GB for virtual machines so you can add more features and files to this NAS without sacrificing speed. It also accepts pen drives and USB UPS.

Flaws but Not Dealbrakers

Some flaws but not deal breakers about the QNAP TS-251 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS include the fact that the trays are made of plastic so be careful when changing disks so as not to break them.

Step-up Pick

Synology DS916+ (8GB) NAS DiskStation (Diskless)
The Synology DS916+ (8GB) NAS DiskStation (Diskless) is our step-up pick and it is a quad core unit which can act as a media server due to that kind of speed and processing power. It also has a Cloud Sync feature which lets you use Dropbox and Google Drive and the like for your cloud syncing needs.
You can expect the NAS to perform the most intensive tasks possible for a mini-server because of its processing power. In fact, it has up to 225 MB/s of reading speed and p to 209 MB/s of writing speed for multitasking needs. You can also setup multiple IP cameras with this NAS for CCTV surveillance purposes.
With a file encryption service, this NAS helps you protect your data while you access it from anywhere. It is also powered by the Intel Pentium N3710 chipset so it is quite powerful. Aside from the snapshots said earlier, you also get 1024 snapshots per folder.
You get awesome storage up to 9 drives with this NAS, which is also good for live streaming videos and movies from anywhere from this unit. It also has the DX513 feature a well as the AES-NI hardware encryption engine so it is great at protecting the data in your pocket.
It also has a total of 2 RAM options of 2 GB and 8 GB so you can choose and adapt to your needs of data transfer and capacity. With a total of 3 USB 3.0 ports and 1 eSATA port, you can also connect printers and the like to keep your NAS up and running in a useful way all the time.
The NAs is also a great centralized storage or media hub for your H.264 4K videos and it can also be integrated with Dropbox and Google Drive so you can enjoy cloud storage on the go. The NAS features full HD online transcoding and tou can also integrate the Apple Watch with this NAS and it supports various RAID types. Moreover, it uses the BTRFS file system as well.

Budget Pick

Synology 2-Bay DS216J NAS DiskStation (DS216j)
The Synology 2-Bay DS216J NAS DiskStation (DS216j) is our budget pick which is a great and versatile storage to have. With a total of 2 bays in its capacity, it also offers you secure file protection as much as possible for your music, movies, photos and documents. You can even make this NAS a personal cloud.
You get a DDR3 RAM system module at 512 MB which is sufficient for a budget NAS unit. It has up to 16 terabytes of disk capacity and it runs on a dual core CPU for a good and optimized HDD operation. It also comes with front LED indicators, which are customizable as well.
The NAS can be accessed on any browser and it also has a hardware encryption engine for protecting your files. Multimedia organization has never been this good with a NAS that syncs with Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, so you can organize your cloud files better as well.
Tue unit has a total of 2 USB 3.0 ports for faster data transfer. It also takes up to 112.75 MB/s read speed and 97.6 MB/s writing speed so it’s pretty fast for your multimedia files such as videos and movies and music as well. Having a good write and read speed is important for bigger multimedia files like TV shows with their full episodes or seasons, as well as for movies and larger music files and libraries.
It also supports SHR, RAID 0, RAID 1 and basic JBOD, which is important for those who want to have a RAID system for their CCTV or IP cameras so that they can stay safe at home. It also features the Surveillance Station for IP cameras, which is a feature that lets you customize your RAID for your IP camera or CCTV setup, which is helpful in home security purposes.
With an adjustable brightness, the NAS is a good starter unit that is PC/Mac ready. Moreover, it also supports iOS and Android devices and has an easy to use web OS.

Best NAS with Gigabit Ethernet Ports

Drobo 5N2 5-Bay Network Attached Storage
The Drobo 5N2 5-Bay Network Attached Storage is our go-to pick if you want a NAS that has a Gigabit Ethernet port. It is also a scalable NAs that offers Plex support so it is great for those who want to use that streaming services. You can also arrange your photos and videos better with a lot of convenience.
It is a good network storage array with zero downtime as a whole when it comes down to its performance. It includes a 6 feet power cord for convenience and it has over 64 TB support so you can add a lot of disks and capacity to your NAS. It is also highly compatible with the Apple Time Machine.
Moreover, there is an internal battery backup so you don’t have to risk losing your data over to power failure. The NAS also comes with 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports (6 feet each) so you can stream data faster and transfer files quicker with it. Moreover, the NAS also allows you to dim the lights when not in use.
In addition to those features, you also get an encrypted remote access feature for the NAS and it also supports up to 5 drives at a time. In fact, any speed of SATA drives will be supported by this network attached storage. Moreover, it is great at handling music and documents as well as video files.
The NAS unit holds a variety of drives, whether it’s a SATA HDD (laptop or desktop), SSD and others. Moreover, there is also a myDrobo platform that lets you customize your NAS by adding drives and the like. It is a great NAS for backups as well as for automatic uploads of your files, especially photos.
It is also capable of hot-swapping drives for your needs and has a dual-drive redundancy system. It is also equipped with RAID automated data protection for your backup and safety. You can also easily configure drives to spin down for energy saving, which is a good thing for a NAS unit to be eco-friendly.
The NAS unit only takes about 30 minutes of installation on the average. In addition to that, your data is protected by the DroboDR disaster recovery support. Having data protection on any NAS unit is important so that you don’t lose your important files even when you’re away.

Best NAS for a Personal Cloud

WD 8TB My Cloud EX2 NAS
The WD 8TB My Cloud EX2 NAS is a good NAS unit to consider if you want a personal cloud storage or backup at home. It is a good centralized network storage consideration which has up to 8 terabytes of disk capacity which is pretty good for a home cloud or personal cloud.
The NAS unit allows you to get smooth HD streaming on the go and wherever you are, for as long as you have internet connection from anywhere. This NAS unit gives you the best enhanced data security for your files so that they don’t get easily corrupted or lost.
With up to 2 bays in its design, you can use computers or mobile devices to access your NAS files and you can also use the password protection so that no one else unauthorized will be able to access your personal cloud. This NAS unit is also open for RAID configurations such as for a Plex Media Server.
Moreover, the NAS unit also allows you to use public or private links for each file or folder that you want, so you can share certain files with friends or to a group. It also uses DDR3 memory modules so it is pretty fast and modern for a personal cloud NAS unit.
With 256 AES volume encryption, your data stays safe no matter what. Adding to the speed of the NAS is the awesome 1.3 GHz dual core processor that keeps you important data intact with speed and reliability. Moreover, the unit comes with 2 USB 3.0 ports for faster data transfer rates.
With enough reliability and good volume encryption capabilities, the NAS has a total of 1 GB memory so you don’t run short when it comes down to automatic file synching. In addition to those file features, you can also get unlimited camera licenses with this NAS unit for your CCTV or surveillance camera.
You get the Milestone ARCUS surveillance software for IP camera systems so it is a good NAS unit if you want to consider home security. The simple file and folder sharing is what makes this NAS unit great for most people. It is also good for media streaming and it greatly supports Amazon S3 and ElephantDrive. With a lot of personalized features, the NAS unit gives you fast file transfers as much as you need it.

Best NAS that is Diskless

Synology DS416play NAS Disk Station (Diskless)
The Synology DS416play NAS Disk Station is our ideal diskless NAS unit that is a 4-bay NAS for you to put in your favorite or preferred HDDs or SSDs. It is powered by the Intel Celeron N3060 chipset which works well for you to share photos to social media sites and act as a home multimedia center.
You can fill up this NAS unit with up to 32 TB of disk capacity and you can easily organize all your photos in just one go. It has a dual core CPU so it is sufficient for you to stream all your music from anywhere as well as get access to your 4K ultra HD videos, movies and TV episodes.
The NAS unit has a processor which runs up to 2.48 GHz for a high quality streaming experience without a lot of lag and buffering time. You can also integrate your Dropbox and Google Drive files with this NAS and you also get 225.68 MB/s on its read speed and 186.67 MB/s for the writing speed.
With over 1 GB of RAM so you can perform transfers between devices with a lot of speed, the NAS is also quiet at 19.4 dB(A) for its noise level, so it is good for offices as well. Data integrity is also upheld if you choose this NAS due to its encryption performance.
The NAS supports Hybrid RAID, JBOD, Basic and RAIDs 0, 1, 5, 6 and 10 if ever you want to do a RAID system it also comes with a AES-NI hardware encryption engine so it is great at keeping your data as safe and as secure as possible. RAID systems are often used for CCTVs as well as for businesses and offices.
You can stream your TV shows, movies and videos from anywhere in the world with this awesome NAS and you can also play music on Bluetooth devices with the help of this unit. Moreover, to increase the speed of streaming and the quality, this NAS is equipped with dual Gigabit LAN ports.
The NAS unit also allows you to create slideshows on the fly with your pictures as well as your music, so you can share stuff with your friends and family even when far away. The NAS unit is also compatible with a lot of mobile apps and supports H.264 4K full HD 1080p video transcoding.

Best NAS with a Slim Design

Synology Rack Station 4-Bay NAS RS815+
The Synology Rack Station 4-Bay NAS RS815+ is our ideal slim designed NAS which holds a total of 4 Gigabit LAN ports, so it is pretty fast for a NAS unit. Moreover, it has up to 24 TB of disk capacity, so it is great for putting a lot of files there, such as games and movies. You can also depend upon its sturdy and reliable 1U rack out chassis.
There is also a Failover and Link Aggregation Support feature so your home network drives are safe and sound from possible data loss and failure. There is also an expandable RAM slot which can go for up to 6 GB if you want to upgrade. You’ll also love the GUI of this NAS which is easy for sharing files and folders.
With enough SSD support, the NAS is also greatly compatible with RAID 10, RAID 5 and other RAID formats. It is also running on a quad core CPU so it is good for its speed and reliability. You can also find it great for virtual machines as it is certified for use with VMware, Citrix and Hyper-V.
The NAS is also compatible with the Apple Time Machine to backup your Mac or iOS files on the go. You can also give access for clients for a business when you use this NAS for your centralizing data backups and other file storage needs. There are 4 bays but you can scale it up to 8 Drives using Synology RX415.
You can also depend upon the two USB 3.0 ports for your printer and other devices. You can connect stuff such as a UPS and many other USB-capable devices to the NAS. Many different platforms can utilize this NAS and also use its Disk Station Manager (DSM) feature.
The performance of this unit is just fine and the setup in under 5 minutes makes it an out of the box NAS. It also has AES-NI hardware encryption engine for keeping files safe and has a 3-year limited warranty to back it all up.

Best NAS with a Quad Core Processor

NETGEAR ReadyNAS 212 2-Bay Diskless NAS
The NETGEAR ReadyNAS 212 2-Bay Diskless NAS is a great quad core NAs that uses the BTRFS file system to keep files safe. It also has an automatic RAID system and runs on the Cortex A15 1.4GHz processor. It also has dual Gigabit Ethernet for a faster data transfer experience.
With a good user interface, you also get 2GB of RAM so it is pretty fast. It also comes with a VPN-based ReadyCLOUD for your personal cloud needs. There is also a built-in anti-virus so your files remain safe all the time. You will also love the Apple Time Machine integration if you ache a Mac or iOS device.
The anti-virus software keeps your files away from corruption and the system allows you to get up to 200 MB/s read speed and 160 MB/s write speed. Building a private cloud is not a hassle with this NAS because of its 5 levels of data protection. It also takes up to 16 TB of disk capacity in total.
You can access files from your phone with this NAS and it also supports both SATA and SSD drives. Moreover, you get complete data protection with this NAS which takes in 3.5″ or 2.5″ drives either in SSD or HDD. With a Link Aggregation feature, it works well on Windows, Mac, smartphones and tablets.
A total of 2 bays are included with this NAS for your personal cloud needs or other purposes. It also supports the iSCSI protocol for virtualization and you also get 3 months of Plex Pass with this NAS it allows HD 1080p streaming and transcoding and is backed by 3 years warranty on chassis.

Best NAS for a Plex Server

Noontec TerraMaster F2-220 2-bay NAS Drive
The Noontec TerraMaster F2-220 2-bay NAS Drive is a good DLNA or Plex server NAS due to its fairly fast Intel dual core at 2.41 GHz or you can use it for a personal cloud. It integrates with the Apple Time Machine just fine and has file encryption options for data protection.
Giving you simultaneous processing with up to 2 drive bays and a total of 2 GB of RAM, it comes diskless so you can provide your own disks. It can be used with your Smart TV or for sharing your photos, video and other files. It also supports 3.5″ SATA drives or 2.5″ SSDs and has multiple RAID configurations.
You can use it for MySQL server, Dropbox, FTP, Rync and many more. In fact, hot swapping is applicable to this NAs for your file management and backup needs. It supports Windows, Mac and Linux OS and it can have more than 100MB/s of read and write speed. With up to 20 TB of capacity and low noise fans, the NAS unit’s RAM is upgradable to 4 GB.

Best NAS with DDR4 RAM

NETGEAR ReadyNAS 4-bay Network Attached Storage
The NETGEAR ReadyNAS 4-bay Network Attached Storage can be used at home or at the office and it comes with 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports. As a cost effective cloud storage solution, it allows access to data with XRAID protection against disk failure.
With a total of 2 USB 3.0 ports, the NAS unit uses the Intel Atom C3338 processor and has an anti-virus onboard for file protection. It has a snapshots feature and a total of 2 GB DDR4 memory. It can take up to 40 users all at once. It also features bit rot protection and can support from 2 to 4 drive bays.
Giving you remote access and sharing, the NAs unit has 5 levels of data protection. Moreover, the NAS unit also runs okay with Windows XP or older OS if for local networking purposes only. It has up to 20 TB but can be expanded to 90 TB using the EDA 50 Expansion feature.

The Competition

Other NAS units did not make it to our list simply because they didn’t have a lot of drive bays and did not have enough drive space capacity. A good NAS unit should not compromise on disk drive capacity overall.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a NAS?
A: The NAS or the network attached storage is a kind of mini-server that lets you store files wirelessly through a local area network or LAN or even through your WiFi or router using an Ethernet cable.
Q: How does NAS units benefit business owners and companies?
A: The NAS unit can benefit your business or company because it can act as a server for your company or business files. For instance, you want to store your company sales, business data, time log of each employee and the like, and multiple people need to access it. This is where a NAS unit comes in handy.
Q: How much disk drives and total capacity can a regular NAS hold?
A: The capacity of a NAS unit can range from 4 terabytes up to 24 terabytes on some bigger units. You can expect a NAS to hold from 1 to 4 hard drives while some can even hold up to 8 if they are bigger units.
Q: What is RAID?
A: RAID stands for redundant array of independent disks, and this is the system you will often encounter or use in a NAS unit. It works by loading 2 or more disk drives together so that they work in unison to prevent data loss in case of any system failure. RAID systems can be seen in most CCTV systems, company servers and the like.
Q: Which devices can be connected to a NAS unit?
A: The NAS unit can connect to various computing devices, such as your printer, your desktop, your laptop and of course, your wireless Ethernet or router so that you can access it from your smartphone, tablet and any other device that uses WiFi or the Internet. These devices are aside from its disks that you put into the NAS itself.
Q: What’s the difference between NAS and SAN?
A: The SAN or storage area network is a type of networking configuration that uses the Fibre Channel which connects different storage devices. SAN is said to be bigger in disk array capacity compared to NAS, which makes them ideal for really large companies. However, NAS is said to be much more modern when it comes to the connection approach due to the modern TCP/IP and Ethernet system, compared to the Fibre Channel of the SAN units.
Q: What is disk utilization?
A: Disk utilization is a way to fully get the best out of your NAS unit by having a centralized storage. This centralized storage lets you allocate disk space without having to add physical disks when it is not needed yet. Operating a NAS gives you more disk utilization compared to regular wired storage.
Q: Why do people prefer NAS units for a personal cloud storage?
A: The privacy options that are feature in a NAS unit is said to be much better than a cloud storage because of the very fact that your cloud storage is not being managed by anyone else but you in your own home, and can still be accessed anywhere.
Services like Dropbox can offer you cloud services but some people worry about the privacy and the monthly fees if you want to upgrade the storage. In NAS units, you just need to upgrade the disk units in order to get more storage, or get a bigger NAS unit or another NAS unit for the system for your own personal cloud or backup.
Q: Does a NAS unit allow you to stream media?
A: Yes, the NAS unit can be a great home media center in which you can stream your purchased movies and songs right from your phone even from miles away using the IP address of your NAS unit. This allows you to easily access your stuff at home, and it’s all thanks to the technology and simple setup of a NAS unit or system.
Q: Can a NAS unit be used as a home server?
A: Yes, if you run Windows Home Server for your NAS unit so that you can turn any old PC in to a nice home server, or even a gaming server if you have the right specs for it. You can also use it for an office or a business server. You can also use other OS such as Linux and Mac, depending on your preferences.
Q: Do you need to turn on your computer all the time in order to access a NAS device?
A: The NAS device is a computer itself so you don’t have to turn on a PC that is connected to it. The NAS is a standalone mini-server that lets you access your files anytime and anywhere with a connection without having to power on your PC at home. The NAS is a server in itself that doesn’t consume a lot of power compared to your PC.
Q: Is a NAS unit okay for building a home theater system?
A: Yes, a NAS unit has the capability to store all of your home entertainment files such as movies, episodes of your favorite TV shows and the like, for you to watch at home or even from anywhere. The home theater system can easily grab your favorite shows or movies on the go. Moreover, home theaters powered with a NAS unit can be a great media server or as a storage unit for saving your recorded TV shows and the like.
Q: Does a NAS unit have virus scanning?
A: Yes, most higher end NAS units do have virus scanning so that your files stay safe and sound no matter when and where. Since the NAS unit connects to the internet to give you access even from a faraway place, it is natural that the NAS should have some sort of virus scanning so that your files will remain safe. After all, like a regular computer, NAS has disk drives which can still be prone to viruses if not scanned carefully.
Q: Can Plex be connected or used with your NAS?
A: A lot of people who want to go into NAS units often run Plex servers and the like. Most NAS units do allow or integrate with your Plex account so you can save your shows and the like. However, some people do prefer Plex being installed on connected drives rather than on a NAS unit because shows can get easily updated automatically when you use a connected storage.
Q: Are Windows Server systems better than NAS devices?
A: It depends on the NAS unit as some lower end NAS devices can be weaker than Windows Server systems because of their limited number of disks as well as lower RAM compared to a Windows Server, which can be upgraded. Most NAS units can’t be upgraded with their current specs, so they are perhaps best for small-time entrepreneurs or home use or even for a personal cloud.
Q: Is a NAS unit easy to setup and configure?
A: Yes, the ease of setup of a NAS unit is what makes it favorable for those who don’t have enough knowledge in IT and computers, especially for file servers. Most NAS units are plug and play units so you don’t have to do much when you set up a NAS unit, other than configure the disks and its connection to the internet.
Q: Does a NAS unit server require licensing?
A: Unlike large file servers , a NAS unit server doesn’t require licensing so it is okay to use for your personal or small business. If your business is not a large-scale thing that does not require a really big or powerful file server that can be a bit intimidating to setup then a NAS unit server can be a good solution for you. Even the NAS unit software doesn’t require licenses, so it’s easier for most people.
Q: How do you usually access a NAS device from a device?
A: The NAS device is often accessed through a software or app and can be accessed with the use of its IP address. All you need to know from a NAS device is its IP address if it doesn’t automatically appear in your server list.
Q: Does a NAS unit require a username and password?
A: Like most network devices, a NAS device may require authentication and thus, may require you to input a username and password, depending on the configuration and safety features of the unit.
Q: What is the GbE port and how does it help a NAS unit?
A: The GbE port or the Gigabit Ethernet port is an alternative to the WiFi support because it can increase the reliability of your NAS unit when you connect to it from a distance.

Wrapping It Up

In the long run, the QNAP TS-251 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS is our best NAS which can support 1080p videos, has HDMI ports and comes with Gigabit Ethernet ports for faster connections.