[electricmook]

This is probably a topic that's covered a lot, but Im a bit of a newbie when it comes to networking to so apologies in advance if Im repeating whats been gone over before, but Im just plain stuck!!

I've got a macbook pro, a sky broadband setup using the sky router and a huge itunes library (300gb plus..)

There isnt enough room on the macbook to store my itunes and then efficiently save anything else (hence the need for an external drive), and also I'd like to share my library around the home and across the internet (using simplify media or an equivalent app) - if possible.

My question is, is there an external drive (Im guessing Id need around 350gb to be sure of space) that I can connect directly to my sky router, save my itunes library to, and then stream from to my macbook (at home and remotely)

Ive already got a freecom drive and have found this LAN model which looks like it can connect direct to a router, but it also says there are issues with mac compatibility due to NAS (which I dont honestly understand)

The other solution is an airport base station?
Would that work?
Connect an extreme base station to my router, then the external drive to that...

If I were to opt for that setup, could I then login to my itunes across the internet from a remote location?

Sorry about the information/question overload...
Im very eager to get this set up but would like to learn a bit more before diving in blind like I usually do!!

[mrplow]

I can answer some of your questions:

- The freecom drive you've looked at will connect to your Sky router fine. The issues you've read about (I suspect) are due to the file size limitations of FAT32 formatting which many NAS drives use due to the limitation of mini operating system most NAS boxes are installed with. There is no reason your Mac couldn't house it's iTunes library on this drive.

- You could attach another product such as the Airport Extreme but this seems like an expensive option. Especially as you'd have to keep your existing Sky router due to Skys terms and conditions.

- Another option is to get the belkin USB network hub. It will connect to your router and allow you to connect any USB hard disk(up to 4 if my memory serves me) to it for use as a NAS device (it's approx £45 on Amazon)

- You may also wish to consider something like this (it's currently on my 'to get' list): Play.com (UK) : Buffalo LS-CH500L LinkStation Live 500GB NAS External Hard Drive With Built-In BitTorrent Client : Computing - Free Delivery

What I can't answer is which software solution to use for accessing your library across the internet. There are many out there with varied feature sets. I've used MioNet with a WD Worldbook NAS drive and it worked fine but there are bound to be other solutions out there.

Hope some of that helps

mrplow

[electricmook]

Hey mrplow, thanks for the thorough reply..
really appreciate it!

I've been looking at various options and dissecting my requirements all day and have just now had a second person recommend a buffallo drive to me..

Slightly different model to the one you mentioned, but it looks pretty rad and I think with a couple of tweaks to my existing setup it could fit in quite nicely.

It's this one..
Buffalo Technology - Products - LinkStation Pro Duo™

Any thoughts?

[mrplow]

I think the RAID functionality is a little OTT but it certainly fits the bill with giving you access to you files across the net etc.

Perhaps look at the Linkstation pro instead Buffalo Technology - Products - LinkStation Pro™

[electricmook]

The RAID functionality is actually a bonus and is dragging me in its direction.

I've already got a RAID1 freecom drive, but it's not networked and I'd have to get the USB hub in order to network it, but the main reason I got it was for working on Logic Audio files over firewire 800.

I was gonna use the RAID on that to backup all my logic, graphics work and important other stuff and just use the wireless network drive for my itunes.

The Buffalo one, if I went for the 2tb, could do all of that, then if I replaced the current freecom drive with a smaller portable firewire 800 purely for my logic work, then I'd be sorted!!

I think...

Or maybe it is a bit over the top..

[mrplow]

Sounds like it's the perfect product for you.

If you do get it and get the urge to post back or PM me with how the Buffalo Mac software is etc I'd appreciate it.

[electricmook]

will do!

Thanks for all the advice!