My First NAS (RN 3138) - How to begin?

Welcome to the forum!

I don't use surveillance, so I can't make any comments on that.

One comment on space - try to keep at least 20% free space on the data volume.  

Also

-I always recommend using a UPS to protect the NAS from unexpected power loss.  Many data-loss stories posted here begin with an unexpected power cut.  You'll want a UPS that has a USB connector to the NAS (which will then cleanly shut down when the UPS battery drains).

-RAID isn't enough to keep your data safe, so make sure you also keep backups for your data (obviously My Documents is already a backup).  USB external drives are one inexpensive way to back your data up.  You can also use a second NAS.  Cloud backup might be a good option for you, since most of files won't change once they are stored, and the growth rate shouldn't be too high.

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bridges86406 wrote:

3. I created a New Share (Pictures) and uploaded my ~460GB to it, and can now see that folder from Windows, however I can see no other folders from Windows or //hostname

 

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Usually that would be \\hostname.

If that's the only public share in in the system, then usually all you will see.  If  you connect using the NAS admin credentials, you can see the full data volume.

Try accessing \\hostname\data with the NAS admin credentials  For instance run CMD and enter

net use * /delete

net use t: \\hostname\data /user:admin nas-admin-password

Generally it's best to use credentials in the windows system for the NAS - creating credentials in the Windows Credentials manager for the hostname and perhaps the IP address.  These should use usernames and passwords that are configured for the NAS.  You can use the NAS admin account for now at least.

If you plan to use ReadyCloud, then that will have its own usernames and passwords.  Many people do like ReadyCloud; I don't use it myself.

bridges86406 wrote:
4. What exactly does "allow anonymous access" mean on that share?  Can it be seen via Public IP? Does that just mean anyone on my LAN can see it without credentials?

 It can be seen by anyone who can reach the NAS with SMB over your network.  That should just be your local LAN.  You could forward ports in your router to allow anyone on the internet to access the share, but I do not recommend doing that.

bridges86406 wrote:

2. I have the admin user only (so far) and I can see that it has a "HOME" directory however I can see no files in it. 

 

I'm not sure what you are asking here.  Do you mean the \home\admin folder you might see in the web UI?

In general, each user configured on the NAS will have a "home" share created the first time they access the NAS using windows file explorer or OSX finder.  That share is normally visible only to that user, though the administrator can also see it by mounting the volume and clicking on "home".  It can also be browsed in the admin's web ui.

There are some challenges using this folder - it's not that simple to restore if the NAS fails, and if you use ReadyCloud you will end up with two folders (one for ReadyCloud and a different one locally).  That creates confusion/frustration.

If you only need one user account (and that seems likely given your intended uses) then I suggest not putting anything into that folder, and just pretend it isn't there.

bridges86406 wrote:
5. If I am looking to setup a "Media" folder where I will rip my DVD/BluRays to, besides setting the DLNA protocol, how do I make it so it can be seen and accessed on the LAN.

This depends a bit on the client devices.  DLNA should work with most of what you've listed.  You'll want SMB enabled so you can access the folder with windows file manager.  Some of the devices you list (raspberry pi for instance) can use NFS, so you could enable that on the share too if needed.

You have two options on DLNA - there is a built-in ReadyDLNA client.  That's what system->settings enables, along with the share DLNA control.  You can also turn that off and install plex.  You'd create plex libraries using their normal web interface.

You can of course also host the DLNA server on a PC, but store the videos and music itself on the NAS.  If you want plex's real-time transcoding feature that might be the best option.