I am considering purchasing a ReadyNAS RN51600 diskless NAS drive, I shall be using it to primarily hold my video and photo collections and for running Plex to allow serving these vIdeos/photos to several Plex clients allowing the NAS to do HD/1080p video transcoding so that I dont have to convert the videos to a format suitable for all the Plex clients.
My questions however are:
1. I would like to have the ReadyNAS 516 serve as a VPN server allowing secure access over my ADSL/cable connection to both the NAS content but also to other computers on my local/private network. I have looked through the forums and seen that there are several posts about running OpenVPN etc. on ReadyNAS boxes (mostly DUO v2), but I cant find anything about a possible option on the new OS6 or even if there is the capability of doing this using a fully supported NetGear application?
2. I would ideally like the ReadyNAS 516 to act as a media player itself using the built in HDMI port, therefore is there now or are there plans to have something like the Plex client or XBMC as an application that can run on the NAS and controlled via a remote control, web interface or iOS/Android app?. Or is the HDMI port accessible from user written applications such that someone could port a media streaming client to this NAS box?
3. Is there an SDK or image that allows developers to easily simulate the ReadyNAS 516 for development purposes without having to develop and deploy on a real NAS with the risk of breaking it?
I guess these questions would be equally applicable for any of the new OS 6 devices?
I had a look on the genie app store but could only see a few apps, do you see more that are only applicable to your device if you log in and have a registered device?
1. There is not a VPN server app available from the Genie+ marketplace list of apps yet. There are hundreds of developers signed up though and the application list should grow quickly. You can install the app through the command line via SSH. Take some technical knowledge to do, but the ReadyNAS is not locked down in any way.
2. Plex Server is available on the current ReadyNAS 300 and 500 series products. Plex Server is still in the works for the 100 series. HDMI is not supported yet.
3. There is no development/virtual image of the ReadyNAS available for developers. There is an SDK that is made available to developers through the Genie+ infrastructure. Find out more information at developer.netgear.com
3. Is there an SDK or image that allows developers to easily simulate the ReadyNAS 516 for development purposes without having to develop and deploy on a real NAS with the risk of breaking it?
1. There is not a VPN server app available from the Genie+ marketplace list of apps yet. There are hundreds of developers signed up though and the application list should grow quickly. You can install the app through the command line via SSH. Take some technical knowledge to do, but the ReadyNAS is not locked down in any way.
2. Plex Server is available on the current ReadyNAS 300 and 500 series products. Plex Server is still in the works for the 100 series. HDMI is not supported yet.
3. There is no development/virtual image of the ReadyNAS available for developers. There is an SDK that is made available to developers through the Genie+ infrastructure. Find out more information at developer.netgear.com
A VPN Server addon is ready and is under Netgear revue, I use it since 1 month without problem it works with iphone, ipad, macos X ....
super-poussin, does this support OpenVPN and PPTP and will it work with WIndows and Android devices as well? Do you know if the HDMI port is available for user code running on the NAS?
chirpa, I have had a look at your thread for the VM, sounds perfect and exactly what I was after, its just a shame that NetGear doesnt provide this sort of thing for developers to promote development on their platforms.
JabbaTheHut, how would I go about getting the SDK for application development? I assume that this would also come with a certain level of documentation about how to create interfaces etc.?
If you plug in HDMI, you can see the BIOS post message as the system boots. If someone installs XBMC and required X windows, should be able to output media via the HDMI. This is likely the plan NTGR will target eventually with it.
super-poussin, does this support OpenVPN and PPTP and will it work with WIndows and Android devices as well? Do you know if the HDMI port is available for user code running on the NAS?
chirpa, I have had a look at your thread for the VM, sounds perfect and exactly what I was after, its just a shame that NetGear doesnt provide this sort of thing for developers to promote development on their platforms.
JabbaTheHut, how would I go about getting the SDK for application development? I assume that this would also come with a certain level of documentation about how to create interfaces etc.?
Pptp and android are also supported It should work with openvpn but also have it own client The addon contain the server and the manager software but not the client cause the addon will be huge if I include all clients for all platform iPhone/android are working fine with the embedded client
super-poussin's app has been ready for a few days, but still pending approval from NTGR. As an alternative to the Genie store, if you give him a donation via his PayPal link, he can install it on your box right away.
Hello, please I have a question about Plex playback (or xbmc etc. if possible) on NAS RN516: The Plex Media Center feature allows users to directly connect the NAS RN516 through their TV’s HDMI port for direct media playback - yes or not, please?
Well, then I don´t know how I can use the HDMI port 😞 Can someone explain to me why is there this port when I can´t use it at connect with the TV and play video directly?
This is clearly the wrong place for this as it should go into the Community Add-Ons section, but there isn't yet a section for OS 6 x86 devices, is one going to be added? I realise there is a separate genie developer site, but that is specific development questions rather than are plugins going to be available and how to fix this or that type question.
Any idea if/when the following genie applications would be made available (or are even being worked on)?
This is clearly the wrong place for this as it should go into the Community Add-Ons section, but there isn't yet a section for OS 6 x86 devices, is one going to be added? I realise there is a separate genie developer site, but that is specific development questions rather than are plugins going to be available and how to fix this or that type question.
Any idea if/when the following genie applications would be made available (or are even being worked on)?
1. VPN server
2. Subversion server
3. Subversion WEB UI
Hello
All the addons we do are available for X86 R6 except RN516, I don't know why and there's nothing in SDK, nor Developer documentation explaining this restriction or how we can do an addon for RN516. I don't have a RN516 so I can't test my vpn server addon or compile/build a new one for RN516 if needed
Ok, I am a little confused though as your applications such as SSH in a browser, Ajax Explorer, My SQL database, PHP, Transmission are all showing up under available Genie apps for my RN516, are you saying that the Subversion (server and UI) and VPN Genie apps are different and thus will not appear on the RN516 but will for the 316 etc.?
This would be a real sticking point for me as so far I have not seen anything that indicated some apps would be available for only certain OS 6 x86 NAS devices, I do hope that NetGear isn't making a split here.
Some of your apps are listed as compatible with RN516 though, such as Ajaxexplorer, I have just been on telephone support asking the same, they were suggesting that the developer of the application has to say which devices the applications are compatible with. Was this the case with the applications that are RN516 compatible or is this something that Netgear determined when you submit the application?. The support person didn't give me a clear response so I am still a little confused he also wasn't sure who to ask to find a response.
It could just be that add-ons made before the 516 was added to Genie need to be manually flagged as compatible with the 516 by NetGear. In my view NetGear should test the add-ons against new products which are released themselves especially when the developer does not have the new product yet.
Whist the 516 has quite different hardware to the 300 series, most/all add-ons compatible with the 300 series should be compatible with the 516.
Some of your apps are listed as compatible with RN516 though, such as Ajaxexplorer, I have just been on telephone support asking the same, they were suggesting that the developer of the application has to say which devices the applications are compatible with. Was this the case with the applications that are RN516 compatible or is this something that Netgear determined when you submit the application?. The support person didn't give me a clear response so I am still a little confused he also wasn't sure who to ask to find a response.
Support make me smile , I only have a RN102 ! Everything is done on a pro 4 converted to R6
I'm using a SDK provided by NETGEAR and Netgear validate the addon and take 30% for this, so NETGEAR must provide the compatibility list or provide me hardware 😛
That's kinda what I thought, they must do something for their 30% cut, other app stores I believe have compatibility or feature flags that tell the app store what features they require in the OS and hardware (this includes hardware interfaces, OS versions, library versions etc.) rather than expecting individual developers to test each possible platform.
Is there a way I can try and install your VPN server on my RN516 (I am currently at a stage where I am happy to do a factory install if it doesn't work) without going through the Genie app store (using apt-get etc.). If you would prefer, please PM me if there are options.
Hi super-poussin, I followed the above and can indeed see the VPN Server displayed int he installed apps, it even says it is running, however the Launch button is still greyed out, you mention go to the vpnserver Share to get the management console, but I am not sure what you mean by this?
Also I notice now in the Accounts -> Users that a new mysql user has appeared, was this configured and mysql installed as part of the vpnserver? If so if I want to remove it using the remove link on the application page, will it also remove all the dependancies that were installed? (I am not saying I will remove it, but it would be good to know). NOTE: I did also install piwigo, could this have added the mysql group and user accounts?.
Update: Ok I went to the site for the software provider, what you are saying is that it doesn't have a web interface, instead you use the GUI tools the company provides to administer the VPN server. I couldn't find a Mac version of the configuration utility though, is it Windows only?.
