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So purchased this 4 bay model, new to NAS completely to then find seemingly nothing available now for it. Managed to get and install Plex Media Server by googling but, is there any other software available for it anywhere?
Had no software install discs, just the device and 4 x 1tb drives and the power cable.
Presuming just wasted my cash and beyond using it as storage device via network (usb too, or does that require some software to connect direct and use it just as storage)?
Would have liked to get some kind of cctv setup for it as well as use for other purposes
Into photography so any good storage management beyond using Plex (installed mainly for music and perhaps movies) would be useful.
As to any help advice in regards if it is of any use as a device still.
Re: RN 204 - New user previously owned/used device
No install disk is needed. All it contains is RAIDar, which you can download and is just a tool for easy access, a (now outdated) electronic version of the manuals, and maybe the client-side ReadyCloud, which is no longer supported. Your RN204 is one of the most underpowered ReadyNAS in terms of CPU and RAM, and using it for surveillance (which is also no longer supported for new users) was not really a very good idea even when it was supported. It's also not going to allow you to do transcoding via Plex. You will be much better off getting a dedicated micro-PC for any apps (both in terms of computing power and application choice) and then using the NAS as storage for them. For surveillance, I recommend Blue Iris, then set your NAS up as the backup location.
I'm not sure why you say you wasted your money beyond using it as network storage, as that's what it's designed to be. You cannot connect it to a PC via USB -- the USB is for backup drives and UPS monitoring.
But Netgear clearly is exiting the NAS market and we in the forum are not expecting anything major in the way of OS updates from here out. So, you may want to look for a NAS from a manufacturer who is staying in the market instead of learning to use a NAS that's already end-of-life per the manufacturer.
Re: RN 204 - New user previously owned/used device
No install disk is needed. All it contains is RAIDar, which you can download and is just a tool for easy access, a (now outdated) electronic version of the manuals, and maybe the client-side ReadyCloud, which is no longer supported. Your RN204 is one of the most underpowered ReadyNAS in terms of CPU and RAM, and using it for surveillance (which is also no longer supported for new users) was not really a very good idea even when it was supported. It's also not going to allow you to do transcoding via Plex. You will be much better off getting a dedicated micro-PC for any apps (both in terms of computing power and application choice) and then using the NAS as storage for them. For surveillance, I recommend Blue Iris, then set your NAS up as the backup location.
I'm not sure why you say you wasted your money beyond using it as network storage, as that's what it's designed to be. You cannot connect it to a PC via USB -- the USB is for backup drives and UPS monitoring.
But Netgear clearly is exiting the NAS market and we in the forum are not expecting anything major in the way of OS updates from here out. So, you may want to look for a NAS from a manufacturer who is staying in the market instead of learning to use a NAS that's already end-of-life per the manufacturer.
It's also not going to allow you to do transcoding via Plex.
I have an RN202 (just used for backup now), and found the performance was quite similar to the RN300 series, and better than the Ultras.
It can transcode one 1080p steam to 720p or SD. It might stutter occasionally with 720p, but I found it was watchable. File transfer speeds will saturate a gigabit ethernet connnection
You will be much better off getting a dedicated micro-PC for any apps (both in terms of computing power and application choice) and then using the NAS as storage for them. For surveillance, I recommend Blue Iris, then set your NAS up as the backup location.
@ctxuk: Definitely agree here, and think that is the case with any ReadyNAS model. None have a GPU, and CPU performance is below current standards on all of them. Another factor is the Debian 8 ("Jessie") OS, which is now deprecated. That limits your options for applications, as many can't be installed on the old OS.
As @Sandshark points out, a NAS provides "Network Attached Storage". If that isn't what you were looking for, then you probably did buy the wrong thing. I use mine for consolidation of my files (everything is saved on the NAS instead of on various PCs), and as a repository for PC backups. While I could run plex or some other apps on my RN526, I run them on an always-on PC instead. I'd do that with any NAS, as I think it is more flexible.
Re: RN 204 - New user previously owned/used device
"Netgear clearly is exiting the NAS market and we in the forum are not expecting anything major in the way of OS updates from here out. So, you may want to look for a NAS from a manufacturer who is staying in the market instead of learning to use a NAS that's already end-of-life per the manufacturer."
Sandshark - Thank you for the honest straightforward comment here, wish that was known to myself before purchasing it.
Your answers whilst not what was wanting to hear is extremely appreciated.
As stated know very little about NAS at all and of that little it seemed Netgear one of the better companies from googling, perhaps my google was too limited as until you stated it knew nothing of them ceasing the products.
My first issue on receiving the product which is good condition but used was no setup instructs or discs so concentrated on getting it up and running which was not easy without ReadyCloud and no knowledge at all beyond my general computer use.
Had no idea at all what any included discs with the system new would contain.
It is up and running, and now the discs stay connected in raid 5 array in X-Raid while at first powering off meant having to redo the array as disc 4 was dropping out, now turning power off and then powering back on next day means it stays functional.
You already taught something to myself with the comments in regards to the USB port use although the UPS monitoring will have to be looked up, had thought would be possible to upload via usb to the router files (or is that download?)
The lack of surveillance part is frankly annoying, again, should have investigated further.
Apart from Plex Media Server the only thing managed to install so far from apps on Netgear pages is SMBplus 1.08 which then removed again as think it is not required.
Unable find anything else that installs.
Have duplicated my music from my PC though which in itself takes up almost a 1tb drive and glad to have the backup that doing so means.
A Qnap 259pro+ was also purchased used, but that is only a double bay not the 4 bay of this netgear one. It had no drives so not really done anything with it.
Re: RN 204 - New user previously owned/used device
Again, another appreciated answer StephenB.
"Another factor is the Debian 8 ("Jessie") OS, which is now deprecated. That limits your options for applications, as many can't be installed on the old OS."
Exactly what is being discovered by myself now.!
"a NAS provides "Network Attached Storage". If that isn't what you were looking for, then you probably did buy the wrong thing."
Think in some ways yes and others no. Was aware it's storage use but the screens showing lots of apps led myself to thinking it could do much more, such as the Surveillance system use (now debunked).
At a point where am looking at what it can do as well as just storage because of the app features and trying to make the most out of my purchase. Feel it would be dishonest to sell it on to some person who like myself was expecting a supported working system even if not the latest from a manufacturer.
Part of my expectations on what it is able to do is based on the home screen folders - Music, Pictures, Videos and Documents coupled with apps and streaming. It does connect to my LG Plasma to play music through (in turn to my HiFi (giving away my age with that name perhaps) and suspect it could do photo's also in a slideshow with Plex but yes, just a database and storage, not really apps it seems sadly.
Some of the expectation errors my own, some the deprecated nature of it and some Netgear pages scanned far too quickly. Oh well, c'est la vie!
Mentioned that also purchased a 2 bay QNAP TS-259Pro+ (2 x1tb) which is limited as unable to run it in raid 5 so currently the 2 drives are jbod 1.82 tb drive.
Can the RN204 be added to it and then the 6 drives run as raid in the QNAP software? Presumably that would mean raid 6 though would prefer raid 5
Can the RN204 be added to it and then the 6 drives run as raid in the QNAP software?
No, that isn't possible. The RN204 can't work as a USB drive enclosure. USB can be used to connect external drives to the RN204, but it cannot be used to connect the NAS internal disks to another PC or NAS.
Re: RN 204 - New user previously owned/used device
Your Qnap can't run RAID5 because RAID5 requires at least 3 drives, not because it's otherwise hardware limited (though it is a bit, with just a 1.8GHZ Atom processor and 1GB of RAM). But it should be able to run RAID1. Even if you could connect the two together to be one RAID, it's not something you'd want to do. One little glitch in the interconnecting interface and your volume is damaged.
You can mount the ReadyNAS as a share on the Qnap, or vice-versa, though I can't tell you precisely how you'd do so on the Qnap. Your network would provide the transport path between them, not USB. I'm not really sure what advantage there would be other than maybe running an app on the Qnap that uses the storage on the ReadyNAS. The Qnap does at least seem to be getting OS updates, unlike the ReadyNAS.
"The Qnap does at least seem to be getting OS updates, unlike the ReadyNAS."
Yes. The fact it works, you can still get useable apps makes a world of a difference to it all as an experience. That experience though not great in some ways, attempting to upload my music collection to that too is tedious at best as despite using same router and same connection cable it does not transfer folders and files as well as the Netgear did, dropping out often and no good indicator to show if it is still in progress or stalled.
Did realise about requiring at least 3 drives for raid 5 which really is why the question and thought to perhaps link them together - probably easier to do with two from same manufacturer though if at all.
Appreciate the responses from both of you, again just straight forward answers to the point and informational also, thank you. Very useful to someone with little knowledge about them.
Did realise about requiring at least 3 drives for raid 5 which really is why the question and thought to perhaps link them together - probably easier to do with two from same manufacturer though if at all.
The right way to do this is to get a NAS that has enough bays. Though as disk sizes have gotten larger, I think for many (maybe even most) people, RAID-1 is enough.
You also need to consider backup - as RAID (in any form) is not enough to keep your data safe.
That experience though not great in some ways, attempting to upload my music collection to that too is tedious at best as despite using same router and same connection cable it does not transfer folders and files as well as the Netgear did, dropping out often and no good indicator to show if it is still in progress or stalled.
What drives are you using? (manufacturer and model).
Ah yes, do understand about the 'right way', being currently without any job or income kind of forced what was purchased by myself. Even used prices for old gear on fleabay is quite above what was expected really and why my purchase of a 2 bay and a 4 bay, both bids were in at the same time and somehow won both (not what wanted), had expected one to end far higher than it did really.
The Netgear arrived with 4 x Toshiba DT01ACA100 1tb drives. Since purchased a 5th exact same drive (since put in the Qnap). My intention until discovering the issues in apps etc was to increase with new drives. The 5th drive was purchased after it initially kept dropping the 4th drive in the array and thought with reading either the bay was faulty or the drive. Since ordering it discovered it is stable though.
The Qnap was driveless but 2 x 3tb WD Blk drives were purchased (before finding out answers in here and was going to buy 3 but was experiencing the limitations already). Originally those 3Tb drives if purchased 3 would gone in the RN204. If it was faster and more reliable at transfer in the Qnap after the voyage of discovery it has been.
The WD Black 3Tb got put into my PC after first copying one of it's 1Tb drives contents to it (likely repeat for the other one too, again to replace a 1Tb drive). My conclusion was it being far faster to do saves of files to and from there and also access also for editing photo's as use camera raw, not jpeg which may be problematic sending to a NAS. It currently has 2 x WD Blk 3Tb's, 1 x WD Blk 1Tb, a 500gb Samsung SSD with W7 on and a 1Gb Samsung SSD with W10 on. Photo's take up a lot of storage as does Music to some degree but not as much by any means. The PC does not use any raid array's, and it is quite old now in PC terms built (assembled perhaps a better term) by myself in 2012. The NAS would have performed various tasks beyond what was previously mentioned, and my discovery with the RN204 so far led myself to think it can use 4 x 4tb drives so giving about 12gb storage on it in raid 5.
The QNAP is only at the start of discovery journey as left it alone at first, it was only last night the second drive was added. So know little about it.
Have discovered today that QSYNC is far easier to add the files to the NAS, lot quicker and a huge improvement in actually doing the job.
It would be quicker to copy the files via a hub connected to the PC if it wasn't for the fact as soon as it is inserted it gets formatted, although did start to read there is a way around that.
Think the QNAP also may be underpowered in comparison to the RN204.
The experience so far disappointing but at least all the storage is local and not just a cloud based bill with less security to the files in some respects. The RN204 will function and drives can be switched out in time for much larger ones to provide storage, a shame that is not possible by USB 3 or by useful apps
my discovery with the RN204 so far led myself to think it can use 4 x 4tb drives so giving about 12tb storage on it in raid 5.
Actually it can handle a lot more. My own RN202 (2-bay model) has two 14 TB drives in it. Both are independent volumes ("jbod"), so 28 TB of storage altogether.
I do get that the app story is disappointing (unfortunately never a ReadyNAS strength).
"My own RN202 (2-bay model) has two 14 TB drives in it. Both are independent volumes ("jbod"), so 28 TB of storage altogether."
That confirms to myself it being worth keeping if only for more photo file storage as prefer not to delete unless totally unusable frames. Provided camera raw files transfer it is all good, not about to edit on there, just store or move files to and from. The jpeg in a raw file sufficient to see what the file is.
It also gives a backup for my music in case the drive were to go in the PC.
That confirms to myself it being worth keeping if only for more photo file storage as prefer not to delete unless totally unusable frames. Provided camera raw files transfer it is all good, not about to edit on there, just store or move files to and from. The jpeg in a raw file sufficient to see what the file is.
It also gives a backup for my music in case the drive were to go in the PC.
FWIW, my RN202 backs up my main NAS (which is an RN526x that does use RAID-5).
There is no known max disk size, so AFAIK you could install 4x22TB Seagate Ironwolf drives and have a 66 TB RAID-5 volume. Sync times would of course be very long.
