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New to NAS storage - total beginner, looking to set up a second hand Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2
Dear community,
This has probably been asked before. I did try and look but couldn't find anything.
I have just bought a ReadyNAS Duo v2 off Ebay.There is a sticker on the bottom: FW v4.1.6. The model is RND2120.
I have also purchased two new WD 2TB Red NAS discs and fitted them, connected it to my router and powered the unit up.
Disk activity LED is rapid flash.
Disk 1 is steady (on)
Disk 2 is slow flash.
Rear panel Ethernet port LEDs : Amber steady, Green flashing.
I have opened up readycloud and created an account.
I am running Windows 10 home on my PC.
Opening my Firefox browser, I can paste the IP address into the search bar and get into the shares page with the Ebay sellers supplied account and password. The message is "no shares currently available"
This is as far as I have got.
My first challenge is to get ready cloud to discover the NAS.This is where I am stuck and looking for assistance.
Re: New to NAS storage - total beginner, looking to set up a second hand Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2
For others considering purchasing used, look at the picture of the rear of the Duo in question. If the fan is the full width of the chassis, it's a "real" V2. If the fan is smaller, and there is an depression where the power plugs in, it's a V1. Even on poor quality photos, these can usually be picked out.
Re: New to NAS storage - total beginner, looking to set up a second hand Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2
You are not going to like what I am about to tell you: Frankly, you probably made a huge mistake with this purchase. I hope you didn't spend much. How much is too much? IMHO, anything more than $50 diskless.
The NAS you bought is not what we refer to as a DuoV2 here, it is a V1 and is at least 10 years old. That it runs OS4.1.x and not 5.x proves that. Netgear made a big gaff by re-using the "V2" designation. They had used it on stickers to indicate an insignificant change in design of the original (now referred to as V1) Duo, and then came out with a completely different NAS and called it a V2. I don't know if eBay sellers realize this and still try to pawn off an original Duo as a newer (but still pretty old) V2 model or if they are just unaware, but I see many V1's selling as V2's.
The OS for your NAS has not been updated in a few years and will not be further updated. It is limited to SMB1 and has other security holes in the outdated Debian Linux distro it is derived from that is even older. It uses a 16-bt SPARC processor, so don't even think of trying to replace the OS with something else.
Your NAS is not compatible with ReadyCloud and ReadyNAS Remote that was used with that series of machines has been defunct for many years.
If you still want to try and make use of the NAS, you need to download RAIDar 4.3.8 from here: ReadyNAS-Downloads to get more status information about the NAS. Don't get a later version, as you need the setup option for an older NAS that only the earlier version has. Once you have it running, check the OS version and get 4.1.16 from the same location and update if needed. That's the last OS version for your NAS.
Also, if the drives you bought are WD20EFAX, then they are SMR drives and not well suited for a NAS that uses RAID (even though WD is selling them for that). If they are the WD20EFRX, then they are CMR and should work fine. At least you only went with 2TB drives, as that is the max size for your NAS.
Re: New to NAS storage - total beginner, looking to set up a second hand Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2
Hi Sandshark,
Many thanks for your reply. I am pleased to say the system is all up and running on the older version of RAIDar 4.3.8.
I was shocked to learn that what I purchased was a modified V1, albiet the purchase price was £52.00 and I have some sort of NAS system in place for storing my stuff.
I am very grateful to you for your help and assistance.
Re: New to NAS storage - total beginner, looking to set up a second hand Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2
Hi Jason
Like you, I recently purchased an RNDuoV2, running firmware/OS v5.3.13, off eBay UK about the same time you were purchasing your machine. And although I paid £60 for my device, I am very pleased with it because it's practically brand new, the original purchaser could not get the it to work and so ended up buying a Synology NAS to use instead.
Although I already have previously bought two RNDuoV2 beforehand, I managed to get this third one up and running with help from a couple of forum member, @StephenB and @Sandshark, without their help I would have been truly "up the creek without a paddle", the Netgear manuals for the RNDuoV2 are lacking in some essential details.
Anyway, bought 2 x WD Red Plus HDs, on the advice of @StephenB, and installed them into my new (old stock) device, to my surprise the set-up process went very smoothly and now I'm off-loading data and documents from my PC to my RNDuoV2.
BTW, I've no interest in Ready Cloud or any other Netgear online service, I like my network being self contained and so will not miss these "unavailable" services.
Finally, my experience buying my RNDuoV2 from eBay was quite good, and setting up the device in the latter stages was also very good. I don't know if I will ever buy anything else from eBay but if the price is right I'll probably take a punt.
Re: New to NAS storage - total beginner, looking to set up a second hand Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2
For others considering purchasing used, look at the picture of the rear of the Duo in question. If the fan is the full width of the chassis, it's a "real" V2. If the fan is smaller, and there is an depression where the power plugs in, it's a V1. Even on poor quality photos, these can usually be picked out.
Re: New to NAS storage - total beginner, looking to set up a second hand Netgear ReadyNAS Duo v2
Here's the front of the original Duo (v1). Note it just says "ReadyNAS Duo". The v2 looks the same from the front, except it says "Readynas Duo v2". The finish of the v1 is black - the v2 is more gray than black, but that might not be picked up in a photo.
The backs are definitely different, so if a rear photo is included it is easy to see which it is. Here is a side-by-side that compares the v2 back panel with the v1. The v1 (original) Duo is on the right.
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