Netgear ReadyShare vs Synology NAS

[geotrouvetout]

I have a Netgear N750 cable modem with USB 2.0 ReadyShare.

I can set it up so I have access to my files locally and from the web, it just requires the correct IP address and that is why I never really used it, it does not sound secured enough.

What I would like to do is centralizing all our household files on a single drive that any device can access (laptop, desktop, iOS, Android, Roku) and remotely (personal cloud).

Technically the ReadyShare drive can do that so for less than $300 I could set up a 4TB mirrored cloud storage or even less by reusing my desktop drives which currently have all the data.

The other option I was thinking about is a Synology DS216Play or DS216+II which with 2 NAS HD will set me back between $550 and $650 but I feel this should be more secured
although I don't really know as I never used either before.

Looking for expert opinions, thank you in advance.

 

[1LiquidPC]

I can't say I'm an "expert" in its uses, but I have a basic Synology NAS myself. It's a DS112j. Very happy with mine, though a bit on the slow side being entry level. However, the flexibility it offers far exceeds basic Readyshare. I'm using mine for remote VPN access for family, as well as IP security cameras. There are smartphone applications as well to monitor cameras, download files, ect. remotely as well. They also host free DDNS when you buy the unit, so no worries on remote access. You basically choose a username, and you'll get an address with *.synology.me. This is what you'll connect to for remote access. You can set up access permissions as well for multiple users. There are SMART monitoring options for HDD health, and you can setup the Diskstation to email or txt you if a problem arises, or someone is trying to log in to many times for malicious reasons. DLNA is also supported, so you can streaming music/video to TVs, home theater, ect. There are way more options than I'm describing, most of which are beyond me, lol. Still, I'd certainly recommend one if you're looking for something with more options than a basic NAS.

 

[geotrouvetout]

Thank you for your input.
I think you are right, I discussed with Synology who recommended the DS216j. The cost is only about $100 more than a RAID enclosure which is a no brainer for all the functions it offers over ReadyShare.

I may bite the bullet and go with the DS216+II however, for one because like you said the J is a little in the slow side but the DS216+II can act as an email server and has document viewer which can be very handy.

 

[1LiquidPC]

Sounds like a solid plan. I'd also step up to the better model with more CPU power and RAM. Going back I should have spent a bit more. Mines been running fine for about 2.5 yrs now. Some models have wifi as well. Tons of configuration options and useful features, easy to use interface, ect. This is starting to sound like a sales pitch, lol. None the less, I think you're much better off going with Synology path.