We want a server to share files instantly

[trickrickmusic]

Hi all. I live with 3 other individuals and we all work from our own computers but often need to share large files together to keep the flow going. Currently we use Google Drive which is a pain to upload and download every time.

Where I work, they have a server set up so that every uploaded file is instantly accessible to everyone. There actually may be an upload time, but it must be extremely short.

What should we get? We're all connected to the same network.

 

[mjslakeridge]

When you go into Windows file explorer (it's now called Libraries), can you see the other computers on your network? You can set up a homegroup with all of the computers, and then allow file sharing. That's what I do for my 3 computers. No need for a file server.

 

[Eximo]

If you want something were you can put files and then have access to them when one of you leaves or shuts off the computer, then what you want is a home NAS (Network Attached Storage).

Some higher end routers support plugging an external hard drive, via USB, to them and then show up on the network as a shared drive. That can be cheaper than some NAS solutions. (Check to see if your router does this)

If you have spare hardware you can also build a NAS server and run it with an OS like FreeNAS.

Smaller companies use NAS devices, larger companies use SAN or Storage Area Networks or other enterprise class solutions. Most home solutions are bottlenecked by network speeds, but as long as your files aren't enormous then it should work fine over 1Gbps network or decent N or higher class WiFi.

 

[mjslakeridge]

Hey Eximo. Your response got me wondering about my router (Motorola NVG589 Gateway). It has a USB 3.0 port. According to the manual I downloaded, if a powered USB external drive is connected, a green LED on the front should light up. Sadly, when I connected a powered USB HDD, the light did not come on. After a little bit of research, it appears that AT&T has disabled the USB port on the router. That's too bad. It does serve as a charging port for a smartphone, but nothing else.

 

[Eximo]

Hmm, I wonder if you could flash that device to the manufacturer's original specs.

You could go out and buy your own Router and just use the AT&T as your modem. Or replace it entirely with your own Modem/Router.

Modem/Routers typically pay for themselves in a year if the ISP is charging you to rent their equipment. Only downside is if you move and a different ISP or internet type is present.

 

[mjslakeridge]

I know I could get another router, but I don't really need the external HDD for network storage. I was just curious about whether it would work with the gateway I have. I don't get charged monthly for the AT&T gateway (not directly anyway), so getting my own router would not lower my monthly bill.

For me, having sharing enabled for certain folders on the various computers on my home network allows us to access required files. That seems like the easiest solution for the OP (better than Google Drive, who knows what they are "sweeping up" from files stored there).

As for flashing the Motorola to original specs, that wouldn't be something I would be comfortable doing. It took me a bunch of effort to get my wireless IP cams working with the current setup, so I wouldn't want to have to repeat that.

 

[Alabalcho]

If you have some spare time, you can build a NAS, or (Dropbox-like, OwnCloud, NextCloud etc) out of a $35 Raspberry Pi 3, and your USB hard drive. Plenty of tutorials how to do that.

 

[USAFRet]

Hi all. I live with 3 other individuals and we all work from our own computers but often need to share large files together to keep the flow going. Currently we use Google Drive which is a pain to upload and download every time.

Where I work, they have a server set up so that every uploaded file is instantly accessible to everyone. There actually may be an upload time, but it must be extremely short.

What should we get? We're all connected to the same network.

Any average PC and Shared Folders can do this easily.
If you want to go big, a prebuilt NAS box. Synology or Qnap, perhaps.

 

[mdd1963]

with Gigabit connections to Lan switch, you could get a file sent or read to/from a server (or shared storage folder/directory on any of the three computers) at hypothetical max of 100-120 MB/sec....

reading files from a single spinning drive, one is lucky to get sustained reads of 60-80 MB/sec...; a set of four drives in RAID 10 will easily saturate a 1 Gb/sec connection....

If native-SSD-like speeds (540 MB/sec) are desired to/from a server, you'd need 10 GB connections...and RAID 50 with 6-8 drives.