Just installed a Buffalo Linkstation Pro Duo 1TB network drive (see pic below) which was relatively straightforward – took all of 10 minutes following the simple instructions provided and I’m not much of a PC techie – but just thought I’d jot down a couple of installation notes for those with issues.
Installed under Windows XP on two PC’s and Vista on a laptop.
#1. The first issue was mapping the network drives under XP. One PC recognised it straight away and mapped no issue. The other XP PC could see it (this was the PC with the NAS installation software on it) but wouldn’t map it. Kept getting an error saying that the Linkstation was inaccessible and I didn’t have permissions. The issue was with the Zonealarm firewall…you have to add the IP of the Linkstation to your Trusted Zones. Following this it was a breeze.
#2. The Linkstation powered off when I closed the PC with the NAS software on it making it inaccessible to the other PC’s. On the back of the unit is a Power switch with three settings: Off, On, Auto. The top one is Auto and if set to that, the Linkstation will power down when the last PC with the NAS software is shut down. Simply put it in the middle position and you’re good to go.
Just a footnote to this one: you only need to install the Buffalo NAS software on one PC to set it up on the network. You can see it from other PC’s and laptops without the need to put the NAS on them.
#3. Minor, but I couldn’t see how to map the Linkstation Pro drive on Windows Vista. It’s a crap O/S anyway, but turns out you go to START / Computer and the option is in there.
#4. Firmware. Mine was up to date when I got it from Amazon (v 3.09) but if you want to get the latest to be sure, make sure you get it from your local Buffalo site. I live in Europe but went to the Buffalo .com site, clicked “Support” and “Download” and it asked me for my serial number. When I put the Linkstation serial number in it kept sating “Invalid serial number”. Answer: go to the Europe site (map available on homepage) and get the firmware from there…it doesn’t ask for a serial number. For the record, the Serial Number is on the Linkstation cardboard box!
General Thoughts On The Linkstation Pro
Setting up the Linstation Live Web Access was easy. Just go to buffalonas.com and set up a username. You can set individual user/group permissions on the drive through the NAS software.
Have to say, while the boot up of the Linkstation Pro is quite noisy, after a minute or two it settles down and is dead quiet. Size wise, the Linkstation Pro Duo is about the same size as a thick hardback book and a little heavier so quite small really. The ethernet cable supplied with it isn’t that long at about 2 metres but no biggie. Like the fact the Linkstation Pro has a USB port so you can add on more hard drives.
The Web Access interface is basic and probably only good for getting the odd file up and down rather than swathes of MP3 files, but locally I copied over about 10 Gig of MP3 files in a little over an hour from my PC over a wireless Netgear network.