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Cheap / simple hardware device to set up a remote server...

510 views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  spinFX 
#1 ·
Not sure if this is the correct forum, but here goes.

I'm going to be spending a lot of time staying with out of state family over the next few weeks. I'd like to somehow set up a hardware device which would allow me to move (copy) important files back and forth across the internet. I don't need access to my home computer, but I would like to access various files remotely from my house while I'm away.

Are there any simple hardware devices where I move around 500 - 700 Gig of files back and forth remotely from a long (out of state) distance? Just something I could leave running 24/7 at home and copy back and forth whenever I need to.

Any input appreciated, sorry if I'm posting in the wrong section.
 
#2 ·
FTP should do good for what you want to do. Look into FileZilla.

You'd need to leave your computer on at home, though, so might not be the best option.
 
#3 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TinyRichard View Post

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but here goes.

I'm going to be spending a lot of time staying with out of state family over the next few weeks. I'd like to somehow set up a hardware device which would allow me to move (copy) important files back and forth across the internet. I don't need access to my home computer, but I would like to access various files remotely from my house while I'm away.

Are there any simple hardware devices where I move around 500 - 700 Gig of files back and forth remotely from a long (out of state) distance? Just something I could leave running 24/7 at home and copy back and forth whenever I need to.

Any input appreciated, sorry if I'm posting in the wrong section.
Drop box and setup a VPN Server and just RDP into PC and move files needed into drop box when needed?

Or you can just VPN in and access your PC like if it was on the same network, if you have you PC setup for that.

Problem would largely be your ISP's Upload speed at your home. Back when I had Cable, with 4mbps upload. Streaming movies via Plex was sometimes a pain as I would have to drop the stream to 3 or even 2mbps sometimes. Moved to a faster connection with 20mbps upload, been great. But would never want to move 500GB+ files through that. Would take forever.

I honestly would go with the VPN route to start with. Granted you will need to change a reg setting on windows to use NAT-T. As LT2P, IPSEC behind a NAT requires NAT-T. And Windows Blocks the connection to a VPN behind a NAT for some odd reason by default, Something Android, iOS, Mac OSX, Linux does not do. Luckily it is dead easy to do.

LT2P, IPSEC for VPN with preshared key would be easy to setup.
 
#4 ·
thanks for the replies. At the risk of sounding stupid, is there a simple all in one hardware device that would work for my purposes? Maybe some type of USB Harddrive plugged in to my router or maybe a 2bay QNAP NAS setup?

I really don't want to leave my PC on 24/7.

thx for helping me out btw
 
#5 ·
Possibly the simplest option I can think of is a RPi and your drive attached via an enclosure. Set up a PiVPN or SFTP on it and you're pretty much good to go (don't forget to forward the necessary ports and test it!).

I would not recommend using your router's FTP.
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TinyRichard View Post

thanks for the replies. At the risk of sounding stupid, is there a simple all in one hardware device that would work for my purposes? Maybe some type of USB Harddrive plugged in to my router or maybe a 2bay QNAP NAS setup?

I really don't want to leave my PC on 24/7.

thx for helping me out btw
QNAP would work.

You can setup a VPN on that hardware, and other methods.

Just make sure you get one that uses an Intel Chip.

Quote:
Originally Posted by fragamemnon View Post

Possibly the simplest option I can think of is a RPi and your drive attached via an enclosure. Set up a PiVPN or SFTP on it and you're pretty much good to go (don't forget to forward the necessary ports and test it!).

I would not recommend using your router's FTP.
This would work, but it would suck for any local file transfers. It is super slow. Slow USB 2.0 interface for the HDD, and Slow Ethernet tied to the same USB 2.0 bus. Fast enough for connecting outside his network, just would drive him made moving file back and forth on his internal network.
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by DzillaXx View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by fragamemnon View Post

Possibly the simplest option I can think of is a RPi and your drive attached via an enclosure. Set up a PiVPN or SFTP on it and you're pretty much good to go (don't forget to forward the necessary ports and test it!).

I would not recommend using your router's FTP.
This would work, but it would suck for any local file transfers. It is super slow. Slow USB 2.0 interface for the HDD, and Slow Ethernet tied to the same USB 2.0 bus. Fast enough for connecting outside his network, just would drive him made moving file back and forth on his internal network.
Indeed, I did not intend for him to initially transfer the files over network, but take out the drive instead, and put it in the enclosure, hence why I only mentioned the enclosure. I should have clarified, my bad.
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Otherwise it would truly be a nightmare.

I wanted to offer a low-cost (<$100) solution which would only function during his time away - at least that's what I gather OP wanted.
 
#8 ·
What are the internet speeds up and down at each location you willbe at?
500+ GB could potentially take weeks to move if you dont have good speeds at both places. At 25mb connection speed, fully saturated for the entire time, it would take 45 hours to transfer one way. Your going to want at least 100mb/s connection speeds in both places to get any kind of remotely reasonable time for the transfer. At least with 100mb/s you could just transfer it over night one day.

500GB * 1024 = 512,000 megabytes
512,000 MB * 8 = 4,096,000 megabits of data
4096000 / 25 mb/s = 163840 seconds
163840s / 60 = 2730.666 minutes
2730m / 60 = 45 hours

A 5mb/s upload speed which is typical for many cable ISPs would turn that 45 hours into nearly 10 days transfer time.
 
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