If there's a specific app you want to use with your NAS, check compatibility when you're shopping around.

During the setup process you'll be asked how you want to configure the hard disks you've installed.Ī lot of people set up a media server like Plex on their NAS to handle the job of streaming files all around the house or around the world, and you can find instructions for that here (opens in new tab) - it's just a question of installing an app on the NAS itself. In the case of our Synology drive, you need to visit in an open browser window, but check the supplied instructions for details on yours.Īs we mentioned earlier, you've got lots of options here - you can use the NAS to back up data and mirror it to two drives at once, you can choose to store all your movies and TV shows on there and stream them around the house, and so on. In the case of the DS418j, the back panel screws off to reveal a hard drive cage - your chosen number of drives simply slot in with a couple of screws to attach them, and as always, handle hard disks carefully and around the edges.Īfter a few minutes, while the NAS gets its bearings, you should be able to log on to the device through your web browser and start storing files on there. How you fit the drives will vary depending on the NAS, but you may well need a screwdriver to finish the job off. It's possible that your NAS will come with disk drives already built in, which is something to look for if you don't want the hassle of fitting them yourself, and don't have a preference when it comes to disk manufacturer. Of course your first job is to read the instructions that came with your device to make sure you don't brick it before it's even up and running. Here we're also using two 4TB Toshiba N300 series (opens in new tab) drives. We can't tell you how to set up every make and model of NAS drive out there - but we can talk you through the process for the Synology DiskStation DS418j (opens in new tab), a four-bay device suitable for home use, and other models will work along similar lines.

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