NAS Setup Guide for Home Networks
Set up a Network Attached Storage device for centralized file storage, media streaming, backups, and more on your home network.
What Is a NAS?
A Network Attached Storage (NAS) device is a dedicated file server that sits on your home network. It provides centralized storage accessible from every device — computers, phones, tablets, and smart TVs.
Common NAS use cases:
- File sharing — A central location for family photos, documents, and projects.
- Media server — Stream movies, music, and photos to any device via Plex or Jellyfin.
- Automated backups — Time Machine (Mac), File History (Windows), or rsync (Linux) targets.
- Cloud replacement — Self-hosted alternatives to Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud.
- Surveillance storage — NVR for security camera recordings.
Choosing Hardware
| Option | Cost | Ease | Performance | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synology/QNAP | $$-$$$ | Easy (GUI) | Good | Most home users |
| DIY (old PC + TrueNAS) | $-$$ | Moderate | Great | Tinkerers |
| Raspberry Pi + USB drives | $ | Moderate | Limited | Light use |
For most home users, a 2-bay Synology (DS224+) or QNAP unit with two drives in RAID 1 (mirroring) provides a reliable, easy-to-manage solution.
RAID Levels Explained
| RAID Level | Drives | Capacity | Redundancy | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAID 0 | 2+ | Full (all drives) | None (one failure = total loss) | Fast |
| RAID 1 | 2 | Half (mirror) | Survives 1 drive failure | Good read |
| RAID 5 | 3+ | N-1 drives | Survives 1 drive failure | Good |
| RAID 6 | 4+ | N-2 drives | Survives 2 drive failures | Moderate |
| SHR | 2+ | Variable | Synology Hybrid RAID, flexible | Good |
RAID is not a backup. RAID protects against drive failure, not against accidental deletion, ransomware, or fire. Always maintain an offsite backup (cloud or external drive stored elsewhere).
Network Configuration
A NAS performs best when connected properly:
Internet ── Router ── Switch ── NAS (Ethernet, 1GbE or 2.5GbE)
└── Desktop (Ethernet)
└── Laptop (Wi-Fi)
- Always use Ethernet — Never connect a NAS over Wi-Fi. Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps = ~110 MB/s) is the minimum.
- 2.5 GbE upgrade — If your NAS and switch support 2.5 GbE, you get ~280 MB/s, which exceeds single HDD speeds and benefits SSD caches.
- Jumbo frames — Enable 9000 MTU on the NAS, switch, and client for a 10-15% throughput improvement on large file transfers. All devices in the path must support it.
Setting Up SMB Shares
SMB (Server Message Block) is the standard file sharing protocol:
# Windows: Map network drive
\\NAS-IP\shared-folder
# macOS: Finder → Go → Connect to Server
smb://NAS-IP/shared-folder
# Linux: Mount via fstab
//NAS-IP/shared-folder /mnt/nas cifs credentials=/etc/samba/creds,uid=1000 0 0
Create separate shared folders with appropriate permissions: Photos (read-only for family), Backups (per-user, private), Media (read-only, Plex/Jellyfin access).
Remote Access
To access your NAS from outside your home:
- VPN (recommended) — Set up WireGuard or OpenVPN on your router. Connect to your home VPN first, then access the NAS as if you were home. This is the most secure method.
- Reverse proxy — Expose specific services (e.g., Synology Drive, Plex) through a reverse proxy with HTTPS and authentication.
- Vendor quick connect — Synology QuickConnect and QNAP myQNAPcloud provide easy remote access but route through vendor servers.
Avoid exposing NAS management ports (5000/5001) directly to the internet. NAS devices are frequent targets for ransomware.