Wireless External HD options?

[topher-j]

Hello,

I have a MBP, and I would like to get a external HD for it. Optimally, I don't want it connected to the MBP at all. I have a wireless router (D-Link) in my home, so I was wondering if there was an option to have it connect via ethernet cable to the modem and then access it from my MBP via airport.

Or is there a bluetooth option?

I don't know much about this.

Bottom line is I want extra storage for my laptop that can sit in my house and I don't want to be wired to it.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Bluetooth - no.

What you are looking for is called Network Attached Storage (NAS) - a hard drive with a tiny embedded server, that attaches to the Ethernet network.

It will not be as fast as a Firewire drive. It will also be a SMB server, not an Appleshare server, so there will be some restrictions on filenaming etc. Not unusual for a server, but you can't just treat it like a Mac hard drive.

Western Digital has the MyBook World, Seagate and LaCie have products like this too. The networking companies like DLink and Buffalo etc also have NAS products.

 

[topher-j]

Can anyone recommend any good brands, places (in canada) to get one of these?

 

[nbhms]

Infrant ReadyNAS

Can anyone recommend any good brands, places (in canada) to get one of these?

The Infrant ReadyNAS NV has an option to turn on Apple file and print if you want to avoid SMB networking. I've seen it listed at NCIX.COM before. They are, however, a little pricy compared to some of the other NAS boxes (but you definately get more flexibility/options/speed).

www.infrant.com
www.ncix.com

 

[slefkoff]

Wireless HDD

I dunno if this is something you're considering or not (or if you know about it), but Steve said in his last keynote about Leopard that it will support an external hard drive connected to the USB port on an Airport Extreme. The Airport Extreme is fairly pricey, but you will be able to use a usb hub and attach a hard drive and printer to it - making both wireless. Oh and it'll also link to your hard drive via the router - an N network connection (if your wireless card supports it)

Steve