2. digital
  3. 159249-96541

NAS with RAID for streaming to Sonos Connect

Hi all,

My music library currently resides on a USB external HDD connected to my laptop.   If I reboot my laptop, or connect to a customer VPN (or my own company's VPN), the external HDD loses connectivity to SONOS of course.   Also my home office is farther away from the wifi router than optimal, and I need a better solution.

So I want to change to a dedicated NAS that will always be available to my SONOS Connect (which outputs via coax interface to my preamp >> booksheld speakers) and SONOS Play speakers.

With that in mind, an somebody recommend a simple home-use NAS with RAID?      We really don't watch movies,  and my music library is currently less than 1TB, but will grow in the future most likely, so a smaller, two-drive NAS should suffice, unless somebody has another suggestion.

I'm looking for something that I can buy in one shot with HDDs loaded, even if the base unit comes empty, I want to get everything from the same vendor in the same purchase if that makes sense.    I don't want to do excessive fiddling with it to get it to work.  It will sit on or under the bookshelves and attach (I hope) directly to the router.

Thanks in advance,

Eric Zwicky
Richmond VA
ezwicky
ezwicky OP
26 posts
 
I just did some reading in the forum archives and see where RAID is not really meant for backup, so I withdraw that criterion.   

With that in mind I am thinking about something along the lines of WD My Cloud, and periodically back it up to an external HDD.      

I would be copying my music files to the NAS from the HDD that I use today anyway, so I've already got my backup device.

Just need to figure out which NAS to buy.   I'll continue to read posts on this forum (and elsewhere) on the topic, but would still appreciate any advice on specific device.

Eric
sfseay's avatar
sfseay
496 posts
 
I use a Synology NAS to serve my Sonos AMP.  It has two 10TB drives and has served me well for over two years.  I moved to an Antiopodes DX2 to serve music in my main system. 
flrun's avatar
flrun
92 posts
 
EZ,

RAID is not really meant for backup? RAID is the definition of backup... you would probably want Raid 1, you use two hard drives and they are duplicates so if you lose one you still have everything.

I prefer Synology, I have used many at work over many years. I would check Amazon I believe they sell them with hard drives already in. They also have many built in features that come with them.

You are right about one thing back up to your NAS and a external USB, that is what I do.

Yes it will attach directly to your router.

What ever your current storage usage is now double it for the NAS, at least. Drives have gotten so cheap now, can't have to much.

Will
More to discover