Product Description

The versatile Ethernet Big Disk works with or without a network. Universally accessible on every wired or wireless network, this drive is capable of sharing files between Windows, Mac and Linux users. If there is no network available, the Ethernet Big Disk can be used with your PC or Mac without any file system limitations. Comes with an additional USB 2.0 port for attaching an extra hard drive expand your network¿s storage capacity. The user-friendly Wizard Install with Auto IP configuration quickly and easily sets-up your Ethernet Big Disk. The full-featured web-based administration interface allows configuring your network settings including user profiles and security permissions. Only authorized users can log on to specific shared folders. For ultimate convenience, the LaCie Ethernet Big Disk can be accessed via web browsers, FTP or the network neighborhood. The Ethernet Big Disk can be used as a simple, cost-effective data server. PC, Mac and Linux users can simultaneously and securely store and share office files throughout the entire network. The impressive network performance, especially with Jumbo Frame support, makes this solution perfect as a centralized backup location. Encased in sturdy, heat-dissipating aluminum, its unique cooling system offers safe, near-silent operation. Easily play your digital media content on any UPnP AV-compatible digital media adapter (DMA) without the need for a computer. Ideal for streaming digital media content, the Ethernet Big Disk can act as your multimedia server. System Requirement: Ethernet switch or router, PC or Mac equipped with an Ethernet network adapter or a USB 2.0 port, G4 Power Mac/PC with Pentium II 233Mhz processor or higher, Web browser (Explorer, Safari, Firefox etc.).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31645 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Aluminum
• Brand: LaCie
• Model: 301156U
• Dimensions: 6.70" h x 1.70" w x 10.60" l, 5.51 pounds
• Memory: 16MB
• Hard Disk: 1000GB

Features

• Gigabit Ethernet & USB 2.0 interface
• Expandable capacity through a USB host port
• Users & share level permissions
• Jumbo Frame support
• Quick & Easy IP configuration

Customer Reviews

This drive is great, It should not be trashed by people that expect it to be a USB drive.
After seeing a few complaints about this drive, I looked into it further and found that most of the complaints are without merit.
1 - You are buying a NETWORK DRIVE - these are not compatible with Leopard's Time Machine feature, this is because Time Machine does not support network drives. (Hopefully this will change in the near future.)

2 - The USB connection is really allow you to connect in a pinch, when you have no access to a router. It is not intended to connect and be formatted as a regular USB drive. If you need a local USB drive, get one, its cheaper than this one.

3 - Speed. The only way to get a faster than this, is to dedicate a computer to serving files, Install Mac OS X Server, that would be faster than the embedded server in this device, but at how much more power & cost?
I actually ran a speed comparison with my Mac Mini that is currently running Leopard -- file transfer were nearly the same, albeit the Mac Mini has a laptop drive in it, but it has a full scale G4 processor in it, far more power than the embedded processor in the LaCie drive

The Good Stuff:
1 - This is one of the few NAS drives that supports AFP directly. This is the feature I was waiting for, in order to go NAS. All of the Apple metadata gets stored without loss, Very Very good! I hate having to use an SMB connection to a FAT32 filesystem. That is not Mac, and will never replace AFP.

2. When I installed the drive, I plugged it into my router, opened Safari and opened its web page from the Bonjour list. After setting up all my users and shared, I then popped the CD into my computer to read the manual.

3. This drive does not require additional software on your computer, if your computer can connect to a router, it will talk to this drive.

4. The drive can be expanded, you can plug an additional USB drive into it, that drive then becomes shared also.

The Bad Stuff:
1. The web administration interface is slow, but since I don't plan on administering the drive every day, I don't think its a real drawback.

2. The drive never seems to spin down. Some people like this because its instantly available at a moment's notice, I personally would prefer it to to have a user adjustable sleep timer, to save energy and have less wear on the drive mechanism.

Overall:
Like the LaCie drives I've used in the past, Its in a metal case, it feels solid, and it works well, and its made in the USA!

Also LaCie supports the Mac, as a forethought, not an afterthought.

Not much better than a $300 paperweight
I have 3 PCs and 1 MacMini. The network drive was fairly easy to set up. The drive imediately showed up on my MacMini bonjour list and it was fairly easy log on and change all the
After about 9 months of use all my created shares disappeared after a power outage. I'm sure the data is still there as when I set up new shares the available space on the disk was reduced by the amount of the old shares. Not knowing how to solve this problem easily without accessing the linux system. I decided just keep using the drive with the new shares until I could devote some research time to recapturing the old shares. Now 11 months from purchase, it completely died. You can't access anything. It doesn't even show up as an attached device. It's a big paperweight. Sure I could probably retrieve my data if I took the drives out and put them in a PC, but I just don't have time to do that. What a nightmare. I'm trying speak to customer support but have been waiting 21 minutes so far and I'm sure best case they will want me to send the drive in which I can't do because there's secure data on the drive. $300 down the drain I guess. Fortunately it's just my backup drive.

Great network storage!
So far this Ethernet Big Disk works just like it advertises. My wife and I each have a Mac Powerbook G4 networked via an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station b/g with the Big Disk plugged into the LAN port of the Airport. The IP Configurator software sets it up easily. Once it is set up you can browse to it via the Network in the Finder, or you can get straight to it by selecting the Go menu and then Connect to Server... in the Finder. We are using it to share files for our home business and to also consolidate our iTunes libraries. I also love the fact that you can expand the storage capacity by adding another USB hard drive to it. The only drawbacks are excessive fan noise and the manual is fairly hard to follow. Other than that it works like a champ - so far. : )