Price : Too low to display
Linksys By Cisco Media Hub ( 500GB storage, additional bay available to add more storage )
This review is from : Cisco-Linksys 500 GB Media Hub
Good Central Storage & Background Backup . The Media Hub was suprisingly very easy to set up. I just followed the step by step instructions. The only difficulty was knowing the router's pass phrase which one might not know unless you setup your router. Connecting other computers was just as simple. And the easy with which I was able to remotely access the Media Hub over the web through Linksys' portal was shocking.
I was expecting the backup to create a mirror of my laptops hard drive like a tape drive system. The base settings are set to only backup your My Documents and Settings folder which it did without duplicating files.
The duplicating file stucture takes a little getting use to in that it creates a copy of each computer that is attached in a matching tree format that appears burried in a imported files folder. This took a little searching to discover. The good thing however is when you open the included software all the music, pictures and videos are there and accessible and not duplicated.
The self duplicating feature of the system is a dream. As I add data, mp3, etc. it monitors my documents and duplicates the file without action on my part. I don't see a great need for the one button backup with this feature, but that maybe my inexperience with backup equipment.
For general computing the access times over by wireless G system seems fine. I haven't tried video only music and data.
I have only experimented with the remote connection to know that it works and I am anxious to see how it performs on my next vacation when I leave the media home and access the Media Hub.
Good Central Storage & Background Backup . The Media Hub was suprisingly very easy to set up. I just followed the step by step instructions. The only difficulty was knowing the router's pass phrase which one might not know unless you setup your router. Connecting other computers was just as simple. And the easy with which I was able to remotely access the Media Hub over the web through Linksys' portal was shocking.
I was expecting the backup to create a mirror of my laptops hard drive like a tape drive system. The base settings are set to only backup your My Documents and Settings folder which it did without duplicating files.
The duplicating file stucture takes a little getting use to in that it creates a copy of each computer that is attached in a matching tree format that appears burried in a imported files folder. This took a little searching to discover. The good thing however is when you open the included software all the music, pictures and videos are there and accessible and not duplicated.
The self duplicating feature of the system is a dream. As I add data, mp3, etc. it monitors my documents and duplicates the file without action on my part. I don't see a great need for the one button backup with this feature, but that maybe my inexperience with backup equipment.
For general computing the access times over by wireless G system seems fine. I haven't tried video only music and data.
I have only experimented with the remote connection to know that it works and I am anxious to see how it performs on my next vacation when I leave the media home and access the Media Hub.
Cisco-Linksys 500 GB Media Hub Reviews
Love it! Streams movies all over the house! . I love this thing! Ive loaded it up with 2TB drives and now have quite a collection of HD movies and music. I have no problem streaming media to my tv situated all over the house (3200sqft). Such good value and everything i've been looking for!
Love it! Streams movies all over the house! . I love this thing! Ive loaded it up with 2TB drives and now have quite a collection of HD movies and music. I have no problem streaming media to my tv situated all over the house (3200sqft). Such good value and everything i've been looking for!
Cisco-Linksys 500 GB Media Hub Opinions
Great for non-techie . IF you are looking for a small home NAS and you are not a computer engineer this will suit you sell. The software is simple to use and easy to deploy. With a single 500GB drive you have a decient amount of storage space but there is not RAID protection, so you still need to back up what is important.
Great for non-techie . IF you are looking for a small home NAS and you are not a computer engineer this will suit you sell. The software is simple to use and easy to deploy. With a single 500GB drive you have a decient amount of storage space but there is not RAID protection, so you still need to back up what is important.
Good Product but could use a little programmig update . I've had my Media Hub for over 2 years now. In fact I ran out and purchased this unit the week it entered stores based on pre-release details (and some hype).
What I've decided is that its a good product. Overall it functions well. The systtem runs cool, handles all the data I throw at it and does what its designed for. Where I run into problems is:
A. Drive Speed - with WD Green Drives this unit is allowed to regulate drive speed itself and often seems slow.
Solution:
My recommendation here is to swap for WD Black 7200rpm drives or better yet, if cost is not an object move up to 10,000 rpm velociraptor drives. Seagate's new SSID Hybrid Drives are another choice that may yeild great results if streaming movies is your goal.
B. Wireless Connectivity - There is no direct wireless connectivity to the unit.
Solution:
This unit will have to be connected to a wireless router which can be a great convenience but the router needs to be setup to prioritize packets. This will prevent lag when streaming and that awful delay when scrolling through visual depictions of photo, music and video albums. I have yet to try this connected to a Draft N Router but I'm told burst rates of 300mbps are possible. If this claim is legitimate then this might also resolve the issue but again, I'd advise users to configure your router personally vs. just accepting default settings. Mine is currently hard wired to all but my laptops for better speed.
**Last but not least.. the folling is my biggest complaint with the product***
C. Organization - The organizational software is pretty. Its interface appears very organized and visually stunning however there is one problem. How does it dictate file and folder structure?
A quick example would be Photos. I'm sure like most of you I organize my family photos into albums based on subject, year, function etc.. Vacation - California Coast - November 2010 might be a good one. Unfortunately once these files are loaded into the Media Hub this organizational structure I worked so hard to create has no use. Pictures are on the Media Hub but they are randomly organized with no rhyme or reason. I intially thought this might have to do with date and time stamping like maybe my camera didn't have the correct setting and thus had been the true culprit but thats not apparently the cause. Music and Videos seem fine, it just seems to be pictures and Albumn Structure that it doesn't like. I have sent a support request to Linksys and am hoping that they can shed some light on this but this is the one item where I'd say buyer beware.
Solution:
I have read some tips online about editing the programming on the device through a back door in the web interface. This may yield favorable results since it allows you to create and modify some structure yourself however long term I dont see this providing a better solution, plus this may be a bit complicated for the average Joe. In fact I am even hesitant to do this with all but a spare set of drives incase I mess up the unit and have to flash it back.
Another potential save would be a more intuitive programming upgrade from Linksys that allows users to choose how to organize their data but I have yet to see something that friendly come out. Again, this is my biggest hurdle and the only reason i cannot give this product more than three stars.
That said I do hope to modify this review in the future support from Cisco or Linksys can provide assistance. In short, if your looking for a product to store your files, create backups and recover files I do believe you'll be satisfied with the Linksys Media Hub.
What I've decided is that its a good product. Overall it functions well. The systtem runs cool, handles all the data I throw at it and does what its designed for. Where I run into problems is:
A. Drive Speed - with WD Green Drives this unit is allowed to regulate drive speed itself and often seems slow.
Solution:
My recommendation here is to swap for WD Black 7200rpm drives or better yet, if cost is not an object move up to 10,000 rpm velociraptor drives. Seagate's new SSID Hybrid Drives are another choice that may yeild great results if streaming movies is your goal.
B. Wireless Connectivity - There is no direct wireless connectivity to the unit.
Solution:
This unit will have to be connected to a wireless router which can be a great convenience but the router needs to be setup to prioritize packets. This will prevent lag when streaming and that awful delay when scrolling through visual depictions of photo, music and video albums. I have yet to try this connected to a Draft N Router but I'm told burst rates of 300mbps are possible. If this claim is legitimate then this might also resolve the issue but again, I'd advise users to configure your router personally vs. just accepting default settings. Mine is currently hard wired to all but my laptops for better speed.
**Last but not least.. the folling is my biggest complaint with the product***
C. Organization - The organizational software is pretty. Its interface appears very organized and visually stunning however there is one problem. How does it dictate file and folder structure?
A quick example would be Photos. I'm sure like most of you I organize my family photos into albums based on subject, year, function etc.. Vacation - California Coast - November 2010 might be a good one. Unfortunately once these files are loaded into the Media Hub this organizational structure I worked so hard to create has no use. Pictures are on the Media Hub but they are randomly organized with no rhyme or reason. I intially thought this might have to do with date and time stamping like maybe my camera didn't have the correct setting and thus had been the true culprit but thats not apparently the cause. Music and Videos seem fine, it just seems to be pictures and Albumn Structure that it doesn't like. I have sent a support request to Linksys and am hoping that they can shed some light on this but this is the one item where I'd say buyer beware.
Solution:
I have read some tips online about editing the programming on the device through a back door in the web interface. This may yield favorable results since it allows you to create and modify some structure yourself however long term I dont see this providing a better solution, plus this may be a bit complicated for the average Joe. In fact I am even hesitant to do this with all but a spare set of drives incase I mess up the unit and have to flash it back.
Another potential save would be a more intuitive programming upgrade from Linksys that allows users to choose how to organize their data but I have yet to see something that friendly come out. Again, this is my biggest hurdle and the only reason i cannot give this product more than three stars.
That said I do hope to modify this review in the future support from Cisco or Linksys can provide assistance. In short, if your looking for a product to store your files, create backups and recover files I do believe you'll be satisfied with the Linksys Media Hub.
So far so good.... . We have an ever growing media collection (mainly photos) and wanted a way of confidently storing the photos and sharing access. I looked at this system and the HP 495. I decided to take a chance (ref mixed reviews) on the Linksys system after the recent significant price drop (down to $130 USD). As suggested by another reviewer I Installed 2 x 2 TB drives (the units suggested by the Amazon page) and selected Raid 1 configuration to give the back-up data arrangement that was one of our main objectives. The 'free' helpline that comes with the unit was invalueable. Also there are great help pages on the Linksys homepage. We use PC & Mac computers no problem. The weblink to the server works fine so I can access the server when away from home. Movies stream no problem thru my home network - Linksys N router - no hint of lag or hesitation. I don't think this item can be described as plug & play however with a little perseverance its delivery is impressive, so much so that I have purchased a 2nd unit for work use.
Cons Review
Stay away from this DOG - Is Zero stars allowed? . Purchased before Christmas to access and stream music files from itunes. This particular box has an indexing issue that selectively brings over files without rhyme or reason. IF a file gets to the unit. Works like a charm. IF not.....well you are on your own then. Customer service was very cordial, but alas not very helpful. After three weeks of trial and error calls with support, I now wait for someone in California to review my "case" and get back to me in 24-48 hrs. I'll let you know how that goes. 'Til then CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!
does not seem to stream ;( . I returned it to Amazon, I am not sure why but I cant get it to stream video in my home network. It always wanted to download the entire video first. When streaming music it seemed to need to stop and buffer quite a bit. I think I will save up and by the HP.
Feature Cisco-Linksys 500 GB Media Hub
- Provides two bays with SATA interface, easy installation and removal - First bay pre-installed with one 500 GB, green-power hard disk drive
- Provides two USB ports
- Supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet connection
- Supports RAID1/JBOD configurations
- Share storage with PCs connected to the network through SMB/CIF protocol
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Product Details
EAN : 0745883585885UPC : 745883585885
MPN : NMH305
Brand : Cisco
Weight : 7 pounds
Height : 8 inches
Length : 12 inches
Width : 10 inches
Binding : Electronics
Manufacturer : Linksys
Model : NMH305
Publisher : Linksys
SKU : DHNMH305
Studio : Linksys
Where To Buy
You can buy Cisco-Linksys 500 GB Media Hub on Amazon . Click here to Read More
