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Create your own NAS with a RaspberryPi

RasperryPi NAS using Samba SMB Server

Now that the RaspberryPi 4 has a true Gigabit ethernet connection as well as two USB3.0 ports it can operate as a powerful, but cheap home NAS. In this tutorial we go over step by step how to set up your own RaspberryPi NAS for a personal file server. We are then going to test out and see how fast this sub $50 board is as a file sever with a speed test.

Overview

The new RaspberryPi 4 comes with a huge update: it now has a true Gigabit Connection and two USB3.0 Ports! This addition makes the new RaspberryPi 4 the perfect contender for an ultra-low cost home NAS!

In this tutorial we are going to go over how to setup a Samba server to allow for almost any operating system to connect to the server! {works with Mac / PC / iOS / Linux} 

 Required Parts

  • RaspberryPi (with SD card formatted to Raspbian / power supply) 
  • Hard Drive / SSD / USB Drive
    • If using a hard you either need a powered USB hub or a Desktop Hard drive This is because the RaspberryPi does not supply very much power over the USB hub, and regular hard drives draw too much power. 
    • SSD’s do not draw very much power
  • A computer to connect it to

Connecting back from Anywhere in the World

After setting up a RaspberryPi NAS you probably are going to want to be able to connect to it from the internet. While you could technically just open up the SMB port to your Router YOU SHOULD NOT DO THIS SMB is simply not built for remote access. Instead what you should do is create a VPN server hosted on your RaspberryPi. This will allow you to securely connect into your network from your laptop or phone from anywhere in the world!

The above are amazon affiliate links. No one has paid me to get their products on this list, however if you click the links and purchase an item I get a small fee from amazon as a referral.

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