WL-HDD limited to 6 users?!

[pauldude]

I run a software training system which runs on a self-contained LAN and usually consists of 20-30 users - usually W2K or XP, all requiring a common mapped folder. With the limit on desktop OS's of 10 connections I have always required a Windows Server machine, which can be v difficult at a client's site.

So it was with excitement that a cheap NAS appeared in the form of the WL-HDD. I emailed the Asus Tech support and they reassured me that as long as there were enough IP addresses on the network, there should be no limit to the number of users. So I bought one and was concerned to see in the setup a limit to the number of users (6). On emailing Asus again they said that there was a limit to protect the bandwidth etc.

A limit of 6 users? Is that right? I cannot test this at the moment as I only have 3 PCs, but when I set the limit to 1 the other 2 cannot connect. I am amazed that this amazing product is limited like this - I will be sending mine back if this is the case. In my view this limit makes it useless to any business other than the smallest... Even some home networks have more than 6 PCs.

I'm hoping that I'm wrong - or there's a firmware release that sorts this problem - as I said, I need access the the shared folder simultaneously from 20-30 PCs (using a wired 100Mb network). Please help!

[Antiloop]

I run a software training system which runs on a self-contained LAN and usually consists of 20-30 users - usually W2K or XP, all requiring a common mapped folder. With the limit on desktop OS's of 10 connections I have always required a Windows Server machine, which can be v difficult at a client's site.

cut

eh.. 20-30 users? well the wl-hdd maximum speed is around 2Megabyte/sec achieved with a custom build firmware

I strongly suggest you to install a linux server and use that for sharing stuff

11Megabyte/sec sounds a little nicer with 20-30 users

[pauldude]

Speed isn't really a huge issue, it's more a case of practicallity. Let me explain: A lot of the training is done at banks where they supply 20-30 laptops running XP or 2000. We turn up and install the software. Because of the sharing problem with Windows we need to ask them to also supply a server at which point they usually start mumbling and scratching their heads. They never want us to use critical servers and they never have one 'lying around'. So we have installed W2000 server on a laptop, but this means that that laptop is then out of comission during the serssion and we want to have the ability to run more than one session at a time.

That's why the WL-HDD looks so good, we can arrive with a switch and a WL-HDD and the bank simply supplies x laptops which is never a problem. As I say, speed isn't the issue here and anyway, the whole system is running on a 100Mb wired network, not a wireless one. We simply need something that will allow 20 or 30 PC clients to map to the same fodler.

[Oleg]

Well, probably you can use one of the laptops as fileserver...

Yet another thing, please clarify - do you need just 20-30 concurent user sessions (anonymous) or you need to have 20-30 separate user accounts?

Also, you may want to take a look on the Linksys NSLU2 device. The only drawback is the external drive. But it's should much faster, than wl-hdd.

[pauldude]

Thanks, Oleg.

We can't use one of the on site laptops as a fileserver because they don't tend to have 2000 (or 2003) server installed, so they can only support 10 simultaneous connections.

We need 20-30 anonymous accounts - we simply need all client PCs being able to see the same folder.

I'll check out the Linksys device, maybe that will be the answer.

Still, I can't believe that the WL-HDD is limited to 6 users - am I missing the point or is this device aimed more at homes than businesses?

Paul

[Antiloop]

look at the price of the wl-hdd

thus yes it is intended for home users..

[Oleg]

Still, I can't believe that the WL-HDD is limited to 6 users - am I missing the point or is this device aimed more at homes than businesses?

Yes, it's for limited home use.
It has limitation of 6 user accounts, not for 6 concurent connections.

Antiloop, am I wrong?

[brubber]

Just buy a cheap second hand laptop, install any flavour of linux and SAMBA and off you go. Probably you can even run a virtual linux machine on your laptop leaving the laptop available for other stuff.

Furthermore I think OLEG is right, 6 accounts doesn't rule more concurrent connections.

[hugo]

Yes, it's for limited home use.
It has limitation of 6 user accounts, not for 6 concurent connections.

Antiloop, am I wrong?

I agree with the fact the Wl-HDD is too slow for concurent connections.
In the case of our training room, the 6 concurent connection would be if samba couldn't fork more than 6 time (which is not the case) So in a way, it is possible to have 30 concurent connections, as there will not be any firmware lock. But each one will be so slow it would need to wait for one to finish to start one other.

On the other side, as a trainer, you get a DHCP, DNS, WINS box and some FTP, HTTP and SSH services which is good to demo, and lighter to take with you.

In a few words, if it use is for casual file copying, and mostly server services on the go, the the WL HDD is the thing to get because of it's form factor.

If you need file sharing for a production environment with progtram installation, go for a real laptop or computer.

My guess is that you only need a few word documents to save on the box. The WLHDD will happily do the job for this files, even for 50 students.

As for the user account, I think it is not the problem for you as you just need concurent connections. In any case, you can use latest Oleg's firmware to set up as many user account for file sharing as you want (well at least a few hundreds )

[Antiloop]

Yes, it's for limited home use.
It has limitation of 6 user accounts, not for 6 concurent connections.

Antiloop, am I wrong?

eh no..

you are right

it has the ability to create 6 user accounts with different privileges

meaning that you don't need to create an user account at all

just make the dirs you need and assign it to the GUEST (if I recall it correctly) account

[Antiloop]

I agree with the fact the Wl-HDD is too slow for concurent connections.
In the case of our training room, the 6 concurent connection would be if samba couldn't fork more than 6 time (which is not the case) So in a way, it is possible to have 30 concurent connections, as there will not be any firmware lock. But each one will be so slow it would need to wait for one to finish to start one other.

On the other side, as a trainer, you get a DHCP, DNS, WINS box and some FTP, HTTP and SSH services which is good to demo, and lighter to take with you.

In a few words, if it use is for casual file copying, and mostly server services on the go, the the WL HDD is the thing to get because of it's form factor.

If you need file sharing for a production environment with progtram installation, go for a real laptop or computer.

My guess is that you only need a few word documents to save on the box. The WLHDD will happily do the job for this files, even for 50 students.

As for the user account, I think it is not the problem for you as you just need concurent connections. In any case, you can use latest Oleg's firmware to set up as many user account for file sharing as you want (well at least a few hundreds )

well if you are unfamilair with linux I do not suggest to use the current custom wl-hdd firmware from Oleg(wl-hdd 1.8.1.7-3). The firmware either needs EXT3 of vfat partition before samba even runs

at the current stage for the custom wl-hdd firmware from oleg it is also not possible to create user accounts or sharing via the webinterface

[pauldude]

Think I'll give up with this and have to live with supplying a server laptop. Shame really, as this would be a kicking product if they:
1. Forgot about the wireless stuff and
2. Allowed unlimited connections.

Then you'd have a fast useful product that would appeal to businesses. I checked out the LinkSys NSLU2 but some reviews slated it as being v slow. I agree, and couldn't bring myself to buy a USB casing for a laptop drive only to plug it into another device. Ideally I would like a small box with a 3.5" IDE drive and a RJ45 LAN port and no wireless or USB nonsense. If anyone knows of such a thing (on a reasonable budget of course) then let me know!

Thanks for all the comments

Paul

[pauldude]

One more thing of (vague) interest:

I emailed Asus before purchasing and got this response about the number of connections:
http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techmai...41116218218239

I then emailed them again and got this:
http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techmai...11192043196239

[Oleg]

Well, yet another thing - VIA EPIA based PC with appropriate casing.
As for cool media devices - wait several years for them to appear... ;-)