NAS Setup Question

  • 22 May 2021
  • 9 replies
  • 157 views

Userlevel 2
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A couple of questions before I begin my setup for my WD My Cloud NAS.
This will be my first time using NAS. First, I’m replacing my 12 year old Mac with a Windows Lenovo laptop. Yes I guess it would be a downgrade but I’m shifting into retirement mode in the next 2 years. I’m not on the Mac as much these days. Plus I can’t justify the cost $$$ of another Mac when I’m only on it when I’m downloading music and photos. And now with a NAS coming. I am going to miss it. Anyway, the laptop will be here on Monday. My NAS (without the disk drives) is scheduled to arrive today. I purchased the NAS diskless. I just purchased 2 4TB drives this morning so I’m assuming they will be here by Monday. 
So when my NAS arrives today can I set it up without the drives? Or will I have to wait for them to arrive before I can set it up? If I am able to do the setup on the NAS without the drives should I do setup with my very old and very very slow Mac (and 2 external drives)? Or should I wait for my new Windows laptop to arrive to do the setup for NAS? If I do setup today using my Mac am I able to transfer my music library/photos to NAS diskless? Or do I need the disk drives? Which should arrive same day as my laptop. Thank you. 


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9 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +20

You’ll need to point the Sonos App to a specific folder, so you’ll need to have the disks installed and formatted.  It shouldn’t make any difference which device you configure the NAS with, personally I’d use the laptop as that is what you are going to be using going forward and learning to use the laptop instead of the Mac might as well start now. :)

 

Edit:

The NAS without disks is just a network card, with some software but no storage. 

@UKMedia : digressing a little...red wine always helps..:-))

Userlevel 2
Badge +6

You’ll need to point the Sonos App to a specific folder, so you’ll need to have the disks installed and formatted.  It shouldn’t make any difference which device you configure the NAS with, personally I’d use the laptop as that is what you are going to be using going forward and learning to use the laptop instead of the Mac might as well start now. :)

 

Edit:

The NAS without disks is just a network card, with some software but no storage. 

Yes, I was thinking the same but wanted to double check here just in case. The NAS showed up, unboxed and now just waiting. I will work on the transfer of files on computers and then NAS setup. Fingers crossed this Monday. Thx again for the advice. 

Userlevel 2
Badge +6

@UKMedia : digressing a little...red wine always helps..:-))

My choice of beverage would ipa’s/dipa’s. But I think I better hold off when I’m working on the transfers and NAS setup on Monday. Newbie here. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

Once you have the drives in the NAS don’t forget to enable SMB v1 file sharing, it is usually off by default. Sonos requires the v1 so just v2 or v3 won’t work for the music library.

My choice of beverage would ipa’s/dipa’s. But I think I better hold off when I’m working on the transfers and NAS setup on Monday. Newbie here. 

The drink is only for reliably getting better sound quality - works for me every time! Which flavour isn't important, different strokes…

I have a WD my Cloud as NAS for over five years now working flawlessly and you are getting good advice for setting it up.

Userlevel 2
Badge +6

Once you have the drives in the NAS don’t forget to enable SMB v1 file sharing, it is usually off by default. Sonos requires the v1 so just v2 or v3 won’t work for the music library.

This morning I was able to successfully setup my NAS. Disk inside the unit ready to go. What apps do I need to install to use Sonos? I just now installed Plex. There are 21 apps including Plex which I installed. Do I need iTunes server app? 
So what’s the easiest way of getting my music library (and photos) from my external hard drive into my NAS? I used my new laptop to setup the NAS and I currently don’t have any music/photo files in the laptop. I transferred them all to the portable external hard drive from my old Mac. I’m thinking I have to connect the external hard drive to the laptop and transferring them to the laptop first? 

I have two WD NAS boxes, either or both connect OK to Sonos.  I have no apps from the set installed, it works fine as long as smb1 is selected.  I am told that Plex will also work well, but I have never been able to set it up properly to handle Audiobooks which is my primary use - the simple Sonos/Audible service connector works pefectly well for my main usage

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

This morning I was able to successfully setup my NAS. Disk inside the unit ready to go. What apps do I need to install to use Sonos? I just now installed Plex. There are 21 apps including Plex which I installed. Do I need iTunes server app? 

 

No idea, I use no apps on my NAS just SMB v1 to connect using the Sonos Music Library settings on the controller.

 

So what’s the easiest way of getting my music library (and photos) from my external hard drive into my NAS? I used my new laptop to setup the NAS and I currently don’t have any music/photo files in the laptop. I transferred them all to the portable external hard drive from my old Mac. I’m thinking I have to connect the external hard drive to the laptop and transferring them to the laptop first? 

 

If you can connect the NAS and your external drive to your laptop you can use the laptop’s file management tool to make the transfer. There is no reason to transfer them to the laptop as long as you can connect the external and NAS at the same time.