How to set up an external 4 disk USB hard drive enclosure as a NAS for your network.

Parts

Note
 I realize that WD Blue are not ideal for an always on/always load NAS system but I use mine more like a connected backup/storage and it has lots of idle so I’m not concerned with the longevity of the bearings or whatever their reason for charging more is.

Setup

  • Unwrap Case

  • Unwrap Disks

  • Install handles on disks

  • Mount disks in case

  • Connect case to computer

  • Format disks

  • Disconnect case

  • Connect case to Fritz!Box

  • Go through FritzBox setup instructions for USB memory

  • Create users on FritzBox to control access to NAS

  • Note down user credentials for credentials file

  • Add mountpoints for NAS disks

    sudo mkdir -p /media/NAS1/
sudo mkdir -p /media/NAS2/

  • Create credentials file $HOME/.smbcredentials

    username=<username for FritzBox>
password=<password for that user>

  • Add NAS disks to fstab

    //192.168.1.1/FRITZ.NAS/NAS_ONE/ /media/NAS1/ cifs credentials=/home/maggus/.smbcredentials,uid=1000,gid=1000,vers=1.0 0 0
//192.168.1.1/FRITZ.NAS/NAS_TWO/ /media/NAS2/ cifs credentials=/home/maggus/.smbcredentials,uid=1000,gid=1000,vers=1.0 0 0

  • Mount all disks

    sudo mount -a

  • Start using NAS

Important
 Most instructions on the web ignore that from some versions of Ubuntu you need to specify the cifs protocol version. This is the "vers=1.0" portion in the fstab entry. Without this you will get error messages about (112) Host is down or something like that.

Problems with Partitions

  • Fritz!OS 6.87

  • Can’t use ext3/ext4 partition. Simply won’t add it.

  • Only works with FAT/FAT32/NTFS

  • AVM Support claims the disk is partitioned wrong but won’t explain what "partitioned correctly" means.

  • Partitioned with GParted 0.28.1 and gnome-disk-utility 3.26.1 (both not leading to a recognized ext3/4 partition).