Pimp my computer cabinet

[00wabbit]

Hello all

I'm buying a class a for fulltiming. My wife and I will be work full time as product designers and photographers.

We will be having a cabinet and desk built in to suit our needs. I want to build in a cabinet that fits all our computer equipment so it is out of site. I have already sourced temperature controlled fans for the cabinet to keep everything cool.

In the cabinet there will be 2 laptops. Both pcs right now but one may be a Mac in the future. We would like to have a NAS as well se we can have central access to our work files and photos. It's would be set up in a redundant raid configuration to protect against data loss.
We would like a wireless router so we can work outside.
Additionally we have a canon large format photo printer that we want to hook to the network so we can print to it. I want it to be independent of the computers so that we don't have to have my laptop on to print from her computer for instance.

Internet will come through millinecom / Verizon hotspot I believe.

What I need to know is a good combination or router, NAS, and printer controller that can do what I need

Right now I use 2 glyph hard drives for computer backups. They are very nice and if there was a way to use them for NAS that would be ideal since I already own them.

[Grimesy]

Huh?

Don G.

[00wabbit]

What's good fr a router and NAS that can serve my
Computers and my printer?

[spinn]

Some considerations and questions.
1) wireless router, consider one that will support the 5ghz spectrum, less interference from other wireless users, just make sure all your devices support it
2) NAS is great but remember it is not a backup solution, you still need to figure that into your strategy.
3) it's your intention to keep your printer in a bay or in the coach? I have always run my large format printers either direct connected to the pc or network connected via cable and not wireless but that is based on the priner management software.

I like the wifi ranger go for its ability to attach to a Verizon mifi device (including millenicom) via usb rather than using "wifi as lan" it does not, however, support the 5ghz spectrum, their newest product (go2) finally supports 1ghz wired connections.

I use the Go plugged into a Cradlepoint 1400, using the CP as a 5ghz access point and the Go as the DHCP server and wireless gateway for both cellular and local wifi. This router also supports 1ghz wired connections.
There are a ton of NAS devices out there, just make sure that what ever you choose will sort 4tb drives. I would suggest RAID5 at a minimum RAID10 if you can afford the space and power draw. Remember the NAS will produce a lot puff least on its own.

Hope this helps-Steve

I mounted my access point on the inside of an upper cabinet door. With the door closed I still get great coverage in the coach if I need greater range I can open the door and extend the antennas.

[00wabbit]

What do you mean by NAS is not a backup solution? DO you mean because it is onsite and could be damaged by fire, theft etc?

We plan to offload data when we visit family a few times a year. I will probably keep one of these glyph drives for that purpose.

The plan is to keep the large format printer in the coach. When we build in the desk area we will build a space to accommodate it. We have had a large format printer for many years so I can't see giving it up and I think it deserves some dedicated space. The printer will always be hardwired to the network, but if the laptops aren't docked and we are working outside or in the bedroom etc I would like to be able to print without docking the laptop or making sure that one of the laptops is on to print through.

[dennis45]

We took our old swivel chair out and put this in to accommodate the TV and our All In One Computer, Printer, Sat Receiver etc.
might give you some ideas

[spinn]

Originally Posted by 00wabbit

What do you mean by NAS is not a backup solution? DO you mean because it is onsite and could be damaged by fire, theft etc?
.

NAS (unless run in raid 1 or 10) are excellent devices to protect from data loss but are not considered as backup devices unless you are synchronizing with another drive. In a raid 5 solution if you lose a drive your performance is hampered but you still have access to your data. Lose a second drive, or worst yet accidentally pull out a good drive instead of the bad drive and you will lose ALL your data.

So your vulnerability will depend on which raid configuration you choose. That is of course not including the type of loss you were mentioning (physical, theft, fire. Physical damage).

Yes use your external drives to back up your raid and keep them in a bay when not in use. Storing offsite, a you mentioned, is always best.

For my images I keep 1 copy on a raid attached to my workstation, and that raid system is backed onto another raid, with working files and catalogues held on a drive internal to the pc

Steve

[vsheetz]

• print server for USB printer
• current plus newest 802.11ac wifi standards
• compact size
• easy setup
• updates firmware automatically to keep itself current
• good support via any apple store, apple online forums, etc.

AirPort Extreme - Apple Store - Apple Store (U.S.)

• with 2TB or 3TB NAS

AirPort Time Capsule - 2TB - Apple Store (U.S.)

Add two portable USB hard drives for backup, off-site backup (rotate, keeping one in the toad), and grab-and-go backup.

[spinn]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

[*]print server for USB printer[*]current plus newest 802.11ac wifi standards[*]compact size[*]easy setup[*]updates firmware automatically to keep itself current[*]good support via any apple store, apple online forums, etc.

AirPort Extreme - Apple Store - Apple Store (U.S.)

with 2TB or 3TB NAS

AirPort Time Capsule - 2TB - Apple Store (U.S.)

Add two portable USB hard drives for backup, off-site backup (rotate, keeping one in the toad), and grab-and-go backup.

Vsheets, your suggestion are great but metro this in mind.
Large format printers often have very specific ways to communicate with the host pc, over and above standard drivers. Such things as vacuum control, color biasing, paper roll control. The op must choose a device which will continue to have this level of control of his printer, sometimes when these printers communicate via a net connection they will not communicate back to the host.

Ac routers are amazing but the op may choose a method for internet access which is not typical for home or business users. Supporting "wifi as lan" and supporting direct attachment to a cellular modern will be featured that he will need. Using an ac router as an access point would be a great way to serve wireless data. Cradlepoint, Pep, wifi ranger seen to be the companies that support mobile connectivity well. If you insisted on ac I would wait for one of those vendors to offer that protocol.

Steve

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by spinn

Vsheets, your suggestion are great but metro this in mind.
Large format printers often have very specific ways to communicate with the host pc, over and above standard drivers. Such things as vacuum control, color biasing, paper roll control. The op must choose a device which will continue to have this level of control of his printer, sometimes when these printers communicate via a net connection they will not communicate back to the host.

Ac routers are amazing but the op may choose a method for internet access which is not typical for home or business users. Supporting "wifi as lan" and supporting direct attachment to a cellular modern will be featured that he will need. Using an ac router as an access point would be a great way to serve wireless data. Cradlepoint, Pep, wifi ranger seen to be the companies that support mobile connectivity well. If you insisted on ac I would wait for one of those vendors to offer that protocol.

Steve

Agree, usage of a wifi access point supposes a back haul device that will allow the appropriate connectivity option. Also agree the printer may have requirements that a print server with USB or other connection may not provide.

11ac will quickly become wide spread in devices this year and next. In the OP's usage scenario it would be beneficial for speeding moving files on the local network to the NAS.

[FlyingDiver]

Most recent higher-end routers will have a USB port that can handle your printer. I just got an Asus RT-AC66U. It's 801.11ac. The Airport Extreme will also do the job, and many others.

I'm a huge fan of the Synology NAS devices. I have one of the four-bay units. One neat feature are the USB and/or eSata ports for connecting a "backup" device for the NAS.

[timarti]

I did a double take at your pix. Thought I saw a (OMG! I can't even remember what it was called....... wait, a photographic enlarger head plugged into the wall. Then I realized it was a Dyson Digtal. Been a long time since I had a darkroom. Got all nostalgic there Digital is great, but the smell of fixer in the morning...... oh well, those were the days.

[00wabbit]

Originally Posted by spinn

Vsheets, your suggestion are great but metro this in mind.
Large format printers often have very specific ways to communicate with the host pc, over and above standard drivers. Such things as vacuum control, color biasing, paper roll control. The op must choose a device which will continue to have this level of control of his printer, sometimes when these printers communicate via a net connection they will not communicate back to the host.

Ac routers are amazing but the op may choose a method for internet access which is not typical for home or business users. Supporting "wifi as lan" and supporting direct attachment to a cellular modern will be featured that he will need. Using an ac router as an access point would be a great way to serve wireless data. Cradlepoint, Pep, wifi ranger seen to be the companies that support mobile connectivity well. If you insisted on ac I would wait for one of those vendors to offer that protocol.

Steve

Just to clarify this is a 13x19 canon inkjet photo printer. It's not a large roll type printer. The drivers are fairly normal.

[spinn]

Then as others suggested having it set up as a network resource would be great. If the printer is near your router or a switch then connect with a cat5, if you are moving large amounts of data between your laptops and your nAS I would suggest you hardwire those as well if it is practical. Moving data through a 1gb cable pipe is a more robust (and often faster) than wirelessly. Using something like a 802.11ac access point would give you the option of a fast link when you want to move the laptops from the cabinet.

Sorry for large data transfers I still like a cabled connection more than a wireless one. If the laptops are located close to your router then moving between wired and wireless is pretty painless.

Have fun-Steve