synology

Connected Home, Technology

How To: Synology DS1821+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) & DSM 7.0

We just upgraded our Synology NAS units from Synology’s prior model, DS1817+ to their latest model, DS1819+. In my previous article, I reviewed not just the DS1817+ chassis but also the M2D17 M.2 SATA SSD expansion card. I also covered software features including downloadable Synology and third-party applications, the file system, file sharing, synchronization & backup, and security. Continue reading How To: Synology DS1821+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) & DSM 7.0

Mike Connelly
Connected Home

How To: Home Network 4.0 with Ubiquiti Unifi Dream Machine Pro, Switch Pro, Flex Mini, Smart Power Plug & UPS Review & Calibration Updated

My friends laugh (and my wife sighs) at how often I upgrade our home networking gear. Our biggest equipment swap occurred two years ago, when we consolidated our entire home network on Ubiquiti Unifi gear. Last year, I upgraded our firewall, network controller, and WiFi access points. I also added a PoE-powered switch to our data closet. Separately, we replaced one of our home security camera systems with the Ubiquiti Unifi Protect system. Now it’s time for more upgrades… Continue reading How To: Home Network 4.0 with Ubiquiti Unifi Dream Machine Pro, Switch Pro, Flex Mini, Smart Power Plug & UPS Review & Calibration Updated

Mike Connelly
Connected Home

How To: Synology DS1819+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) Review & Migration

We just upgraded our Synology NAS units from Synology’s prior model, DS1817+ to their latest model, DS1819+. In my previous article, I reviewed not just the DS1817+ chassis but also the M2D17 M.2 SATA SSD expansion card. I also covered software features including downloadable Synology and third-party applications, the file system, file sharing, synchronization & backup, and security. Continue reading How To: Synology DS1819+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) Review & Migration

Mike Connelly
Connected Home

How To: Deploying a Ubiquiti UniFi Home Network including Multiple WiFi Access Points (Part 2) Updated

Following are my recommended configuration changes for an optimized Ubiquiti UniFi home network. I use them in our home with a gigabit-speed Internet connection. To get the best results, you will need to tune your wireless home network. This includes accounting for neighboring networks, interference, the density of your APs, the number of your wireless clients and their idiosyncrasies in terms of wireless standards support. If you don’t use Sonos, IoT, or femtocell devices, some of these settings below may not be necessary for you. Continue reading How To: Deploying a Ubiquiti UniFi Home Network including Multiple WiFi Access Points (Part 2) Updated

Mike Connelly
Connected Home

Synology DS1817+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) Review & Configuration Updated

It is amazing how much data our family generates. We record our home videos in 4K resolution. We have scanned over 100 years of our family photo albums and slides in TIFF format for permanent archival. I shoot high-resolution images on my Nikon D500 and Fuji X100F cameras in RAW format. I ripped hundreds of CDs that I bought over the decades in lossless audio format. We have constructed a multi-room DVR solution for our home, time-shifting cable and local OTA content. I run my application development environments in virtual machines. And, we back up all of our Macs using our NAS’ Time Capsule service. Continue reading Synology DS1817+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) Review & Configuration Updated

Mike Connelly