Setup and Network Configuration
So, how does it work? Very well. I am writing this from the perspective of someone with a clue about setting up networks, this is a SOHO or small business device, if you don't have the skills to set up a rudimentary server, you probably should not be setting up a NAS box to go with it. With that in mind, getting the N4100 up and configured was a piece of cake for me, the only thing I needed to look at the manual for was the default IP and default password. If you can config a PC's IP and know what raid level you want, you should be able to set it up with ease too.
As was stated in the review of the N2100, the unit defaults to an IP of 192.168.1.100, something that may or may not make your life easy. If you are not on the 192.168.1.x subnet, you will have to change you IP, log in to the N4100's web server and change the IP to where you want it to go. Several other appliances and printers have a front mounted LCD and buttons where you can set the initial IP, and then log in. This would be welcome on the NAS box, but would also add to the cost. Overall, it is only a slight inconvenience, and probably not worth the money to add a status panel. Once the IP is set, you simply log on to the box with a web browser. One problem is that the connection is not secure by default, something that should be the norm, in this day and age, a net based storage system should not allow sending of passwords in the clear. You can turn off unsecured data access, but not unsecured administration, any decent admin should know better, but forcing the issue never hurts.
The Menus
Once in, the management is pretty straightforward. There are six menus, Status, Storage, Network, Accounts, System and Language. Every task and sub-menu is where you think it should be, pretty logically laid out with no hidden 'gotchas' or horribly quirky thinks hidden where you would least expect them. There is a lot of duplicated content, and things split up in weird ways, but not in any way that prevents you from locating the menus, more toward head scratching than throwing things at the screen.
The first menu, Status, is pretty much what it sounds like, and has three sub-menus, System, Info and About. The last two show a system description, serial numbers and uptime, nice but nothing that could not be combined with the System menu, pictured. That one shows CPU load, memory size, and what disks are installed. Nowhere does it show the RAID level however, that is in the following Storage menu.
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