Free Buffalo NAS Upgrade Allows Remote Access

While the new, free feature will not require any additional software, it will only work with the company's LinkStation Live devices, according to a Buffalo representative. Users can access content, such as photos, videos, music, and other data stored on a LinkStation Live, via a standard Web browser.

New LinkStation Live owners can sign up for the service at buffaloNAS.com , and after entering their LinkStation name, immediately connect to their digital content. The feature is also available for existing LinkStation Live customers after a firmware upgrade, the company said.

Buffalo said that its only responsibility is providing a peer-to-peer access conduit to a user's stored files. The company says it can not and will not access any of the shared content. Remote "viewers" of shared NAS files can only view the files, not delete them. In addition to enabling content sharing, Web Access will also include support for MP3 streaming so that users can remotely stream music stored on their LinkStation Live device to any other computer.

The device itself supports UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and comes with optional SSL encryption. Users can also designate who has access to particular files. Users do not have to open firewall ports.

Currently, the LinkStation Live is available in 250-, 320-, 500-, and 750-Gbyte capacities, and lets users to store, access, backup, and share multimedia and other files from any computer on their home network.

Buffalo says the LinkStation Live can be used as an iTunes server - allowing iTunes 7 software to access music stored on the device - and can also download and store photos and videos directly from a digital camera.

In addition to being both Windows and Macintosh compatible, the LinkStation Live allows for transfer rates of up to 35MB/s, includes a 10/100/1000 gigabit Ethernet port, gigabit jumbo frame support, and comes with two USB 2.0 ports for expanded networked storage.

For the time being, Buffalo says that the Web Access feature is only available for LinkStation Live customers, but that it plans on making the feature available for other Buffalo NAS products in the future.

The LinkStation Live is available through Buffalo's Web site and via various retailers for $230 (250 Gbytes), $249 (320 Gbytes), $349 (500 Gbytes), and $649 (750 Gbytes).

Copyright 2007 by Ziff Davis Media, Distributed by United Press International