Thecus Technology N299 User Manual

Thecus n299 user’s manual

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Thecus N299
User’s Manual
Copyright and Trademark Notice
Thecus and other names of Thecus products are registered trademarks of Thecus Technology Corp. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Apple, iTunes and Apple OS X are registered trademarks of Apple Computers, Inc. All other trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
About This Manual
All information in this manual has been carefully verified to ensure its correctness. In case of an error, please provide us with your feedback. Thecus Technology Corporation reserves the right to modify the contents of this manual without notice.
Product name: Thecus N299
Manual Version: 1.1.1
Release Date: August 2008
Limited Warranty
Thecus Technology Corporation guarantees all components of Thecus N299 are thoroughly tested before they leave the factory and should function normally under general usage. In case of any system malfunctions, Thecus Technology Corporation and its local representatives and dealers are responsible for repair without cost to the customer if the product fails within the warranty period and under normal usage. Thecus Technology Corporation is not responsible for any damage or loss of data deemed to be caused by its products. It is highly recommended that users conduct necessary back-up practices.
Safety Warnings
For your safety, please read and follow the following safety warnings:
 Read this manual thoroughly before attempting to set up your N299.
 Your N299 is a complicated electronic device. DO NOT attempt to repair it under any circumstances. In the case of malfunction, turn off the power immediately and have it repaired at a qualified service center. Contact your vendor for details.
 DO NOT allow anything to rest on the power cord and DO NOT place the power cord in an area where it can be stepped on. Carefully place connecting cables to avoid stepping or tripping on them.
 Your N299 can operate normally under temperatures between 5°C and 40°C, with relative humidity of 0% – 80%. Using the N299 under extreme environmental conditions could damage the unit.
 Ensure that the N299 is provided with the correct supply voltage (AC 100V ~ 240V, 50/60 Hz). Plugging the N299 to an incorrect power source could damage the unit.
 Do NOT expose the N299 to dampness, dust, or corrosive liquids.
 Do NOT place the N299 on any uneven surfaces.
 DO NOT place the N299 in direct sunlight or expose it to other heat sources.
 DO NOT use chemicals or aerosols to clean the N299. Unplug the power cord and all connected cables before cleaning.
 DO NOT place any objects on the N299 or obstruct its ventilation slots to avoid overheating the unit.
 Keep packaging out of the reach of children.
 If disposing of the device, please follow your local regulations for the safe disposal of electronic products to protect the environment.
Table of Contents
Copyright and Trademark Notice 2
About This Manual 2
Limited Warranty 2
Safety Warnings 3
Table of Contents 4
Chapter 1: Introduction 8
Overview 8
Product Highlights 8
File Server 8
Media Server 8
FTP Server 8
iTunes® Server 8
Photo Gallery 8
Backup Server 9
Download Manager 9
Printer Server 9
IP Cam Surveillence Server 9
Package Contents 9
Front Panel 10
Rear Panel 11
Chapter 2: Getting Started 12
Overview 12
Before You Begin 12
Hard Disk Installation 12
Cable Connections 13
Installation Wizard 13
First Time Setup 17
Step 1: Initial Login 17
Step 2: System Check and Configuration 17
Step 3: Configure Network Settings 17
Step 4: Select RAID Level 18
Step 5: Create Local Users and Groups 18
Step 6: Create Folders and Set Up ACLs 19
Step 7: Start Services 19
Chapter 3: System Configuration 20
Overview 20
Web Administration Interface 20
Menu Bar 20
Language Selection 21
Language Package Upload and Management 21
Status Menu 22
Product Information 22
System Status 22
System Information 23
Printer Status 23
Storage Management 24
Disk Information 24
RAID Information 24
RAID Configuration 25
RAID Level 25
Disk Settings 25
Creating a RAID 26
Deleting a RAID 26
Folder Management 26
Adding Folders 27
Editing Folders 27
Deleting Folders 27
Folder Access Control List (ACL) 28
Service Folders 28
Network Management 29
WAN Configuration 29
LAN Configuration 30
DDNS Configuration 30
WLAN Configuration 31
Web Services Configuration 32
Windows Network Configuration (SMB/CIFS) 32
Apple Network Setup 33
NFS Setup 33
User and Group Management 34
Local User Configuration 34
Adding Users 34
Modifying Users 35
Deleting Users 35
Local Groups Configuration 35
Adding Groups 36
Modifying Groups 36
Deleting Groups 36
System Management 37
System Notifications 37
System Logs 37
Time and Date Settings 38
System Configuration Backup and Restore 38
Reset to Factory Default Settings 39
Upgrading System Firmware 39
Change Administrator Password 40
Reboot and Shutdown System 40
Logout 40
Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup 41
Overview 41
FTP Server 41
iTunes® Server 42
Media Server 42
Adding Media Share Folders 43
Connecting DMAs to the Media Server 43
Download Manager 44
Adding an HTTP Task 44
Adding an FTP Task 46
Adding a BT Task 49
Deleting Tasks 52
Scheduling Downloads 52
Printer Server 53
Windows XP SP2 53
Windows Vista 54
IP Cam Surveillance 56
IP Cam Configuration 57
Step 1: Connect the IP Cam to the N299 57
Step 2: Designate a Capture Schedule 58
Step 3: Browse Captured Images 60
Chapter 5: Using the N299 61
Overview 61
Login Page 61
Using WebDisk 61
Using iTunes® Server 62
Adding Music Files 62
Playing Music Files 62
Using Photo Gallery 63
Managing Albums and Photos 63
Creating Albums 63
Password Protecting Albums 63
Uploading Pictures to Albums 64
Windows XP Publishing Wizard 64
EXIF Information 69
Slide Shows 69
File Backup 70
Nsync 70
Adding an Nsync Task 71
Modifiying an Nsync Task 71
Deleting an Nsync Task 71
Setting Up an Nsync Target on an Nsync Device 72
Setting Up an Nsync Target on Another Device 72
Designating N299 as an Nsync Target 72
Thecus Backup Utility 73
Windows XP Data Backup 74
Apple OS X Backup Utilities 75
One-Button USB Copy 75
Chapter 6: Tips and Tricks 76
Mapping a Client PC to the N299 76
Windows 76
Apple OS X 77
USB Storage Expansion 78
Replacing Damaged Hard Drives 78
Hard Drive Damage 78
Replacing a Hard Drive 79
RAID Auto-Rebuild 79
Remote Administration 79
Part I - Setup a DynDNS Account 79
Part II - Enable DDNS on the Router 80
Part III - Setting up Virtual Servers (HTTPS) 80
Firewall Software Configuration 80
Chapter 7: Troubleshooting Guide 81
N299 Won't Turn On 81
Resetting NAS IP Address and Admin Password 81
Forgot My Network IP Address 81
Can't Access N299 from the LAN 81
Can't Map a Network Drive in Windows XP 81
N299 Chassis Feels Hot 82
Can’t Find Printer Server / Media Server / Download Manager 82
Restoring Factory Defaults 82
Problems with Time and Date Settings 82
Simple Problem Diagnosis Procedure 83
Appendix A: Product Specifications 84
Hardware Specifications 84
Software Specifications 84
Appendix B: Customer Support 86
Appendix C: RAID Basics 87
Overview 87
Benefits 87
Improved Performance 87
Data Security 87
RAID Levels 87
RAID 0 87
RAID 1 88
JBOD 88
Stripe Size 88
Disk Usage 88
Appendix D: Licensing Information 89
Overview 89
Source Code Availability 89
CGIC License Terms 90
GNU General Public License 90
Chapter 1: Introduction
- Overview
Thank you for choosing the Thecus N299 IP Storage Server. The Thecus N299 is an easy-to-use storage server that allows a dedicated approach to storing and distributing data on a network. Data reliability is ensured with RAID features that provide data security and recovery. Two Gigabit Ethernet ports enhance network efficiency, allowing the N299 to take over file management functions. The N299’s user-friendly GUI supports multiple languages, and its built-in media server and optional wireless connectivity via USB dongles allow users to share and enjoy their digital media in virtually any room of the house.
- Product Highlights
  - File Server
First and foremost, the N299 allows you to store and share files over an IP network. With a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, you can centralize your files and share them easily over your network. With the easy-to-use web-based interface, users on your network can access these files in a snap.
To learn about the Web User Interface, go to Chapter 5: Using the N299 > Web User Interface.
- Media Server
The N299 can also act as a convenient media server, allowing you to enjoy and share photos, music, and movies via the uPnP AV streaming protocol.
To set up the Media Server, refer to Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup > Media Server.
- FTP Server
With the built-in FTP Server, friends, clients, and customers can upload and download files to your N299 over the Internet with their favorite FTP programs. You can create user accounts so that only authorized users have access.
To set up the FTP Server, refer to Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup > FTP Server.
- iTunes® Server
Digital music is one of the hottest trends, and with the built-in iTunes® server, you can share your digital music files with every iTunes-equipped PC on your network. The iTunes Server is also incredibly easy to set up!
To set up the iTunes Server, refer to Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup > iTunes Server.
- Photo Gallery
Got a lot of photos? Share them effortlessly with the N299’s built-in Photo Gallery. Users can create albums and upload photos in a snap, and the N299 will even auto-create thumbnails.
To find out how to share photos with the N299, refer to Chapter 5: Using the N299 > Using Photo Gallery.
- Backup Server
Don’t leave precious data to chance. With advanced backup capabilities, you can easily upload mission critical files to the N299, and even automate your backup tasks for true peace-of-mind.
To find out how to backup your files with the N299, refer to Chapter 5: Using the N299 > File Backup.
- Download Manager
Tired having downloads take up all of your bandwidth when you need it most? With the N299’s Download Manager, you can let the N299 complete your BT, HTTP, and FTP during off-peak hours. With the N299 lower power requirements, you can even save money off your monthly power bill.
To set up the Download Station, refer to Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup > Download Manager.
- Printer Server
With the N299’s Printer Server, you can easily share an IPP printer with other PCs connected to your network.
To set up the Printer Server, refer to Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup > Printer Server.
- IP Cam Surveillence Server
Keep an eye on things with the built-in IP Cam Surveillence Server. Just plug in a compatible webcam and the N299 can send snapshots to an account that you specify. Best of all, your PC doesn’t even have to be turned on!
To set up the IP Cam Surveillence Server, refer to Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup > IP Cam Surveillence.
- Package Contents
Your N299 package should contain the following items:
 Thecus N299 NAS Device
 Accessory Pack:
o Power cord
o RJ-45 Ethernet cable
o hard disk screws
o hard disk tray screws
o Installation CD
o Quick Installation Guide
o Warranty card
Please check to see if your package is complete. If you find that some items are missing, contact your dealer.
- Front Panel
The N299’s front panel displays the unit’s array of status LEDs, and is also where you’ll find the power button and USB port. See the table below for a detailed explanation of each:
- Rear Panel
The rear panel of the N299 houses the USB and Ethernet connections, as well as the power connector. See the table below for descriptions of each:
Chapter 2: Getting Started
- Overview
Your N299 is designed for complete ease-of-use. To help you get started, the following chapter will help you get your N299 up and running in no time. Please read it carefully to prevent damaging your unit during installation.
- Before You Begin
Before you begin, be sure to take the following precautions:
1. Read and understand the Safety Warnings outlined in the beginning of the manual.
2. If possible, wear an anti-static wrist strap during installation to prevent static discharge from damaging the sensitive electronic components on the N299.
3. Be careful not to use magnetized screwdrivers around the N299’s electronic components.
4. The N299 uses its chassis to dissipate heat. Please leave your N299 in a well-ventilated area to prevent overheating.
- Hard Disk Installation
The N299 supports standard 3.5” (SATA) hard disks. To install a hard disk into the N299, follow the steps below:
1. Remove two screws located on the back of the unit using a Philips screwdriver.
2. Unscrew four mounting screws.
3. Lift up the hard disk tray by pulling up the top panel of the N299.
4. Carefully insert a standard 3.5” SATA hard disk into the tray, and secure the hard disk with screws from the included accessory pack.
5. If you are installing two hard disks, please insert the second hard disk at the bottom of the tray and secure it with screws from the included accessory pack.
6. Carefully lower the hard disk tray back into the N299.
7. After making sure the tray is in place and the connectors are aligned, secure the hard disk tray with screws.
- Cable Connections
Make the following connections on the Thecus N299 and then power up the unit:
1. Connect an Ethernet cable from your network to the WAN port on the back panel of the N299.
2. Connect the provided power cord into the universal power socket on the back panel. Plug the other end of the cord into a surge protected socket.
3. Press the power button on the front panel to power on the N299.
4. Make sure system is running properly by checking all front panel LEDs for any error indications.
- Installation Wizard
The handy Thecus Setup Wizard makes configuring N299 a snap. To configure the N299 using the Setup Wizard, perform the following steps:
1. Insert the installation CD into your CD-ROM drive (the host PC must be connected to the network).
2. The Setup Wizard should launch automatically. If not, please browse your CD-ROM drive and double click on Setup.exe.
3. Complete the Setup Wizard
a. Device Discovery
The Setup Wizard will start and automatically detect all Thecus Storage devices on your network.
b. Login
Login into N299 with administrator’s account and password.
c. Network Setting
Name your N299 system and configure the network IP address. You can choose either fixed IP or DHCP.
d. Change Admin Password
e. Start Browser
Access the current N299 administrator Web User Interface pressing the “Start Browser” button.
f. RAID and FW installation
Please config the RAID first then carry on with FW installation to complete setup procedure.
- First Time Setup
Once the hardware is installed, physically connected to your network, and powered on, you can now configure the Thecus N299 so that it is accessible to your network users. Follow the steps below for initial software setup.
- Step 1: Initial Login
Make sure your network is connected to the Internet and access the N299 Login webpage:
1. Type in the default IP address http://192.168.1.100 in your browser’s address line. If you have changed the N299’s IP address, type this in instead.
2. The Login screen appears.
3. To gain initial access to the system type in the factory default administrator user name and password, which are as follows:
User Name: admin
Password: admin
4. Press Login.
5. The About screen from the Status menu appears showing product information.
- Step 2: System Check and Configuration
Once logged in, you are greeted with the Web Administration Interface, where you can check the N299’s status, as well as configure its operating parameters.
1. In the Status menu, choose the System item to go to the System Status screen. Check that the basic system information such as CPU loading and Fan RPM are all OK.
2. In the Status menu, choose the Info item to go to the System Information screen. Change the System Description to describe your system and press Apply. This information appears on the Login page.
3. In the System menu, choose the Administrator Password item. The screen that appears lets you change the administrator password for the system. Press Apply to confirm your settings.
4. In the System menu, choose the Time item and the Time screen appears. Set the date, time and time zone and press Apply.
- Step 3: Configure Network Settings
After setting the N299’s basic configuration options, the next step is to configure its network settings.
1. In the Network menu, choose the WAN item and the Network Configuration screen appears.
2. Set host name and specify the domain name.
3. Enable DHCP for setting the IP automatically or Disable DHCP to enter your own IP settings.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the LAN item under the Network menu to configure the LAN port.
5. In the Network menu, choose the Service item and the Service Support screen appears.
6. Enable or Disable each protocol according to your requirements. Press Apply to confirm the setting.
For details on configuring your network settings, refer to Chapter 3: System Management > Network Management.
- Step 4: Select RAID Level
Once the network is configured, you should then select the appropriate RAID level and build your RAID array.
1. From the Storage menu choose RAID item and the RAID Information screen appears. Press the Config button and the RAID Configuration screen appears.
2. Select your desired RAID mode.
3. Check the hard disks you wish to create a RAID on. Specify a stripe size—64K is a normal setting.
4. Press the Create button to build the RAID storage volume. Configuring RAID is usually only required for initial setup.
- Step 5: Create Local Users and Groups
After your RAID is built, you can begin to create local users and groups for the N299.
1. From the Accounts menu, choose Users item and the Local User Configuration screen appears. Click Add to add a new user.
2. Enter a name and password for each user in the Name and Password boxes and re-enter the password in the Confirm Password box.
3. Press the Apply button for each user and they will be added to the user list.
4. From the Accounts menu, choose Groups item and the Local Group Configuration screen appears. Click Add to add a new group.
5. Enter a group name in the Group Name box and click Apply to add the group to the group list.
For more on managing users, go to Chapter 3: System Management > User and Group Management.
- Step 6: Create Folders and Set Up ACLs
Once users are introduced into your network, you can begin to create various folders on the N299 and control user access to each using Folder Access Control Lists.
1. From the Storage menu, choose the Folder item and the Folder screen appears. Press the Add button and the Add Folder screen appears.
2. Enter the name and description of the folder and choose whether it is browseable. Press Apply to create the folder.
3. On the Folder screen press ACL (Access Control List) to configure which users have access to this folder.
4. On this screen, configure access to this folder for users and groups. Select a user or a group from the left hand column and then choose Deny Access, Read Only, or Writable to configure their access level. Press Apply to confirm settings.
For more information on managing folders, see Chapter 3: System Management > Storage Management > Folder Management.
To find out about configuring Folder Access Control Lists, see Chapter 3: System Management > Storage Management > Folder Management > Folder Access Control List (ACL).
- Step 7: Start Services
Finally, you can start to setup the different services of the N299 for the users on your network. You can find out more about each of these services by clicking below:
Windows Networking Media Server
Apple File Protocol (AFP) Download Manager
FTP Server Printer Server
iTunes® Server IP Cam Surveillance Server
Photo Gallery
- Overview
The N299 provides an easily accessible web management interface. With it, you can configure and monitor the N299 anywhere on the network.
- Web Administration Interface
Make sure your network is connected to the Internet. To access the N299 Login Page:
1. Type the N299’s IP address into your browser. (Default IP address is http://192.168.1.100)
2. Login to the system using the administrator user name and password. The factory defaults are:
User Name: admin
Password: admin
If you changed your password in the setup wizard, use the new password.
Once you are logged in as an administrator, you will see the Web Administration Interface. From here, you can configure and monitor virtually every aspect of the N299 from anywhere on the network.
- Menu Bar
The Menu Bar is where you will find all of the information screens and system settings of the N299. The various settings are placed in the following groups on the menu bar:
Clicking on any of these items will display the dropdown menu selections for each group.
In the following sections, you will find detailed explanations of each function, and how to configure your N299.
- Language Selection
The N299 supports multiple languages. On the menu bar, click Language and the Change Language screen appears. This screen allows you to select preferred language for the N299. The N299’s interface supports the following languages:
 English
 Simplified Chinese
 Traditional Chinese
 German
 French
 Italian
 Japanese
 Korean
 Spanish
Press Apply to confirm your selection.
- Language Package Upload and Management
You can also upload additional language packs as they become available. To do this, press Upload and the Language Package Upload/Management and User Upload Language Package List screens appear.
To upload a language package, click Browse and browse for the language package location. Select the language package file and click Open. Then, click Apply to upload the language package to the N299. Once uploaded, the language package will appear in the User Upload Language Package List.
- Status Menu
The Status Menu on the menu bar allows you to see various aspects of the N299. From here, you can discover the status of the N299, and even find out other details like firmware version and up time.
- Product Information
Once you login, you will first see the basic Product Information screen providing Manufacturer, Product No., Firmware Version, and Up Time information.
To access this screen again, navigate to Status > About.
- System Status
From the Status menu, choose the System item, and the System Status screen appears. This screen provides basic system status information.
- System Information
From Status menu, choose the Info item, and the System Information screen appears. You can change the system information that appears on uPnP devices screens (i.e. Network Neighborhood) on Windows-based systems by entering the new information here and pressing Apply to confirm.
- Printer Status
From the Status menu, choose the Printer item, and the Printer Information screen appears. The Printer Information screen provides the following information about the USB printer connected to the USB port.
If a corrupt print job is sent to a printer, printing may suddenly fail. If your print jobs seem to be locked up, pressing the Remove All Documents button to clear the print queue may resolve the issue.
For information on how to set up the Printer Server, refer to Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup > Printer Server.
- Storage Management
The Storage Menu displays the status of storage devices installed or connected to the N299, including disk and RAID information.
- Disk Information
From the Storage menu, choose the Disks item and the Disk Information screen appears. From here, you can see various items about installed SATA hard disks. Blank lines indicate that a SATA hard disk is not currently installed in that particular disk slot.
- RAID Information
From the Storage menu, choose the RAID item and the RAID Information screen appears.
To configure your RAID settings, press the Config button to go to the RAID Configuration screen.
- RAID Configuration
On the RAID Information screen, press the Config button to go to the RAID Configuration screen. In addition to RAID disk information and status, this screen lets you make RAID configuration settings.
For more information on RAID, see Appendix C: RAID Basics.
- RAID Level
You can set the storage volume as either None, JBOD, RAID 0, or RAID 1. RAID configuration is usually required only when you first set up the device. A brief description of each RAID setting follows:
- Disk Settings
Using Disk Settings, you can select stripe size, choose which disks are RAID disks.
- Creating a RAID
To create a RAID volume, follow the steps below:
1. On the RAID Configuration screen, set the RAID storage space as JBOD, RAID 0, or RAID 1 — see Appendix C: RAID Basics for a detailed description of each.
2. Tick the checkboxes of the hard disks you wish to use to create a RAID.
3. Specify a stripe size — 64K is the default setting.
4. Press Create to build the RAID storage volume.
- Deleting a RAID
To delete a RAID volume, follow the steps below:
1. On the RAID Configuration screen, click Remove.
2. The system automatically removes the RAID volume and you can create a new RAID.
- Folder Management
From the Storage menu, choose Folder, and the Folder screen appears. This screen allows you to create and configure folders on the N299 volume.
- Adding Folders
On the Folder screen, press the Add button and the Add Folder screen appears. This screen allows you to add a folder. After entering the information, press Apply to create new folder. Press Back to return to the Folder screen.
- Editing Folders
On the Folder screen, press the Edit button and the Edit Folder screen appears. This screen allows you to change folder information. After entering the information, press Apply to apply the changes. Press Back to return to the Folder screen.
- Deleting Folders
To delete a folder, press the Del button from the specified folder row. The system will confirm folder deletion. Press OK to delete the folder permanently or Cancel to go back to the folder list.
- Folder Access Control List (ACL)
On the Folder screen, press the ACL button, and the Folder Access Control List (Folder ACL) screen appears. This screen allows you to configure access to the specific folder for users and groups. Use the Read only, Writable, Deny access, or Unset radio buttons to configure access levels for listed users and groups. Press the Apply button to confirm your settings.
- Service Folders
The N299 automatically creates folders for its built-in applications.
To manage these service folders, select Service Folder from the Storage menu. Press NFS to setup access privilege. Press Edit to edit these folders. Press ACL to control access to these folders via the Access Control List.
- Network Management
Use the Network menu to make network configuration settings as well as service support settings.
- WAN Configuration
From the Network menu, choose WAN, and the WAN Configuration screen appears. This screen displays the network parameters of the WAN connection. You may change any of these items and press Apply to confirm your settings. You can see a description of each item in the following table:
- LAN Configuration
The N299 supports a second Ethernet port for higher service availability. To configure these ports, choose LAN from the Network menu, and the LAN Configuration screen appears. Press Apply to save your changes.
- DDNS Configuration
The N299 also features Dynamic DNS support. To configure DDNS, choose DDNS from the Network menu. Press Apply to confirm your settings.
- WLAN Configuration
When a compatible wireless USB dongle is installed on the N299, the N299 will become an access point, and the Network dropdown menu will contain a WLAN menu item. From the Network menu, choose WLAN, and the WLAN Configuration screen appears. This screen displays the wireless network parameters of the system. You can to change any of these items and press Apply to confirm your settings.
- Web Services Configuration
From the Network menu, choose the Services item, and the Web Service screen appears. This screen displays the service support parameters of the system. You can change any of these items and press Apply to confirm your settings. A description of each item follows:
- Windows Network Configuration (SMB/CIFS)
The N299 can act as a Samba server, enabling users to share files using the SMB/CIFS protocol. From the Network menu, choose the SMB/CIFS item, and the SMB/CIFS screen appears. You can change any of these items and press Apply to confirm your settings. A description of each item follows:
- Apple Network Setup
From the Network menu, choose the Apple Network item, and the Apple Network Configuration screen appears. This screen displays the configuration items for the Apple Filing Protocol. You can change any of these items and press Apply to confirm your settings. A description of each item follows:
- NFS Setup
From the Network menu, choose the NFS item, and the NFS server setting screen appears. The N299 can act as a NFS server, enabling users to download and upload files with their favorite NFS clients. Make your changes, and then click Apply to save them. Click Cancel to return to the main menu.
- User and Group Management
The N299 has built-in user database that allows administrators to manage user access using different group policies. From the Accounts menu, you can create, modify, and delete users, and assign them to groups that you designate.
- Local User Configuration
From the Accounts menu, choose the Users item, and the Local User Configuration screen appears. This screen allows you to Add, Modify, and Delete local users.
You can quickly find a particular user name by clicking one of the letter groupings at the top of the window. For example, to find a user name beginning with the letter M, click the MNO user group, and the user names beginning with M, N, or O will be listed. To see all names, click ALL.
- Adding Users
1. Click on the Add button on Local User Configuration screen, and Add NEW Local User screen appears.
2. Enter a name in the User Name box.
3. Enter a password in the Password box and re-enter the password in the Confirm Password box.
4. Select which group the user will belong to. The Owner Group list is a list of groups this user belongs to. The Unjoined Group list is a list of groups this user does not belong to. Use the << or >> buttons to have this user join or leave a group.
5. Press the Apply button and the user is created.
- Modifying Users
Select an existing user from the Local User Configuration screen.
2. Click on the Modify button, and Local User Setting screen appears.
3. From here, you can enter a new password and re-enter to confirm, or use the << or >> buttons to have this user join or leave a group. Click the Apply button to save your changes.
- Deleting Users
1. Select an existing user from the Local User Configuration screen.
2. Click on Delete button and the user is deleted from the system.
- Local Groups Configuration
From the Accounts menu, choose the Groups item, and the Local Group Configuration screen appears. This screen allows you to Add, Modify, and Delete local groups.
You can quickly find a particular group by clicking one of the letter groupings at the top of the window. For example, to find a user name beginning with the letter M, click the DEF letter group, and the groups beginning with M, N, or O will be listed. To see all groups, click ALL.
- Adding Groups
1. On the Local Group Configuration screen, click on the Add button.
2. The Add NEW Local Group screen appears.
3. Enter a Group Name, and select users to be in this group from the Users List by adding them to the Members List using the << button.
4. Click the Apply button to save your changes.
- Modifying Groups
On the Local Group Configuration screen, select a group name from the list.
2. Press the Modify button and the Local Group Setting screen appears.
3. To add a user into a group, select the user from the Users List, and press the << button to move the user into the Members List.
4. To remove a user from a group, select the user from Members List, and press the >> button.
5. Click the Apply button to save your changes.
- Deleting Groups
1. On the Local Group Configuration screen, select a group name from the list.
2. Press Delete to delete the group from the system.
- System Management
The System menu gives you a wealth of settings that you can use to configure your N299’s system administration functions. You can set up system notifications, view system logs, and even upgrade firmware from this menu.
- System Notifications
From the System menu, choose the Notification item, and the Notification Configuration screen appears. This screen lets you have the N299 notify you in case of any system malfunction. Press Apply to confirm all settings. See following table for a detailed description of each item.
- System Logs
From the System menu, choose the Logs item and the System Logs screen appears. This screen shows a history of system usage and important events such as disk status, network information, and system booting. See the following table for a detailed description of each item:
- Time and Date Settings
From the System menu, choose the Time item and the Time screen appears. Set the desired Date, Time, and Time Zone. You can also elect to synchronize the system time on the N299 with an NTP (Network Time Protocol) Server. You can change any of these items and press Apply to confirm your settings. See the following table for a detailed description of each item:
- System Configuration Backup and Restore
From the System menu, choose the Config Mgmt item and the System Configuration Download/Upload screen appears. From here, you can download or upload stored system configurations. See the following table for a detailed description of each item.
- Reset to Factory Default Settings
From the System menu, choose the Factory Default item and the Reset to Factory Default screen appears. Press Apply to reset the N299 to factory default settings. Press Cancel to go back to the main menu.
- Upgrading System Firmware
From the System menu, choose the Firmware Upgrade item and the Firmware Upgrade screen appears.
Follow the steps below to upgrade your firmware:
1. Use the Browse button to find the firmware file.
2. Press Apply.
3. The beeper beeps and the Busy LED blinks until the upgrade is complete.
- Change Administrator Password
From the System menu, choose the Administrator Password item and the Change Administrator Password screen appears. Enter a new password in the New Password box and confirm your new password in the Confirm Password box. Press Apply to confirm password changes. See the following table for a detailed description of each item.
- Reboot and Shutdown System
From the System menu, choose Reboot & Shutdown item, and the Shutdown/Reboot System screen appears. Press Reboot to restart the system or Shutdown to turn the system off.
- Logout
To logout of the Web Administration Interface, navigate to System > Logout.
Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup
- Overview
With a bevy of additional features and services, the N299 is so much more than a mere external hard disk. The sections below show you how you can utilize your N299 to serve files, music, movies, pictures, and more.
- FTP Server
N299 can act as a FTP server, enabling users to download and upload files with their favorite FTP programs. From the Network menu, choose the FTP item, and the FTP screen appears. You can change any of these items and press Apply to confirm your settings. A description of each item follows:
To access the share folder on the N299, use the appropriate user login and password set up on the Users page (Accounts > Users). Access control to each share folder is set up on the ACL page (Storage > Folder > ACL).
When trying to access N299 anonymously, just enter “anonymous” as the user name.
- iTunes® Server
With the built-in iTunes server capability, the N299 enables digital music to be shared and played anywhere on the network!
From the Network menu, choose the iTunes item, and the iTunes Configuration screen appears. You may enable or disable the iTunes Service from here. Once enabled, enter correct information for each field and press Apply to save your changes. See the following table for detailed descriptions of each field:
Once the iTunes service is enabled, the N299 will make all music located in the Music folder available for iTunes-equipped computers on the network.
- Media Server
With the built-in Media Server capability, the N299 provides media streaming service to stand-alone networked home media adapters that support the UPnP AV protocol. You can share digital media such as music, pictures, and movies with any compatible device throughout your entire home.
- Adding Media Share Folders
Once the Media Server software is installed, you can start adding folders that contain the media that you would like to share. To create a media share folder, follow the steps below:
1. Click on Network > Media Server in the menu bar.
2. Select the folder that contains your media files, and click the checkbox.
3. The contents in the folder will be scanned for the Media Server. The time required for scanning depends on the size of the folder.
- Connecting DMAs to the Media Server
Next, it’s time to connect your Digital Media Adapter (DMA) to the media server:
1. Connect your DMA to your Media Server
a. Configure your DMA to use a Dynamic IP address. The IP address will be assigned by the router.
b. Some DMAs are wireless enabled. You can connect the DMA to a wireless router. For instructions on how to connect your DMA to a wireless router, please refer to your DMA’s user manual.
2. Connect your DMA’s video output to video input of your TV set.
3. Turn on the TV and change the video signal input to DMA.
4. Setup the DMA (These steps will be different if you use a different DMA)
a. From the Server List screen, select “N299:Mediabolic Server” as the server.
b. Go to My Media
c. Click on the Up/Down Arrow buttons to select Music Jukebox, Photo Albums, or Video Clips
d. Start enjoying the contents stored in your N299.
- Download Manager
With the built-in Download Manager, you can have the N299 download HTTP, FTP, and BT files without having full PC powered on. What’s more, you can even schedule your downloads for off-peak hours, ensuring efficient use of bandwidth.
- Adding an HTTP Task
To add a new HTTP task to the Download Manager, follow these steps:
1. Using the Task Type dropdown, select HTTP and click Add.
2. In the HTTP Task window, start by inputting the target URL in the Website URL box. This is the link to the download you want to queue.
3. Next, select the destination folder from the Destination Folder dropdown. This is where the download will reside.
4. Select the maximum download bandwidth from the Max. Download Bandwidth dropdown.
5. Press Apply to add the task.
6. Once added, your download will appear in the list of download tasks. To start the download, simply click the Start icon () and the download will begin.
7. The following prompt will be shown when the download begins:
8. The download status will continually update in the Download Tasks window. To pause the download, click the Pause icon ().
- Adding an FTP Task
To add a new FTP task to the Download Manager, follow these steps:
1. Using the Task Type dropdown, select FTP and click Add.
2. In the FTP Task window, start by inputting the target URL in the FTP File box. This is the link to the download you want to queue.
3. Next, select the destination folder from the Destination Folder dropdown. This is where the download will reside.
4. The next step depends if you are using an anonymous login for your FTP download. If you are logging in anonymously, select Enable and move on to step 5.
If you are required to login with a user name and password, set Anonymous FTP to Disable and input your user name and password into the appropriate fields.
5. Select the maximum download bandwidth from the Max. Download Bandwidth dropdown.
6. Press Apply to add the task.
7. Once added, your download will appear in the list of download tasks. To start the download, simply click the Start icon () and the download will begin.
8. The following prompt will be shown when the download begins:
9. The download status will continually update in the Download Tasks window. To pause the download, click the Pause icon ().
- Adding a BT Task
To add a new BT task to the Download Manager, follow these steps:
1. Using the Task Type dropdown, select BT and click Add.
2. In the BT Task window, start by clicking Browse… and selecting the torrent file you wish to start.
3. Next, select the destination folder from the Destination Folder dropdown. This is where the download will reside.
4. Next, you can designate the Sharing time after completion by selecting the number of hours from the dropdown.
5. Next, you can select the maximum and minimum number of peers from selecting the counts from the appropriate dropdowns.
6. Next, you can set the maximum download and upload bandwidths from the dropdowns below.
7. Press Apply to add the task.
8. Once added, your download will appear in the list of download tasks. To start the download, simply click the Start icon () and the download will begin.
9. The following prompt will be shown when the download begins:
10. The download status will continually update in the Download Tasks window. To pause the download, click the Pause icon ().
- Deleting Tasks
To delete a task, simply follow the steps below:
1. Click the delete icon () beside the task that you wish to delete. The Delete Task dialogue box will appear.
2. Select Delete Task only if you wish to remove only the torrent file and all transient files, leaving the unfinished download files intact.
3. Select Delete Task and Files if you wish to remove the torrent file and all transient files, and the unfinished download files.
4. Click OK to delete the task. Click Cancel to return to the Download Manager.
- Scheduling Downloads
You can schedule your downloads to begin at different times of the day. This is useful if you wish to complete your downloads during off-peak hours, reserving your bandwidth for other applications. A table describing the Download Schedule window appears below:
To schedule downloads, follow these steps:
1. Under Download Schedule, set Scheduler to Enable.
2. To schedule a daily download period, select Daily and select a start time and end time.
To schedule a weekly download period, select Weekly and select a start day/time and end time/day.
3. Click Apply to save your changes.
- Printer Server
You can configure the N299 to act as a printer server. That way, all PCs connected to the network can utilize the same printer. From the Status menu, choose the Printer item, and the Printer information screen appears. To setup in either Windows XP or Vista, please refer the following for steps.
- Windows XP SP2
1. Connect the USB printer to one of the USB ports (preferably the rear USB ports; front USB ports can be used for external HDD enclosures).
2. Go to Start > Printers and Faxes.
3. Click on File > Add Printer.
4. The Add Printer Wizard appears on your screen. Click Next.
5. Select the “A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer” option.
6. Select “Connect to a printer on the Internet or on a home or office network”, and enter “http://N299_IP_ADDRESS:631/printers/usb-printer” into the URL field.
7. Your Windows system will ask you to install drivers for your printer. Select correct driver for your printer.
8. Your Windows system will ask you if you want to set this printer as “Default Printer”. Select Yes and all your print jobs will be submitted to this printer by default. Click Next.
9. Click Finish.
- Windows Vista
To set up the Printer Server in Windows Vista, follow the steps below:
1. Open Printer Folder from the Control Panel.
2. Click the right mouse button in anywhere on the Printers folder and then select Add Printer.
3. Select Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer.
4. Select The printer that I want isn’t listed.
You can press The printer that I want isn’t listed to go into next page without waiting for Searching for available printers to finish.
5. Click Select a shared printer by name.
Type http://:631/printers/usb-printer in the box, where is the IP address of the N299. Click Next.
6. Select or install a printer and then press OK.
If your printer model is not listed, please contact your printer manufacturer for help.
7. Windows will attempt to connect to the printer.
8. You can choose to set this printer as the default printer by checking the Set as the default printer box. Click Next to continue.
9. Done! Click Finish.
- IP Cam Surveillance
With the Simple Surveillance Server, you can connect an IP cam to the N299 to capture images. The Simple Surveillance Server also supports scheduling, which means that you can configure the N299 to perform home surveillance at any time.
From the Status menu, choose the IP Cam Surveillance item, and the IP Cam Surveillance Information screen appears. The IP Cam screen provides information and allows you to configure the Simple Surveillance Server.
To designate a schedule for the Simple Surveillance Server, click Schedule, and the Schedule Configuration window will appear:
- IP Cam Configuration
Setting up an IP Cam for use with the N299 is easy. In this example, we’ll setup a Vivotek PT7237 IP cam for use with the N299. Configuring a different IP cam will be slightly different depending on the model you are using, but this guide will outline the basics.
Follow the instructions included with your IP cam for installation. Once your IP cam is properly installed, follow the steps below to configure your N299.
- Step 1: Connect the IP Cam to the N299
The first step is to connect your IP cam to the N299. To do this, login to the N299’s Web Admin Interface and select IP Cam Surveillance from the menu. The IP Cam Surveillance window will appear. Here, we will connect your installed IP Cam to the N299.
In this window, you will be asked to fill in some basic information about your IP camera. Let’s go through each field in order:
Location: Here, you can designate a location that the IP cam is located. For example, if the IP cam is currently monitoring your office, you can enter “office” in the blank. Choose a name that is meaningful will make it easier to refer back in the future.
URL: This is where the URL for your IP cam is entered. Every IP cam has a URL that is provided which links to a landing page for all captured images. In this example, the Vivotek PT7237 uses the following URL:
http://172.16.66.95/cgi-bin/video.jpg
Please refer to your IP cam manual for the appropriate URL to enter into this field.
Interval: Here, you can designate the time between each captured image. Select the desired interval from the dropdown menu.
Folder: Enter the name of the folder you wish the N299 to store captured images to.
Once this information is entered, simply click Add.
After clicking OK to the resulting prompt, your IP cam will appear in the IP Cam Surveillence window.
- Step 2: Designate a Capture Schedule
Once connected, the next step is to create a capture schedule for your IP cam. To do this, enter the correct information into the Schedule window.
Let’s take a closer look at each field:
Schedule Stat: To enable the scheduling function, click Enable.
Frequency: Here, you can set the frequence of the schedule to either Daily or Weekly. When set to Daily, images will be captured every day at the designated time. When set to Weekly, you can have the IP camera capture images at certain days of the week (i.e Monday to Friday).
Start Time: Choose the start day and time for image capture. If you’ve selected a Daily frequency, you will be unable to select the start day as the IP camera will be set to capture images every day.
End Time: Chosse the end day and time for image capture. If you’ve selected a Daily frequency, you will be unable to select the end day as the IP camera will be set to capture images every day.
Once you are finished, click Apply to enable your new schedule.
- Step 3: Browse Captured Images
Once the capture schedule has been set, you can browse the captured images on the N299. The easiest way to do this is to simply open the folder you previously designated as the capture directory and view your captured pictures using your favorite photo viewing software. In the example above, all captured images will appear in the IPCam folder.
Alternatively, you may also use the built-in web-based Photo Gallery to view your pictures. For information on how to set up the Photo Gallery, check here.
Chapter 5: Using the N299
- Overview
Once the N299 is setup and operating, users on the network may manage all varieties of digital music, photos, or files by simply using their web browsers. To manage your personal files or access public files on the N299, just enter its IP address into your browser, and you will be taken to the N299 Login page.
- Login Page
On the login page, simply enter your User ID and Password and click Login to log into the system.
Once logged in, you will be seen the icons for WebDisk where you can see the directories and files stored on the N299.
- Using WebDisk
1. From the WebDisk folder list, users will see all public folders and all folders which they have sufficient access rights.
2. When they click on the name of a folder, they will be brought to the Folder Screen, where they will see the files within that folder.
3. When user clicks on a file name, the file will be downloaded.
For more information on how to setup user rights to the folders, please check Chapter 3: System Management > Storage Management > Folder Management > Folder Access Control List (ACL)
To access folders with access control, you must first login with a local user account.
- Using iTunes® Server
The N299 has a built-in iTunes® Server that allows you to stream music stored on the N299 to any iTunes-ready device on your network.
You can use the WebDisk function to manage your digital music, or you can manage through SMB/CIFS (see SMB/CIFS Setup section).
- Adding Music Files
You could add music files into iTunes Server through Web User Interface; however, if you have lots of folders and files to upload, there is a simpler way.
1. Open a Windows Explorer and type the N299 IP address in the address bar (i.e. \\192.168.1.100).
2. Double click the Music folder to enter it. Then drag and drop music folders and files here.
3. The N299 iTunes server will take some time to cache the ID3 tag of every file. Once the process is done, you will see all the music files from iTunes clients.
- Playing Music Files
Once your music files are added to the N299, playing them on any iTunes-equipped computer connected to the network is easy:
1. Open iTunes.
2. You should see Thecus_N299 under the SHARED heading in the left hand menu.
3. Click Thecus_N299 and all shared music will be displayed, ready to be enjoyed right from iTunes.
- Using Photo Gallery
Using the Photo Gallery, users can view and share photos, and even create their own albums right on the N299. To manage your photo gallery or see other photo albums, click on the Photos icon from the left panel.
You will see your own Photo Gallery and all public Photo Albums on the network.
To manage any picture files, you must first select the item by clicking its check box.
- Managing Albums and Photos
- Creating Albums
To create a photo album, follow the steps below:
1. Click the Add button to create a new album.
2. Enter a name for the album, and enter a description if you wish. Then, click on the Create Album button.
- Password Protecting Albums
If you would like to put a password on a particular album, follow these steps:
1. Select the album to be protected, click on the Edit button, and the Album Edit screen will appear.
2. The owner of the album can enter an album password to protect the album, so that only people with the correct password can view the album.
- Uploading Pictures to Albums
Uploading pictures to albums using the Web User Interface is easy:
1. When the album is created, click the album icon to enter the album. Initially the album is empty.
2. Click the Add button to upload pictures into the album. The Upload Photos screen will appear. Users can select and upload up to 8 pictures at a time.
3. Once the picture is uploaded, you can view it in the album.
4. The owner of the album can delete or modify the pictures with the Delete or Modify buttons on the top right hand corner.
- Windows XP Publishing Wizard
There are many ways for a local user to upload pictures into their photo album. Users of Windows XP can upload their pictures using the Windows XP Publishing Wizard.
1. Click on the XP Publishing Wizard icon.
2. The XP Web Publishing Wizard Client screen appears. Click on the link to install the Publishing Wizard.
3. Windows XP will ask whether you want to run or save this file. Click Run.
4. Once the Wizard is installed, use the Windows file manager to browse the folder that contains the picture you want to publish. On the left pane, there will be an icon labeled “Publish this folder to the Web”.
5. Click on this icon and Web Publishing Wizard will start.
6. Select the pictures you want to publish to the Photo Web Server by placing a check mark on the top left hand corner of the picture. Click Next.
7. Your PC will start to connect to the Photo Web Server.
8. Select N299 Photo Gallery Wizard to publish your pictures to the N299.
9. Login into the N299 with your local user name and password.
10. Create your album by entering an album name and clicking on the Create Album button.
11. Select the album you want to upload your pictures to.
12. Confirm the target album.
13. Windows will show you that the picture upload is in progress.
14. When the upload is finished, the Wizard will ask you whether if you want to go to the website. Click Finish to go to your Photo Web Server.
15. Click on the user’s icon to go to that user’s album.
16. You will see the user’s album list. Click on MyAlbum.
17. Finished! You will see the pictures just selected in the album.
- EXIF Information
While viewing pictures, you can also have the N299 display the EXIF information for each photo.
- Slide Shows
Slide shows are a great way to enjoy pictures stored on your N299.
You can click on the Start Slide Show icon on the top right hand corner to start the slide show.
To stop the slide show, click on the Stop Slide Show icon on the top right hand corner.
- File Backup
There are a number of ways to back up your data to your N299.
- Nsync
You can backup a share folder to another N299 (Nsync Target) or any FTP server for safe keeping as long as you have appropriate access right on that target. When using Nsync between two N299s, you have the option to transmit files securely between two N299s.
If the files on your N299 are lost for any reason, you can restore those files from the target N299. To backup files regularly, you can set up a scheduled task to run only once, daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also limit the bandwidth of your Nsync tasks, so other users on the network can share the bandwidth equally.
Under the Storage menu, click Nsync and the Nsync window appears. Below is a description of each field:
- Adding an Nsync Task
From the Nsync Information screen, click Add to display the Add Nsync Task screen.
- Modifiying an Nsync Task
On the Nsync window, select the Nsync task you would like to modify by checking its checkbox. Click Modify and the Modify Nsync Task window appears.
2. Change the settings for your Nsync task.
3. Click Apply to save your settings.
- Deleting an Nsync Task
1. On the Nsync window, select the Nsync task you would like to delete by checking its checkbox.
2. Click Delete to remove the selected Nsync task.
- Setting Up an Nsync Target on an Nsync Device
On the Nsync target server, the administrator of that server has to set up a user account with a folder named “nsync” and grant write access.
1. On the Nsync server, add a user for Nsync source (ex. nsyncsource1). For instructions on how to add a user on the N299, see Chapter 4: System Management > User and Groups Management > Local User Configuration > Adding Users.
2. On the Nsync server, grant that user (ex. nsyncsource1) write access to the nsync folder. For instructions on how to set up a folder’s ACL, see Chapter 4: System Management > Folder Management > Folder Access Control List (ACL).
3. Once this is done, the target server will start accepting Nsync tasks from server using that ID and password.
- Setting Up an Nsync Target on Another Device
If you selected “Other Device” when setting up your Nsync task, the N299 will use the FTP protocol to back up the share folder. On the external storage device, make sure there is a folder named “nsync”, and the Auth ID has writable permission in that folder.
- Designating N299 as an Nsync Target
The N299 can act as an Nsync server, enabling another Nsync-equipped Thecus NAS at a remote location backup their files to this N299. From the Network menu, choose the Nsync Target item, and the Nsync Target Server Setting screen appears.
- Thecus Backup Utility
The Thecus Backup Utility is on your Installation CD. When you click on the CD, the Backup Utility will be installed under Program Groups > Thecus > Thecus Backup Utility. If it is not installed, you can copy the file (Thecus Backup Utility.exe) to a convenient location on your hard disk and double click to execute it.
When you execute this utility for the first time, it will ask you whether to create a DB file. Click Yes.
1. Click Add to create a Backup task. The Add New Task dialog box appears.
2. To schedule the task to run at regular intervals, click on the Schedule icon for that task. You can schedule the task to run Monthly or Weekly.
3. To check the log for that task, click on the Log icon for that task.
- Windows XP Data Backup
If you use Windows XP Professional, you can also use the Windows Backup Utility (Ntbackup.exe) to backup your files.
If you use Windows XP Home Edition, follow these steps to install the utility:
1. Insert the Windows XP CD into a drive and double-click the CD icon in My Computer.
2. When the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen appears, click Perform Additional Tasks.
3. Click Browse this CD.
4. In Windows Explorer, navigate to ValueAdd > Msft > Ntbackup.
5. Double-click Ntbackup.msi to install the backup utility.
Once installed, you can use the Windows Backup Utility by following the steps below:
1. Click Start, and point to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup to start the wizard.
2. Click Next to skip past the opening page. Choose Backup files and settings from the second page, and then click Next.
3. Select which option you Want to back up.
4. Click Next and in the Backup Type, Destination, and Name page, specify a back up location using the Browse button.
5. Find and select the drive that specifies your N299 as your backup destination and click Next.
6. Click Next to display the wizard’s final page and click Finish to start backing up.
- Apple OS X Backup Utilities
Mac OS X does not include any backup software. However, there are a number of backup solutions available for the Mac OS X, including: iBackup, Psyncx, iMSafe, Rsyncx, Folder Synchronizer X, Tri-BACKUP, Impression, Intego Personal Backup, SilverKeeper, and Apple's dotMac Backup utility to name just a few. To find even more freeware and shareware backup utilities to choose from, go to VersionTracker or MacUpdate and search on "backup".
- One-Button USB Copy
The N299 can quickly backup data from USB devices with its One-Button USB Copy function. To use this function, plug a USB storage device to the N299’s front USB port. Then, simply press the One-Touch USB Copy button on the front panel, and all of the contents of the USB storage device will be copied over to the N299.
All of the files copied will be contained in the USBCopy service folder, under a subfolder names with a timestamp (YearMonthDayHHMM). For more on the N299’s service folders, check out Chapter 3: System Management > Storage Management > Service Folders.
Chapter 6: Tips and Tricks
- Mapping a Client PC to the N299
You can map share folders on the N299 so that you can access them as if they were drives on your computer. You can connect to the shared network folders on the N299 as follows:
- Windows
1. Go to the My Computer folder in Windows.
2. In the menu bar, select Tools and then Map Network Drive…
3. The Map Network Drive window appears.
4. Assign a drive letter for the share folder.
5. Click the Browse button to find the folder over your network. Alternatively, you may enter the folder name you wish to connect to or enter its IP address. (i.e. \\192.168.1.100\share)
6. Click Finish. When the Connect As… window appears, enter a user name and password.
7. Click OK. The share folder appears as the drive you assigned. You can now access this folder as though it were a drive on your computer.
- Apple OS X
On an Apple computer, you can connect to shared computers and servers using a network address.
1. Choose Go > Connect to Server…
2. Enter the network address for the server in the Server Address text box.
When connecting using SMB/CIFS protocol, type:
smb://192.168.1.100/Folder1
When connecting using AFP protocol, type:
afp://192.168.1.100/Folder1
Click Connect.
3. When MAC OS X is trying to connect N299, it will ask for a User Name and Password which has access to the folder.
4. When MAC OS X has connected to the N299 successfully, an icon representing the folder will appear on the MAC OS X desktop. You can access the folder by double clicking on the icon.
- USB Storage Expansion
The N299 supports external USB hard disks through its two USB ports. Once a USB hard disk has been successfully mounted, users can access the files on the USB hard disk under the USBHDD folder. The N299 supports up to 6 USB external storage devices. All file names on the USB disk volume are case sensitive.
Before attaching a USB disk drive to N299, you have to partition and format it on a desktop computer or a notebook first. The attached device will be located at \\192.168.1.100\usbhdd\usb1\1\ where 192.168.1.100 means the IP address of N299, usb1 stands for the first USB device, and 1 stands for the first partition on disk #1, the USB disk drive. If it is an NTFS partition, NAS users can open or copy files from \\192.168.1.100\usbhdd\usb1\1 but cannot add new files or modify existing files.
- Replacing Damaged Hard Drives
If you are using RAID 1, you can easily replace a damaged hard drive in the Thecus N299 while keeping your data secure with the system’s automatic data recovery.
- Hard Drive Damage
When a hard drive is damaged, its LED glows a steady red. If there is data in the RAID volume, the system LED also glows red and the system beeps.
- Replacing a Hard Drive
To replace a hard disk drive in the N299:
1. Remove two screws located on the back of the unit using a Philips screwdriver.
2. Unscrew four mounting screws.
3. Lift up the hard disk tray by pulling up the top panel of the N299.
4. Remove the damaged hard drive.
5. Carefully insert a standard 3.5” SATA hard disk into the tray, and secure the hard disk with screws from the included accessory pack.
6. Carefully lower the hard disk tray back into the N299.
7. After making sure the tray is in place and the connectors are aligned, secure the hard disk tray with screws.
- RAID Auto-Rebuild
When using RAID 1 on the N299, you can use the auto-rebuild function when an error is detected.
1. When a hard disk fails the system beeps and/or an email notification is sent to specified receivers.
2. Check the hard disk LEDs to see which disk has failed.
3. Follow the steps mentioned above to replace the failed hard disk.
4. The system automatically recognizes the new hard disk and starts the auto-rebuild sequence to resume its status before the hard disk crash.
- Remote Administration
You can set up your N299 for remote administration. With remote administration, you can access your N299 over the Internet, even if your N299 is behind a router. This is especially useful if you are traveling and suddenly need a file from your N299.
Setting up remote administration is a three-part process, and will require the following equipment:
 Thecus N299 NAS device
 Cable/DSL Router with Dynamic DNS support
 Home PC
Internet Connection
- Part I - Setup a DynDNS Account
1. Go to http://www.dyndns.org from your home PC.
2. Click on the Sign Up Now link.
3. Check the Check boxes, select a user name (i.e.: N299), enter your email address (i.e.: [email protected]), check Enable Wildcard, and create a password (i.e.: xxxx).
4. Wait for an email from www.dyndns.org.
5. Open the email and click on the link to activate your account
- Part II - Enable DDNS on the Router
1. Go to the router setup screen and select IP Config > Miscellaneous DDNS Setting from your Home PC.
2. Click on Yes for Enable the DDNS Client?
3. Select www.dyndns.org.
4. Go to router setup screen, and enter the following information:
a. User Name or E-mail Address: [email protected]
b. Password or DDNS Key: xxxx
c. Host Name: www.N299.dyndns.org
d. Enable wildcard? Select Yes
e. Update Manually: Click Update
- Part III - Setting up Virtual Servers (HTTPS)
1. Navigate to NAT Setting > Virtual Server.
2. For Enable Virtual Server?, select Yes
3. Setup the HTTPS Server
a. Well-Known Applications: Select User Defined
b. Local IP: Enter 192.168.1.100
c. Port Range: 443 (the default HTTPS port setting on the N299)
d. Protocol: select TCP
e. Click Add.
f. Click Apply.
4. Test the HTTPS connection from another computer on the Internet
a. From a remote computer, open your browser and enter https://www.N299.dyndns.org
b. You should see the login page of N299.
- Firewall Software Configuration
If you are using a software firewall (i.e. Norton Internet Security) and are having trouble connecting to the N299, you can try the following steps:
1. Double click the NIS icon on system tray, and then configure the Personal Firewall.
2. On the Programs page, find the SetupWizard.exe and change its permission to "Permit All". If it's not in the program list, use the Add or Program Scan buttons to find it.
3. On the Networking page, manually add N299 IP address (i.e. 192.168.1.100) to the Trusted list.
Chapter 7: Troubleshooting Guide
- N299 Won't Turn On
In the event that the N299 won’t turn on, check to see that the power cable is correctly plugged in to the N299. Also check to see if the electrical outlet is functioning.
- Resetting NAS IP Address and Admin Password
If you’ve forgotten the admin password, or if you need to reset the unit’s IP address, first make sure that the unit is powered off. press the reset button and the power button at the same time. keep pressing the reset button for 15 seconds then release it. When you hear the beep sound, the rebooting process is completed. After that, the N299's WAN IP address will be reset to 192.168.1.100 temporarily. Please note that all file services at this time will be stopped.
1. When you point your browser to 192.168.1.100, you will see the following screen.
2. If you select Reset to Factory Default option, the system will be reset. Below are the default system settings:
Admin password (admin
WAN IP address ( 192.168.1.100
WAN IP Gateway ( 192.168.1.1
WAN Jumbo Frame Support ( Off
LAN IP ( 192.168.2.254
LAN Jumbo Frame Support ( Off
HTTP Port ( 80
HTTPS port ( 443
- Forgot My Network IP Address
If you forget your network IP address and have no physical access to the system, you can use the setup wizard to retrieve the IP of your N299.
1. Start the Setup Wizard, and it will automatically detect all Thecus IP storage products on your network.
2. You should be able to find the IP address of the N299 which you have forgotten in the Device Discovery screen.
- Can't Access N299 from the LAN
If you cannot access the N299 from the LAN, make sure that its network cable is correctly plugged in. Also, check to see if the N299’s WAN and LAN settings are configured correctly.
- Can't Map a Network Drive in Windows XP
You may have problems mapping a network drive under the following conditions:
1. The network folder is currently mapped using a different user name and password. To connect using a different user name and password, first disconnect any existing mappings to this network share.
2. The mapped network drive could not be created because the following error has occurred: Multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user, using more than one user name, are not allowed. Disconnect all previous connections to the server or shared resource and try again.
To check out existing network connections, type net use under the DOS prompt.
- N299 Chassis Feels Hot
The N299 uses its chassis to dissipate heat, and feeling warm to the touch is completely normal. As such, make sure that the N299 is left in a well-ventilated area to avoid overheating the unit.
- Can’t Find Printer Server / Media Server / Download Manager
To use these functions, you must first install their respective modules. Once installed, these will appear on the Main Menu. For installation instructions, refer to the sections below:
Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup> Media Server Module Installation
Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup> Download Manager Module Installation
Chapter 4: Additional Feature Setup> Printer Server Module Installation
- Restoring Factory Defaults
From the System menu, choose the Factory Default item and the Reset to Factory Default screen appears. Press Apply to reset the N299 to factory default settings.
- Problems with Time and Date Settings
The administrator is able to select an NTP Server to keep the N299’s time synchronized. However, if the N299 can not access the Internet, you may encounter a problem when setting the Time and Time Zone. If this happens:
1. Login to the Web Administration Interface.
2. Navigate to System > Time.
3. Under NTP Server, select No.
4. Set the Date, Time, and Time Zone.
5. Click Apply.
In addition, if the N299 is able to access the Internet and you want to keep the NTP Server clock.isc.org by default, please make sure the DNS Server is correctly, thereby allowing the NTP Server name to correctly resolve. (See Network > LAN 1 > DNS Server)
- Simple Problem Diagnosis Procedure
This procedure is meant to provide a simple and quick way to identify which part of the N299 has failed.
1. Don’t insert a hard disk into the N299. Attach the power cord and then reset the IP address and admin password to the default settings by doing the following:
a) Power on the N299 and immediately press the Reset button for 10 seconds. (The Reset button is near the LAN connector)
b) This resets the N299 to its default IP address and password settings.
 Default IP: 192.168.1.100
 Default admin password: admin
2. Attach the power cord and connect the LAN cable between the N299 and a PC. Don’t use a hub.
3. Turn on the N299 and check the front panel. The Power LED should glow blue after power button is pressed. Then, the Busy LED starts blinking orange for around 60 seconds. After that, the Busy LED turns off. If the Busy LED keeps blinking orange for more than 3 minutes, the firmware may be corrupted during improper firmware upgrade procedures. It means that the motherboard has malfunctioned and needs to be repaired.
4. Set the IP address of the PC as 192.168.1.111, and then access the Login page. Make sure the N299 and the PC is directly connected through a LAN cable, and not through a hub or a router.
5. Check if the Web Administration Interface shows up and works fine. Then, check if the system status is normal and the HDD Power LED works fine. If the results are positive, it means that the N299 is functioning normally. Otherwise, the N299 may be damaged.
6. Suppose that the N299 has been damaged. If the Power LED glows blue and both system and power fans work fine after power button pressed, the motherboard needs to be checked and repaired. Otherwise, the power supply unit has problems.
Appendix A: Product Specifications
- Hardware Specifications
- Software Specifications
** For supported USB dongles, please contact [email protected]
Appendix B: Customer Support
If your N299 is not working properly, we encourage you to check out Chapter 7: Troubleshooting Guide, located in this manual. You can also try to ensure that you are using the latest firmware version for your N299. Thecus is committed to providing free firmware upgrades to our customers. Our newest firmware is available on our Download Center:
http://www.thecus.com/download.php
If you are still experiencing problems with your N299, or require a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA), feel free to contact technical support via our Technical Support Website:
http://www.thecus.com/support_tech.php
Customers in the US should send all technical support enquiries to this email address:
[email protected]
If you would rather receive support over the phone, you can contact Thecus FAE Support at:
+886-2-26981788
Please note that our headquarters are in Taipei, Taiwan, and our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00.
For Sales Information you can e-mail us at:
[email protected]
Thank you for choosing Thecus!
Appendix C: RAID Basics
- Overview
A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is an array of several hard disks that provide data security and high performance. A RAID system accesses several hard disks simultaneously, which improves I/O performance over a single hard disk. Data security is enhanced by a RAID, since data loss due to a hard disk failure is minimized by regenerating redundant data from the other RAID hard disks.
- Benefits
RAID improves I/O performance, and increases data security through fault tolerance and redundant data storage.
- Improved Performance
RAID provides access to several hard disk drives simultaneously, which greatly increases I/O performance.
- Data Security
Hard disk drive failure unfortunately is a common occurrence. A RAID helps prevent against the loss of data due to hard disk failure. A RAID offers additional hard disk drives that can avert data loss from a hard disk drive failure. If a hard drive fails, the RAID volume can regenerate data from the data and parity stored on its other hard disk drives.
- RAID Levels
The Thecus N299 supports standard RAID levels 0, 1, and JBOD. You choose a RAID level when you create a system volume. The factors for selecting a RAID level are:
 Your requirements for performance
 Your need for data security
 Number of hard disk drives in the system, capacity of hard disk drives in the system
The following is a description of each RAID level:
- RAID 0
RAID 0 is best suited for applications that need high bandwidth but do not require a high level of data security. The RAID 0 level provides the best performance of all the RAID levels, but it does not provide data redundancy.
RAID 0 uses disk striping and breaking up data into blocks to write across all hard drives in the volume. The system can then use multiple hard drives for faster read and write. The stripe size parameter that was set when the RAID was created determines the size of each block. No parity calculations complicate the write operation.
- RAID 1
RAID 1 mirrors all data from one hard disk drive to a second one hard disk drive, thus providing complete data redundancy. However, the cost of data storage capacity is doubled.
This is excellent for complete data security.
- JBOD
Although a concatenation of disks (also called JBOD, or "Just a Bunch of Disks") is not one of the numbered RAID levels, it is a popular method for combining multiple physical disk drives into a single virtual one. As the name implies, disks are merely concatenated together, end to beginning, so they appear to be a single large disk.
As the data on JBOD is not protected, one drive failure could result total data loss.
- Stripe Size
The length of the data segments being written across multiple hard disks. Data is written in stripes across the multiple hard disks of a RAID. Since multiple disks are accessed at the same time, disk striping enhances performance. The stripes can vary in size.
- Disk Usage
When all 4 disks are of the same size, and used in RAID, the N299’s disk usage percentage is listed below:
- Overview
This product included copyrighted third-party software licensed under the terms of GNU General Public License. Please see THE GNU General Public License for extra terms and conditions of this license.
- Source Code Availability
Thecus Technology Corp. has exposed the full source code of the GPL licensed software. For more information on how you can obtain our source code, please visit our web site, http://www.thecus.com.
Copyrights
 This product includes cryptographic software written by Eric Young ([email protected]).
 This product includes software developed by Mark Murray.
 This product includes software developed by Eric Young ([email protected]).
 This product includes software developed by the OpenSSL Project for use in the OpenSSL Toolkit (http://www.openssl.org/).
 This product includes PHP, freely available from (http://www.php.net/).
 This product includes software developed by the University of California, Berkeley and its contributors.
 This product includes software developed by Winning Strategies, Inc.
 This product includes software developed by the Apache Group for use in the Apache HTTP server project (http://www.apache.org/).
 This product includes software developed by Softweyr LLC, the University of California, Berkeley, and its contributors.
 This product includes software developed by Bodo Moeller.
 This product includes software developed by Greg Roelofs and contributors for the book, "PNG: The Definitive Guide," published by O'Reilly and Associates.
 This product includes software developed by the NetBSD Foundation, Inc. and its contributors.
 This product includes software developed by Yen Yen Lim and North Dakota State University.
 This product includes software developed by the Computer Systems Engineering Group at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
 This product includes software developed by the Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan and its contributors.
 This product includes software developed by the Nick Simicich.
 This product includes software written by Tim Hudson ([email protected]).
 This product includes software developed by Christopher G. Demetriou for the NetBSD Project.
- CGIC License Terms
Basic License
CGIC, copyright 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 by Thomas Boutell and Boutell.Com, Inc.
Permission is granted to use CGIC in any application, commercial or noncommercial, at no cost. HOWEVER, this copyright paragraph must appear on a "credits" page accessible in the public online and offline documentation of the program. Modified versions of the CGIC library should not be distributed without the attachment of a clear statement regarding the author of the modifications, and this notice may in no case be removed. Modifications may also be submitted to the author for inclusion in the main CGIC distribution.
- GNU General Public License
Version 2, June 1991
51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
PREAMBLE
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NO WARRANTY
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END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS