Need a NAS for a first time buyer

[Nuke87654]

Hello, after getting my Asus ac 66r and modem, now I'm looking for a 2 bay storage device for as my first NAS device.

I have ordered 2 refurbished seagate nas storage devices as of this moment but now I'm currently searching for a NAS.

My needs currently are for storage purposes and computer backup, but enough features for me to get the hang with working a NAS under my own and for me to configure it with third party software (like Merlin's awesome firmwares, thank you very much).

Also, while I'm willing to spend at most $250, I of course would like to get under 200 dollars.

Thank you for your continuing helpful responses guys.

 

[stevech]

Synology or QNAP.
Try their on-line demos.

 

[Nuke87654]

Synology or QNAP.
Try their on-line demos.

Alright, I've found these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G2HZNXO/?tag=snbforums-20 For QNAP

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CRB9CK4/?tag=snbforums-20 and Synology

There's also a chance to get this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FF1VDLY/?tag=snbforums-20 at a used cost as I'm not afraid to get used items if it means cheaper stuff.

Out of these choices, which one would be best for my needs and finances.

 

[stevech]

Be sure to shop newegg.com too. Excellent support.
Synology's model numbers are like nyy
where n is the number of drive bays and yy is the year of introduction. A "j" suffix means it has a slower CPU than non-j.
A DS212 is 2 bay, first shipped in 2012.
Something sold today that's 2+ years old is likely used or refurb.
Software version upgrades (major #) seem to go back about 4 years then end. Software minor updates (bug fixes) seem to go back 5-10 years.

Opinion: Choose either synology or qnap. Avoid the rest due to lousy software.
More opinion: I try to avoid Amazon for costly items because you don't know who the seller is, item condition may be faked, etc. Amazon is just an order processor (fulfillment). Hence, the suggestion to try to get a good price from Newegg.com or a match price from a retailer like Fry's.

 

[Nuke87654]

Be sure to shop newegg.com too. Excellent support.
Synology's model numbers are like nyy
where n is the number of drive bays and yy is the year of introduction. A "j" suffix means it has a slower CPU than non-j.
A DS212 is 2 bay, first shipped in 2012.
Something sold today that's 2+ years old is likely used or refurb.
Software version upgrades (major #) seem to go back about 4 years then end. Software minor updates (bug fixes) seem to go back 5-10 years.

Opinion: Choose either synology or qnap. Avoid the rest due to lousy software.
More opinion: I try to avoid Amazon for costly items because you don't know who the seller is, item condition may be faked, etc. Amazon is just an order processor (fulfillment). Hence, the suggestion to try to get a good price from Newegg.com or a match price from a retailer like Fry's.

Alright, thanks for your suggestion to try out Newegg as I've found a 10% discount there and managed to snag the DS212P. As for my hard drives, they haven't arrived yet but now I'm thinking that I would rather send em back as the more I've checked on recertified hard drives, the more I'm concerned about them being hit or miss.

I'll try and search up for a Nas storage and maybe a regular hard drive for me instead on Newegg.

Thank you.