Absolute novice - can I even do this?

[David Eaton]

I would like to create a server for 3 purposes:

(1) Backup files on the local network (I guess that's what you call it on the home side of a Comcast box?)?

(2) Some of these files will be videos, pictures, music, etc., for my media center. Can XBMC/KODI access these file?

(3) From a remote location, with either my tablet or laptop, connect back to the home server to play media. This would mean somehow getting access from the net to a server on the home side of the Comcast box.

Any information is greatly appreciated. I would like to set this up in a VM in Windows (Win 10 preview if it makes any difference) to try (1) and (2) and get those working first. Is this possible?

Sorry for such simple questions, but I don't know anything about this.

Thanks!

 

[Bidule0hm]

1) Yes. (edit: maybe no, I'm not sure to understand exactly what you mean by "the home side of a Comcast box")

2) Yes.

3) No, for security reasons it's not a good idea to open FreeNAS on the WAN (except if you know exactly what you're doing maybe)

Using FreeNAS in a VM is a great way to test it but it's not recommended to run a production server on a VM (read this for more info)

 

[SweetAndLow]

1. Yes using your choice of backup program
2. Yes using smb
3. Yes using Plex

 

[David Eaton]

Thanks for the replies. For "the home side of the Comcast box" mean that the Comcast box that does the phone, TV and provides internet access has a port for a wired connection and also the wireless - these are (as far as I know) can not be accessed from someone out on the net.

I do have multiple Pi's running XBMC currently, each with it's own disk. I'd like to accomplish the backups which you both have indicated can be done, but also move the files from the individual Pi XBMC hard drives to a centralized drive and have the Pi's access those files - what I would also call a server so I hope that's the correct terminology. You have both said this also can be done - I guess it would depend on what protocol XBMC/KODI would use to access them. I currently just use uPnP as it's simple for sharing to my tablet in house.

I would also like to be elsewhere - the lake, a motel, whatever, and access the media files from the server. One of you mentions this not being recommended for someone who lacks the knowledge - i.e. me ;) The other of you mentions using Plex. I guess I naively thought Plex was just another media center software like XBMC/KODI. The absolute most important thing with this (besides accessing the files of course!) is security - there would need to be absolutely no way for anyone to get into any of the other computers here at home, and no way to do anything on the server other that read the media files. I think this could be done with SMB userids/passwords, but I don't know how this would fit into things, how to make those shares externally available and also keep the speed reasonable.

I hope that explains a little better what my thoughts are. The first 2 you both agree should be possible, so I need to find something online to read to guide me on that. The third one - safe secure access from the net - I guess is still an unknown?

Thanks again!

 

[Bidule0hm]

I've forgotten Plex, I don't use it so I don't know how secure it is. My thoughts on security were in regards to opening a port on your box to access the NAS from the internet.

 

[David Eaton]

I've forgotten Plex, I don't use it so I don't know how secure it is. My thoughts on security were in regards to opening a port on your box to access the NAS from the internet.

I think that's what I read somewhere amongst the "stuff" I've read trying to figure this out - something about opening a port on the router. I don't even know what that actually means - I assume some sort of logical thing to allow traffic addresses to ip:port to work? At any rate, that's the security I'm worried about so I appreciate your input on that!

Thanks!

 

[Rilo Ravestein]

Really, for your needs Plex seems perfect. Install the server in a jail in your NAS, replace XBMC on your Pi's with RasPlex (it's free). Plex also has apps for your phones (paid), tablets (paid) & tv's (free) to stream your media to.

When satisfied, have a look at Plexpass (life subscription is cheap for what you get, but you can alwayst first try a month)

But before anything, look at the hardware recommendations. To use Plex, you need to add some extra processing power.

 

[David Eaton]

I've got a tower with an AMD A6-7400K and 4gb ddr3-1600 memory - I would hope that's enough.

How exactly does Plex allow acess from anwhere on the net to my computer at home on the home wireless network? If I have to open ports wouldn't it be just as easy to use SMB and require logons? Can you point a port you open to a specific wireless address or the hardware address?

Sorry for the dumb questions, but you can probably tell I know nothing at all about all of this ;)

Thanks again!

 

[cyberjock]

I've got a tower with an AMD A6-7400K and 4gb ddr3-1600 memory - I would hope that's enough.

Um, yeah. Come back with 12GB of RAM (or more). You need 8GB minimum just for the OS. When I first created a Plex jail it needed about 1GB of RAM before I even added my collection of media.

 

[danb35]

I've got a tower with an AMD A6-7400K and 4gb ddr3-1600 memory - I would hope that's enough.

It is not, nor is it close to enough. Consult the hardware recommendations thread (link in @cyberjock's sig) for, well, hardware recommendations.

 

[DataKeeper]

I've got a tower with an AMD A6-7400K and 4gb ddr3-1600 memory - I would hope that's enough.
...

To start.. there are no dumb questions "however" there are things which can be said/asked to annoy regulars who help on forums. The above mentioned hardware recommendations thread by Cyberjock should be a required reading to all new members. Reading that you'll see why your hardware isn't for FreeNAS. That guide was done to help people but also the moderators and regulars get tired of answering/stating hardware issues that should be known. For example you need 8gb of ram at the minimum and would do better to start with 16gb. Added to that is the fact you really need to be using ECC ram and not desktop ram.

I'm not saying your hardware is useless or junk however it isn't for FreeNAS. There are other NAS software products, such as OpenMediaVault (Debian Linux), that don't have the hardware requirements FreeNAS does. Thats said, there are reasons for the higher hardware requirements of FreeNAS.

(I'm new here and don't know how this community takes to mentioning other options.. go easy on me please if its frowned on :) )