Customer Reviews

LaCie Ethernet Disk mini 500 GB ( 300951U )

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is an excellent product for someone looking to centralize backups and all types of files on a home network. I have used this disk for the past year and it is excellent, We have both Windows PCs and a Mac on the network (wired and WiFi) and it works great!

Just remember path names and that data transfer speeds are not that of a direct-attach drive... I am ordering more to try multiple net drives. Great product.

I have only had the LaCie for a month but so far there have been no problems and the price/performance can't be beaten. The speed is what you would expect (i.e. fast with USB 2.0 and acceptable over a wireless network). The ability to be able to have a central storage spot for all my photos, backups and other files is great- I would reccomend this to anybody considering it.

The only problem is implementation under Windows XP. The bundled instructions just didn't work on three different XP boxes (they suggest using Windows networking). The only way to get it to work is to find the ip address with the 'IP configurator' program and then map the drive using windows explorer. After you do this it works just fine. It was a breeze to set up with my Macbook pro.

We purchased this device for a small business network with 15+ computers. All our files were on one computer when we had only a few computers and then we quickly outgrew that setup. We recieved quotes from people about a file server in the $2000+ price range. This Lacie was an AMAZINGLY good find.

It was a lot less expensive and for our simple needs it works beautifully. It has only one button (Power On) and you just plug in the ethernet right in the back. We copied the files from the computer to this drive. That was it. All the computers could see it right away. The web interface was very self explanatory. You add a user, then you go into shares an define what users you want to have access to it. Setup of the actual device was less than 5 minutes.

What is even nicer is that we can set up multiple shares (folders) and give specific access to certain people (users). We can even set up read only access for files that we don't want users to modify.

For a quick, simple, effortless and inexpensive solution, I give this 5 stars.

I agree completely with Mr. Spark and Mr. A.T. This is a great product, and the price-performance ratio is just excellent.

I admire the construction of the disk itself too, as it looks to be made against a nuke attack, with its heavy-duty (literally HEAVY, I mean) case construction and all. Well worth the money - and it is not much for the storage amount it is providing.

The only problem is, if you are an Windows XP user, the installation will NOT be straight-forward.

I was lucky to have read the advice of Mr. A.T. in his review, as by following the factory documentation, to try and make use of Windows Networking to do it, it never happened (at least in my case).

I struggled with the XP installation, despite I followed each and every step of the way. Eventually, after ready Mr. A.T.'s review, I made use of the IP Configurator software that comes with the Disk (or you can download it from the LaCie website), to first of all get hold of the IP address of the Disk Mini. With the IP address, I can make use of HTTP to get in using the Admin account. Also with the IP address, I was able to make use of Windows Explorer to Map the disk as one of my Network Drives.

When mapping the Network Drive via Windows Explorer, do not browse, as you will not be able to find the Disk (called by default as EDmini, as you can see also from the Admin of the Disk when logging in via HTTP), but instead, type underneath the Drive Name something like \\xxx.xxx.xx.xx\share, whereby the xxx.xxx.xx.xx is the IP address of your Ehternet Disk Mini (found via the IP Configurator), click OK, and wallah, you have defined your LaCie Ethernet Disk Mini as your Network Drive. Just a breeze.

And once it is defined, it works like a breeze.

All my PC's can see and share the contents of this Disk, and moreover, with the help of a little mirror software, I can peridically back up all files of my different PC's onto the Disk. It works great!

Thank you Mr. A.T.!!

This compact mini was exactly what we needed to use as a server for our photography studio. All computers can pull from it with no noticible slow down. It was the smoothest install and network to our 6 computers. I will buy another very soon to use as a backup to the first.

The LaCie does what it should do.

Pro
* good product, it works

Cons
* a little noisy fan, the noisiest thing in my bedroom
* data transfer is not very fast (I use it connected to a router in a 100Mbit network, it's easier for sharing)
* the 4Gb file limit sometimes creates problems with video files

I bought 2 of these, one for me and one for make a NAS and backup solution for a customer. it works great, do whatever he offers to do and more. I not find so much connection issues and file limits that everybody has, and the few ones that I found, I resolve them reeeally easy.

BUT, these disk come with a fatal flaw. the AC adapter.....

as intended, a NAS must be working 24/7 and of course is really important that never stops to work, specially when some power break down affect the office or, in my case, the house so, I put him with the router (a Dlink DI-624) plugged to a 500Va UPS. just for these 2 devices to extend the battery life in a power shortage and backup everything before the batteries drains. so this means that never get bad power treatment, a short circuit, over voltage peaks, nothing. between the UPS and the anti nuke construction of the device, I though that this will be indestructible and of course the data will be super safe. I was wrong.

like 8 months of continuous function he just stops to work. can't be recognized for nobody on the net and makes a tick, tick noise. great, the disk was done, I lost all the data. immediately I try to plug in via USB and the same result, no recognition and the tick sound from hell. my customer comments that he has a similar issue with his disk but only for USB. he was transferring some big data so want to do it via USB which is faster than WIFI or even Ethernet. and then, the disk stops responds and tick from hell starts to sound.

he plug it on the router and everything works again but then, he tries again in USB and the same result. he do some research and find that Lacie is doing great devices with crappy AC adapters. he bought another one on ebay and everything goes fine so he lend me the defective one. I try it and of course the same result that he gets, Ethernet fine, USB thick from hell.

I contact Lacie and they sent me a new adapter without charge nor even local shipping (of course I pay the international shipping). when the adapter comes, everything was great...until 6 months passed, then the new adapter was down too, and the tick tick from hell reappears.

of course the warranty expires and I must open the case, extract the disk and save the data. both Lacies go to the deposit to rest. right now I bought another adapter on ebay too and me and my client are selling these disk because even as we love them, we can't trust them, because the AC adapters will fail for sure.

I think that the AC adapter failing for intensive use is a killing flaw for a NAS device. even for a backup disk could be passed because is used just for backup every week and then go to the box, but a NAS device is intended to be used 24/7 and with great ventilation and a 500 Va dedicated UPS just for it and a router, I just can't be happy about it.

I got mine from Dell and hated it since its VERY NOISY. Beware.
Seagate Passport is much better and quieter. I am going to try to return mine.

Very very noisy. The fan seems to be on full at all times.
The admin interface is very poor.

The manual has errors. Admin is actually admin. ie case senstive.
The last time I buy a LaCie.

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March 2008 update. Drive failed.

Este disco es un atentado para la información, cuando quiere abrir lo hace y cuando se emperra no lo hace. Pide un user identication, user id y un password arbitrario. He perdido toda una pelicula por usar este disco, no lo recomiendo, ademas hay cero asistencia tecnica para ayudar a resolver el problema. No lo compre.