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.
Do NOT expose the N0204 miniNAS to dampness, dust, or corrosive liquids. Do NOT place the N0204 miniNAS on any uneven surfaces. DO NOT place the N0204 miniNAS in direct sunlight or expose it to other heat sources. DO NOT use chemicals or aerosols to clean the N0204 miniNAS. Unplug the power cord and all connected cables before cleaning.
Hard Disk Installation................12 Cable Connections .................. 13 Chapter 3: First Time Setup ............14 Overview ....................14 Thecus Smart Utility ................14 USB Copy ....................19 Typical Setup Procedure ................19 Step 1: Network Setup ..............19 Step 2: RAID Creation ..............19 Step 3: Create Local Users or Setup Authentication......
Page 5
Utility ..................30 Administrator Password..............30 Config Mgmt ................30 Factory default................31 Reboot & Shutdown ..............31 File System Check ............... 31 System Network ..................33 LAN Configuration................. 33 Samba / CIFS................34 Samba Service................35 Samba Recycle Bin ..............35 AFP (Apple Network Setup) ............
Page 6
Password Protecting Albums............77 Uploading Pictures to Albums ............77 EXIF Information ................77 Slide Shows ................. 78 Mapping a Client PC to the N0204 miniNAS..........78 Windows..................78 Apple OS X .................. 78 Chapter 6: Tips and Tricks ............79 USB Storage Expansion ................
Product Highlights File Server First and foremost, the N0204 miniNAS 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.
Backup Server Don’t leave precious data to chance. With advanced backup capabilities, you can easily upload mission critical files to the N0204 miniNAS , and even automate your backup tasks for true peace-of-mind. To find out how to backup your files with the N0204 miniNAS, refer to Chapter 4: Backup >Nsync.
Page 9
Please check to see if your package is complete. If you find that some items are missing, contact your dealer.
Front Panel The Thecus N0204 miniNAS’s front panel has the USB copy button, indicators, and USB port: USB copy Button/LED HDD1 LED HDD2 LED LAN LED Power LED USB 2.0 Port Front Panel Item Description USB copy • Copy USB storage contents to N0204 miniNAS Button/LED •...
Rear Panel The Thecus N0204 miniNAS’s rear panel features ports and connectors. HDD1 HDD2 LAN Port USB 1.1 Port HDD Tray hook hitch Power Button Power socket Back Panel Item Description USB 1.1 Port • USB 1.1 port for compatible USB Printer LAN Port •...
Chapter 2: Hardware Installation Overview Your N0204 miniNAS is designed for easy installation. To help you get started, the following chapter will help you quickly get your N0204 miniNAS up and running. Please read it carefully to prevent damaging your unit during installation.
Push the tray back. Cable Connections To connect the N0204 miniNAS to your network, follow the steps below: 1. Connect an Ethernet cable from your network to the LAN port on the back panel of the N0204 miniNAS.
Once the hardware is installed, physically connected to your network, and powered on, you can configure the N0204 miniNAS so that it is accessible to your network users. There is one way to set up your N0204 miniNAS: using the Thecus Smart Utility.
Page 15
3. Select the N0204 miniNAS that you like to configure. Press Next to continue. 4. First, please select System Installation Wizard. 5. Please select your installation mode, One Click Installation or Manual Installation. 6. After your installed HDDs are detected, select your desired RAID level. Press...
Page 16
PC/NB as a Network Device. 8. Complete the N0204 miniNAS Smart Utility Wizard. A. You can access the N0204 miniNAS Web Administrator interface by clicking the Start Brower button. The default password is “admin”. You can also...
Page 17
NOTE Windows XP/2000 or Mac OSX or later. Users with other operating systems will need to install the Thecus Smart Utility Wizard on a host machine with one of these operating systems before using the unit. C. Press the Setup backup task button to configure backup tasks on your...
Page 18
S ingle Task Quick Backup: Perform a single backup by selecting the source ‧ and destination. M anually Backup and Task List: Show all task information and options. ‧...
USB Copy The USB Copy function enables you to copy files stored on USB devices such as USB disks and digital cameras to the N0204 miniNAS by press USB copy button. To use USB copy, follow the steps below: 1. Plug your USB device into USB2.0 port on the Front Panel.
Basics. Step 3: Create Local Users or Setup Authentication Once the RAID is ready, you can begin to create local users for the N0204 miniNAS, or choose to setup authentication protocols. For more on managing users, go to Chapter 4: User and Group Authentication.
With it, you can configure and monitor the N0204 miniNAS anywhere on the network. Web Administration Interface Make sure your network is connected to the Internet. To access the N0204 miniNAS Web Administration Interface: 1. Type the N0204’s IP address into your browser. (Default IP address is http://192.168.1.100)
Moving your cursor over 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 N0204 miniNAS. Message Bar You can get information about system status quickly by moving mouse over.
Information provides viewing on current Product info, System Status, Service Status and Logs. The menu bar allows you to see various aspects of the N0204 miniNAS. From here, you can discover the status of the N0204 miniNAS, and also other details.
Product Information Item Description Manufacturer Displays the name of the system manufacturer. Product No. Shows the model number of the system. Firmware version Shows the current firmware version. Up time Displays the total run time of the system. System/Service Status From the Status menu, choose the System item, System Status and Service Status screens appear.
Logs From the System Information 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: See the following table for a detailed description of each item: System Logs Item...
Refresh the logs. System Management The System Management menu gives you a wealth of settings that you can use to configure your N0204’s system administration functions. You can set up system time, system notifications, and even upgrade firmware from this menu. Time: Setting System Time From the Time menu, choose the Time item and the Time screen appears.
Notification Configuration From the menu, choose the Notification item, and the Notification Configuration screen appears. This screen lets you have the N0204 miniNAS notify you in case of any system malfunction. Press Apply to confirm all settings. See following table for a detailed description of each item.
From the menu, choose the Schedule Power On/Off item and the Schedule Power On/Off screen appears. To designate a schedule for the N0204 miniNAS to turn on and off, first enable the feature by checking the Enable Schedule Power On/Off checkbox.
Example - Monday: Off: 8:00; Off: 16:00 System will turn off at 8:00 AM on Monday. System will turn off at 16:00 PM on Monday, if it was on. If the system was already off at 16:00 PM on Monday, system will stay off.
Utility Administrator Password From the 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.
Factory default From the menu, choose the Factory Default item and the Reset to Factory Default screen appears. Press Apply to reset the N0204 miniNAS to factory default settings. Resetting to factory defaults will not erase the data stored in the hard disks, but WARNING WILL revert all the settings to the factory default values.
Page 32
Once the system has rebooted, you will be returned to the File System Check prompt. Check the desired RAID volumes and click Next to proceed with the file system check. Click Reboot to reboot without running the check. Once you click Next, you will see the following screen: Click Start to begin the file system check.
The system must be rebooted before the N0204 can function normally NOTE after file system check complete. System Network Use the System Network menu to make network configuration settings as well as service support settings. LAN Configuration From the System Network menu, choose LAN, and the LAN Configuration screen appears.
LAN Configuration Item Description miniNAS Host name Host name that identifies the N0204 on the network. miniNAS Domain name Specifies the domain name of the N0204 To set a server name for NetBIOS computer. WINS Server MAC Address MAC address of the network interface. IP Sharing Mode When enabled, PCs connected to the LAN port will be able to access the LAN.
System).Do the link in network protocol. Enable or Disable SMB/CIFS protocol for Windows, Apple, Unix drive mapping. Samba Recycle Bin The N0204 miniNAS is supported recycle bin via SMB/CIFS protocol. Simply enable it then all of deleted files/folders will reside in the “.recycle” folder with hidden attribution in each share.
A description of each item follows: NFS Server Setting Item Description Enable or Disable NFS support. Apply Click Apply to save your changes. N0204 can act as a FTP server, enabling users to download and upload files with their favorite FTP programs. From the System Network menu, choose the FTP item, and the FTP screen appears.
UPnP AV protocol or are Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) standard compliant. With the N0204 miniNAS ’s built-in media server capability, you can share digital media such as music, pictures, and movies with any compatible device throughout your entire home.
Shared Media Folders Select the folder(s) that contains media files to be shared. miniNAS Rescan Click the Rescan button to have the N0204 for new contents in the selected media folder. Shared Media Folders Once the Media Server software is installed, you can start adding folders that contain the media that you would like to share.
From the System Network menu, choose the Nsync Target item, and the Nsync Setting screen appears. Enable or Disable your Nsync Target Server and press Apply to confirm your settings. Once Nsync Target has been enabled, other Thecus NAS products able to operate remote replication to this NAS system.
Bonjour Setting Bonjour is Apple Inc.'s trade name for its implementation of Zeroconf, a service discovery protocol. Bonjour locates devices such as printers, as well as other computers, and the services that those devices offer on a local network using multicast Domain Name System service records.
Disks Information Item Description Disk No. Indicates disk location. Capacity Shows the SATA hard disk capacity. Model Displays the SATA hard disk model name. Firmware Shows the SATA hard disk firmware version. Status Indicates the status of the disk. Can read OK, Warning, or Failed.
shows total count of hours (or minutes, or seconds, depending on manufacturer) in power-on state. Temperature Celsius The current temperature of the hard disk in degrees Celsius Reallocated Sector Count of reallocated sectors. When the hard drive finds a Count read/write/verification error, it marks this sector as "reallocated"...
the capacities allocated for data. There is also a graph which represents how the RAID volume is currently allocated. RAID Information Item Description ID of the current RAID volume. NOTE: All RAID IDs must be unique. RAID Level Shows the current RAID configuration. Status Indicates status of the RAID.
a special file storage layout in the storage volume. A larger stripe size is better for large files. Data Percentage The percentage of the RAID volume that will be used to store data. Create Press this button to configure a file system and create the RAID storage volume.
Edit RAID On the RAID Information screen, press the Edit button to go to the RAID Information screen. Using Edit RAID, you can select RAID ID and the Spare Disk. . Remove RAID Click to remove the RAID volume. All user data has been created in selected RAID volume will be removed.
Share Folder From the Storage menu, choose Share Folder, and the Folder screen appears. This screen allows you to create and configure folders on the N0204 miniNAS volume. Adding Folders On the Folder screen, press the Add button and the Add Folder screen appears.
Folder names are limited to 60 characters. Systems running Windows 98 or earlier NOTE may not support file names longer than 15 characters. Modify Folders On the Folder screen, press the Edit button and the Modify Folder screen appears. This screen allows you to change folder information. After entering the information, press Apply to save your changes.
All the data stored in the folder will be deleted once the folder is deleted. WARNING The data will not be recoverable. NFS Share To allow NFS access to the share folder, enable the NFS Service, and then set up hosts with access rights by clicking Add.
NFS Share Item Description Hostname Enter the name or IP address of the host Privilege Host has either read only or writeable access to the folder. Guest System Support There are two selections available: Unix / Linux System • AIX (Allow source port > 1024) •...
Page 50
ACL setting Item Description Deny Denies access to users or groups who are displayed in this column. Read Only Provides Read Only access to users or groups who are displayed in this column. Writable Provides Write access to users or groups who are displayed in this column.
ISO Mount The ISO Mount feature is very useful tool included with Thecus products. With it, users can mount an ISO file and have the export name display all details from mounted ISO file.
Page 52
After making a selection, the system will bring up Mount table to enable further settings. To mount a new ISO file, select one from the listed ISO files and input the desired mounting name into the “Mount as:” field. Click Add to complete mounting the ISO file.
Page 53
The mounted ISO file will be located in a share folder with the assigned ISO image name. Please refer the screen shot below. ISO file “image” has been mounted in the “Image” folder. The ISO file “Thecus 01,” without an assigned mounting name, has caused the system to automatically create...
User and Group Authentication The N0204 miniNAS has built-in user database that allows administrators to manage user access using different group policies. From the User and Group Authentication menu, you can create, modify, and delete users, and assign them to groups that you designate.
All users are automatically assigned to the ‘users’ group. NOTE Edit Users 1. Select an existing user from the Local User Configuration screen. 2. Click on the Edit button, and Local User Setting screen appears. 3. From here, you can enter a new password and re-enter to confirm, or use the <<...
Remove Users 1. Select an existing user from the Local User Configuration screen. 2. Click on Remove button and the user is deleted from the system. Local Group Configuration From the Accounts menu, choose the Group item, and the Local Group Configuration screen appears.
Add Groups 1. On the Local Group Configuration screen, click on the Add button. 2. The Local Group Setting screen appears. 3. Enter a Group Name. 4. Enter a Group ID number. If left blank, the system will automatically assign one.
Remove Groups 1. On the Local Group Configuration screen, select a group name from the list. 2. Press Remove to delete the group from the system. Batch Create Users and Groups The N0204 can also add users and groups in batch mode. This enables you to conveniently add numerous users and groups automatically by importing a simple comma-separated plain text (*.txt) file.
Server allows you to share a single USB printer will all users on the network. By activating the iTunes Server on the N0204 miniNAS, you will be able to directly play music files on this device with your iTunes client software. The following section shows you how.
Remove All Documents button to clear the print queue may resolve the issue. You can configure the N0204 miniNAS to act as a printer server. That way, all PCs connected to the network can utilize the same printer.
Page 61
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.
Page 62
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://<Thecus_NAS>:631/printers/usb-printer in the box, where <Thecus_NAS_IP> is the IP address of the N0204. Click Next. 6.
Click Next to continue. 9. Done! Click Finish. iTunes® Server With the built-in iTunes server capability, the N0204 miniNAS 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.
N0204. System Module The system module is officially provided by Thecus for new features added. User Module The user module section is reserved for Thecus fans to build up 3 party functions in the future.
When using Nsync between two N0204s, you have the option to transmit files securely between them. If the files on your N0204 miniNAS are lost for any reason, you can restore those files from the target N0204 miniNAS. To backup files regularly, you can set up a scheduled task to run only once, daily, weekly, or monthly.
Page 66
Add Nsync Task Item Description Task Name The name of your Nsync task. Target Server Select whether the target is a Thecus Product (e.g. N0204) or FTP Manufacturer server. Nsync Mode Synchronize mode or Incremental mode . Target Server IP The IP address of your target server.
Designating N0204 as an Nsync Target The N0204 can act as an Nsync server, enabling another Nsync-equipped Thecus NAS at a remote location backup their files to this N0204. From the System Network menu, choose the Nsync Target item, and the Nsync Target Server screen appears.
Chapter 5: Using the N0204 miniNAS Overview Once the N0204 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 N0204, just enter its IP address into your browser (default IP address is http://192.168.1.100), and you...
Page 69
6. To create a new folder within the current folder, press the New folder button. When the screen appears enter a name for the folder. Press OK to create the folder. 7. To upload a file from your computer to the current folder, press the New file (upload) button.
(upload) Upload file from your computer to current web disk folder. (Admin) Change password and confirm new password. (logout) To logout of the web disk interface. Show the files and folders in the directory. Search files in the directory. (You can only input word strings.) Name Displays the names of folders and files.
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 on top right corner. 2.
Page 72
4. Once the register file 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.
Page 73
7. Your PC will start to connect to the Photo Web Server. 8. Select N0204 miniNAS Photo Gallery Wizard to publish your pictures to the N0204 miniNAS. 9. Login into the N0204 with your local user name and password.
Page 74
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.
Page 75
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.
17. Finished! You will see the pictures just selected in the album. Managing Albums and Photos Icon Function Description Make Cover Make selected photo your cover picture. Back Return to the previous screen. Add a new album or photos. Modify Edit the name and description of the selected album or photo.
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.
To stop the slide show, click on the Stop Slide Show icon on the top right hand corner. Mapping a Client PC to the N0204 miniNAS You can map share folders on the N0204 so that you can access them as if they were drives on your computer.
Read Write Replacing Damaged Hard Drives If you are using RAID 1, you can easily replace a damaged hard drive in the Thecus N0204 while keeping your data secure with the system’s automatic data recovery. Hard Drive Damage When a hard drive is damaged and data in the RAID volume, the system LCD will display warning message and begin beeping.
1. Open front door of the N0204. 2. For 2.5” HDDs a. Remove the 2.5” HDD tray b. Remove failure hard disk c. Install new HDD on to the hard disk tray d. Slide into HDD tray till it snap into place. RAID Auto-Rebuild When using RAID 1 on the N0204, you can use the auto-rebuild function when an error is detected.
If you forget your network IP address and have no physical access to the system, you can use the Smart _Utility to retrieve the IP of your N0204. 1. Start the Smart Utility, and it will automatically detect all Thecus IP storage products on your network.
Problems with Time and Date Settings The administrator is able to select an NTP Server to keep the N0204’s time synchronized. However, if the N0204 can not access the Internet, you may encounter a problem when setting the Time and Time Zone. If this happens: 1.
Appendix A: Product Specifications Hardware Specifications Item Spec Processor Oxford 810DSE SATA Controller Oxford 810DSE System Memory 128MB DDR2 on board Flash memory 4 MB LAN Interface RJ-45x1 10/100/1000 BASE-TX Auto MDI/MDI-X USB Interface USB 2.0 host port x1 (Front) USB 1.1 host port x 1 (Rear) LED indicator Power(Blue)
Page 84
NAS) USB copy (From NAS to Copy NAS data to external USB disk external USB disk) NAS Remote Replication Via Thecus proprietary Nsync Multimedia Support iTunes Server Supported File Types: AAC, MP3 w/ ID3 tag, WAV Photo Web Server 1. Supported File Types: GIF, JPG (JPEG), BMP, PNG 2.
Our newest firmware is available on our Download Center: http://www.thecus.com/download.php If you are still experiencing problems with your N0204 miniNAS, 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...
RAID volume can regenerate data from the data and parity stored on its other hard disk drives. RAID Levels The Thecus N0204 miniNAS 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 •...
The stripes can vary in size. Disk Usage When 2 disks are of the same size, and used in RAID, N0204 miniNAS disk usage percentage is listed below: RAID Level Percentage...
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.
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.
Page 93
they have is not the original, so that any problems introduced by others will not reflect on the original authors' reputations. Finally, any free program is threatened constantly by software patents. We wish to avoid the danger that redistributors of a free program will individually obtain patent licenses, in effect making the program proprietary.
Page 94
these conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy of this License. (Exception: if the Program itself is interactive but does not normally print such an announcement, your work based on the Program is not required to print an announcement.) These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole.
Page 95
4. You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Program except as expressly provided under this License. Any attempt otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense or distribute the Program is void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License. However, parties who have received copies, or rights, from you under this License will not have their licenses terminated so long as such parties remain in full compliance.
Page 96
9. The Free Software Foundation may publish revised and/or new versions of the General Public License from time to time. Such new versions will be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to address new problems or concerns.
Need help?
Do you have a question about the N0204 miniNAS and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers