[Gllug] Unlock a Freecom Network Drive Pro (or does it need it?)

[David L Neil Mailing list a/c]

John Winters wrote:
> I've come across Freecom advertising a device they call a "Freecom Network
> Drive Pro" for 160 GBP.  It has a 500G hard drive, gigabit ethernet, ARM9,
> 64M of RAM, SMB file server, web server, ftp server, print server (2 x USB
> ports) and runs Linux.  It sounds to me like it might make an ideal
> always-on low power domestic server, but...
> 
> I can't find any information on how open it is.  The spec sheet says that
> the kernel is "upgradeable" but there are no clues about how open it is. 
> The obvious thing it lacks (at least in the spec sheet) is NFS file
> sharing.
> 
> Anyone any experience of using one of these gadgets?
> 
> TIA,
> John


John,

I do not have one of these (they are quite new) but have used one of its
predecessors, the FSG Internet Gateway, for some time (not so good in
the UK with predominant DSL/PPPoA because it is built around PPPoE and
thus requires a separate modem front-end).

As applied to the FSG:
"upgradeable" means that they release new firmware from time-to-time
"Linux" means that you are able to gain SSH access to the box, however
mucking about too deeply in the guts of it may affect their carefully
constructed minimal distro install/set-up
"open" in that you can add stuff to it, and there is a web site (for me
at least) called openfsg.com with wiki and forum discussions,
downloadable files, etc, and quite a vibrant hacker community beyond the
usual 'help me' stuff
"NFS": no, not to my knowledge/research to date
"Brick": unlike the OpenWRT project, I've not come across anyone
actually bricking their FSG!

'Linux/NFS': what you need to envisage is a machine built to fit into
home networks running M$-Windows. The box itself might run Linux, but it
has a 'friendly' web front-end for 'administration' (much like most DSL
modem and router-type gear these days) and has been built to speak
'Windoze' protocols...accordingly from a Linux client it is either Samba
or no dance.

I have hacked the DHCP/DNS set up, and this device now runs my
homogeneous home network very nicely, thank you. Hence my warning about
'upsetting' their careful plan. I managed to figure out what was going
on, and why their system kept 'disappearing' or over-writing my
settings, and settled a work-around. I'm no Linux rocket-scientist, so
some one who knows what they're doing will probably make commensurately
faster progress towards bending the device to their will...

I have not worked out its multimedia streaming add-on, nor how to set up
the email server to cope with my multiple sources (Fetchmail) and
particular distribution needs. So the device has plenty of potential,
but my time/abilities have limited the depths yet plumbed. Given the
(low) cost I've been suitably impressed, accepting the
facilities/simplicity trade-off, but YMMV!

The gateway/appliance/LAN-NAS business for small business/home LANs is
booming at the moment, with new devices announced weekly and prices
tumbling. I feel Freecom somewhat under-rated (and less well known in
the UK - they're a Dutch outfit) when compared to the internationals
like Buffalo but even Linksys have tried to get in on the act... It's
worth a good look around, but as you do, watch for the temptations of
features-creep!

Hope this helps,
=dn

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