Installing a NAS (D-link DNS-321)

I added a DNS-321 NAS to my home network. Here's how I installed it using Ubuntu 9.10:

1. Install the 3.5" SATA drives. They aren't included. I used 2x 1TB drives.
2. Add it to the local wired network. Turn it on.
3. Log in to the router to figure out the NAS IP address. Remember the IP address!
4. Log into the NAS' buit-in web server (username ADMIN, no password) to format the drives, configure all the access, and learn the top-level-folder name.
5. Create user accounts for all access

Here's how I access it using Ubuntu 9.10:

Get the Samba packages: sudo apt-get install samba smbfs

Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /media/Sharedrive

Add the following line to fstab: sudo nano /etc/fstab

//192.168.1.102/Top-Level-Folder /media/Sharedrive/ cifs nounix,uid=ubuntu_account_username,gid=ubuntu_account_username,file_mode=0777,dir_mode=0777,username=my_NAS_account_name,password=my_NAS_account_password 0 0
# Your IP address and top-level-folder are very likely to be different.
# Your uid and gid should be your Ubuntu username/groupname (your Ubuntu machine login name)
# Your username and password are almost certainly different. 

Mount the new share using sudo mount -a

Unmount the new share using sudo umount /media/Sharedrive

Optional: Create a shortcut in the File Manager to make easy access to the mount point.

I haven't investigated automounting upon startup yet.