REVIEW PC Pro March Issue:
Quote: ''The Freecom Storage Gateway has more features than most NAS appliances and is great value for money'' (PC Pro March Issue)
Quote: ''The 160GB version of the Storage Gateway offers great features despite the low price. It's a three-port ethernet router, an FTP server, a print server, a web server and it can even be used as a backup server''
(PC Pro March Issue - A-List Page)
Performance: 4 out of 5
Features & Design : 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Value for money: 4 out of 5 (All PC Pro March Issue)
Click here to read the test result
Click here to read the full article
FSG-3 gets award from Computer Buyer:
"Freecom's networked hard disk and router is pricey, but it really can do it all.
Like the Netgear SC101, Freecom's FSG-3 is a network storage device - and it's a router too. As if this weren't enough, it can also be accessed across the Internet using either FTP software or just your Internet browser. This is useful when you suddently realise you've left important files at home. Setting up the FSG-3 is easy - simply plug it into your PC and type in its default IP address (the unique number used to identify it on your network) into your browser. Click here to read the full article
TrustedReviews wrote:
"We’ve seen a fair few NAS appliances over the past year but Freecom’s latest FSG-3 Storage Gateway takes the accolades for offering more features than you can shake a stick at. On the storage front you get an internal hard disk with a choice of capacities and the appliance offers this to the network as shared storage for Windows, Macintosh and Linux users. Four USB 2.0 ports are provided for adding more external devices and these accept any combination of flash disk, external hard drive or optical drive. You can also add USB printers for sharing over the network as well.
The appliance also has an eSATA (external SATA) port for attaching high-speed external hard disks. This is a relatively new standard that’s designed to get SATA (serial ATA) ‘out of the box’ and supports 3GB/sec interface speeds so it’s up to six times faster than USB 2.0. Note that the external interface is different to the standard SATA plug as it’s a shielded version and doesn’t have an ‘L’ shaped key. At the moment eSATA external drives are very thin on the ground and Freecom advised us that it plans to launch eSATA external drives early in 2006 which will use the same enclosure as the FSG-3 so will be stackable.
The FSG-3 incorporates four Fast Ethernet ports with one acting as a WAN port for connecting an external ADSL modem. An internal DHCP server dishes out IP addresses and DNS details so LAN clients can have Internet access and this is protected by an SPI firewall. It’s a well built little unit that’s much smaller than the Shared Storage Drive and Netcenter drives from Maxtor and Western Digital. Status indicators are plentiful as the large blue button at the top of the unit shows the status of the OS and whether the unit is booting whilst a ring round the outside reveals hard disk status and activity. Separate LEDs are provided for the eSATA and WAN ports and a button below the USB ports is used to shut devices down ready to be safely unplugged.
The amount of electronics packed into the appliance means heat output is high and the cooling fan is a little intrusive. However, you can opt for three different cooling modes where the standard mode switches the fan on as required while maximum cooling mode leaves it on permanently. There’s also a ‘hot and silent’ mode which conjures up all kinds of connotations but is not worth using. The manual specifically advises against selecting this as it’ll probably reduce the longevity of the appliance and internal drive..."
Rating: 8 of 10 points
Read the full review here
With the Freecom Storage Gateway-3 (FSG) the German-Dutch IT manufacturer has laid the cornerstone for future data storage requirements for small businesses of all types, and for the private market. This latest internal development is based on the FHD-3 external hard disk, and marks the first step in a completely new SOHO concept which places the focus on the data - ID² (Intelligent Digital Data).
Interfaces & Performance
The FSG combines a server, router (3x LAN/1x WAN) and USB-server (4x USB 2.0 Hi-Speed) in one handy housing. Via the USB ports, various products such as USB printers, USB sticks, digicams or external hard drives can be used by all network subscribers only a few seconds after direct connection (plug & play).
The S-ATA interface for example allows the connection of a professional back-up solution, with which the 3.5" IDE hard disk inside the FSG, (initially available with capacities of 160, 250, 400 and 500GB) can be backed up externally. In the 4th Quarter 2005, the storage capacity will be able to be extended to up to 1 Terabyte with the aid of a new FHD-3 S-ATA in the same design as the FSG.
The Freecom Storage Gateway-3 comes complete with integrated Web, FTP, DNS and DHCP-server. The FSG complies with all necessary standards/protocols to create a local network, and thanks to the clearly structured user interface is quick and convenient to manage and back-up, and easy to connect to the Internet.
From the 4th Quarter 2005, a WLAN version will also be available, simultaneously offering compatibility with the future significantly faster Gigabit Ethernet.
The ID² vision - FSG as a world-wide storage location for all data
ID² sees data as the only constant at the focal point of the digital world, and therefore its most valuable capital. Hardware and software versions come and go at increasingly short intervals - only the data remains the same. View ID² demo movie
The core of ID² will be the already existing FSG. FSG will communicate with a mobile storage unit, which will administer and store (by wireless) all data of a user, network or organisation, irrespective of what end-units (mobile, PDA, digital camera, etc.) have created the data. As soon as the unit comes within range or contact with the FSG, for example after a trip, all data will be synchronised automatically - leaving the data stored centrally in the FSG.
Contents
The Freecom Storage Gateway is supplied complete with full back-up software, which enables both the back-up of individual clients on the FSG and the complete server environment. The package also includes a manual with operating instructions and basic information on networks, all necessary cables, and a stand for vertical positioning of the FSG. Freecom offers a two-year manufacturer's guarantee and unlimited free support.
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