[Review] Seagate GoFlex 2TB Network Storage Drive
The GoFlex network storage drive works like an ordinary external hard drive, except rather than plugging it directly into your computer you plug it into your wireless router. The hard drive is then accessible to any device across your wireless network. This includes desktop computers (with a wireless adapter, or directly plugged into the router), laptop computers and even Smart TV’s. Seagate claim that the drive is compatible with Mac, Windows, iOS and Android; and can stream to any DLNA-enabled device.
Installation
Setup of the drive required slightly more effort than a traditional external hard drive. The instruction guide claimed that I needed to insert the provided CD in order to detect the drive (I later learned that this was not the case). Once the drive was plugged into the router and the power supply; the software installed detected it and continued to install the firmware. Installation also required that I create a SeagateShare account. These details are later used to remotely access the contents of your hard drive from the Seagate web interface. I was slightly annoyed that there was no option to opt-out of this step though.
Bundled software
Like most devices; the GoFlex setup CD installs a collection of “useful” associated software and firmware. This includes the Dashboard and several file syncing apps. The Dashboard allows you to install “apps” for your hard drive, plus modify settings and a variety of other pointless tasks. I have personally removed the dashboard program from my computer, since the GoFlex drive’s settings can be modified by typing http://goflex_home/ into your web browser’s address bar.
Data Transfer Speed
The GoFlex hard drive transfers data through your wireless router, which makes it considerably slower than a traditional USB hard drive. I am able to get 20mb/s download and 11mb/s upload, when using my old Netgear router. A quick internet search shows that users with high-end routers can get up to 100mb/s transfer.
Final Thoughts:
Shortcomings
1: The initial setup of the hard drive was a little more tedious than expected. I’m still trying to configure Windows to allow media folders on the drive to be indexed.
2: The initial transfer of 1.5TB of files took several days to complete over my wifi network. It would have been much faster to directly transfer the files through the device’s USB port, however a compatible USB cable wasn’t included. Unfortunately I didn’t have spare lying around the house anywhere.
Pleasant Surprises
1: My television was able to remotely connect to the hard drive and stream media without any extra configuration.
2: Seagate provide a web interface where the hard drive’s contents can be remotely accessed, wherever an internet connection is available. They even have iOS and Android apps available to make your files more accessible on mobile devices.
My experience with a 1TB network Seagate GoFlex network drive is about the worst in 25 years of assembling my own PCs.
I bought the drive as a solution to back up three PCs on a home wireless network. The one drive would always be available for back up.
The drive is bundled with Memeo back up software which needs to be installed on each PC with password required to access, even if there is only one user. The software is designed to do real time back ups to a location on the drive, updating the backup as changes occur. Disasters of course occur if you change the backup and not the original.
The program worked on one PC, the one connected by ethernet to the router. It did not work on the other two wireless connections. Contacting Memeo, as Seagate required. was useless. I had to tell someone named Jason three times to read my question. He kept answering questions I was not asking. Finally he sent back a solution completely incomprehensible.
My objective is to always have a recent image of my each harddrive backed up. I tried Windows 7 backup routine and discovered that Windows 7 Home Premium will not see networked drives. Apparently Win 7 Professional and ultimate will.
I had experience with Easus backup but needed the pay version to see a networked drive. OK I paid $39.00. But that wouldn’t work either. Easeus support couldn’t solve that, saying its a network or drive issue. Easeus has improved, but I find the Seagate Interface and password protection makes it fail on occasion
Finally I contacted Seagate support. Their answer was they don’t support third party software. Truly the last time they will see any of my $.
One other interesting point. the drive is supposedly designed to stop spinning when there is no activity. This drive is ALWAYS spinning.
I am still wondering if I can uninstall the Seagate software and still have the drive visible on the network.
Comment by Bill kap on January 3, 2012 at 6:32 pm
“I am still wondering if I can uninstall the Seagate software and still have the drive visible on the network.”
The software isn’t required at all.
“Windows 7 Home Premium will not see networked drives.”
Home Premium can detect the drives fine, just enable Network Device Discovery which is disabled by default.
Comment by Shane Gowland on January 4, 2012 at 7:30 am