Manage updates with the Download AppD-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure
Manufacturer: D-Link Part number: DNS-323
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure is a comprehensive solution to extend your network storage and functionality. It offers great performance and, despite its long list of features, remains very easy to use.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure price range: $294.29
- Reviewed by: Dong Ngo
- Edited by: Matthew Elliott
- Reviewed on: 04/09/2008
The good: Compact design; very easy to set up; intuitive Web interface; fast write speed; print-serving capability; two drive bays with RAID support; can operate as a UPnP AV, iTunes, and FTP server; can also act as DHCP server; USB port for sharing a printer.
The bad: Drive bays' cover comes off too easily; doesn't support hard drives in FAT32 or NTFS format; drive bays only hold drives of regular thickness.
The bottom line: The D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure is a comprehensive solution to extend your network storage and functionality. It offers great performance and, despite its long list of features, remains very easy to use.
User reviews
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Must be turned on manually after power outage
by RGabriele on March 12, 2008
Pros: When it worked it worked well
Cons: Must be turned on manually after power outage
Summary: Well I really link Dlink products! Unfortunately I had big problems (over 10hrs with tech support) that they said were related to hard drives not on there approved hard drive ...
Summary: Well I really link Dlink products! Unfortunately I had big problems (over 10hrs with tech support) that they said were related to hard drives not on there approved hard drive list. After a power outage the unit would not allow access to the raid1 share... would have to login and reset to factory defaults ... it would then see the share but I could no longer get into configuration to setup FTP etc
Funny thing is I was going to buy approved hard drives. But found out that every time the power goes out you have to manually turn it back on. Not an option I want on a FTP server, a feature I was using4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Nice solution, just upgraded to a mirrored set of 1.5TB
by jiggysmb on February 19, 2009
Pros: Lots of features, you can connect a printer to network it, has iTunes server, FTP server and uPNP sharing(sort of). Most recent firmware added support for 1.5 TB drives so you can have up to 3 TB in this tiny enclosure. Could be portable!
Cons: Firmware update are usually buggy and most always effect file system, see summary for explanation. The new uPNP support for XBOX360 and PS3 is not solid,s ee below. Box gets very hot with little airflow inside device.
Summary: Dlink support staff is usually 6 month behind. I got mine a few weeks before release and the support team had no idea what a DNS323 was. A few months ...
Summary: Dlink support staff is usually 6 month behind. I got mine a few weeks before release and the support team had no idea what a DNS323 was. A few months later I had trouble with my original xbox (XBMC) only seeing the root files and support still had no documentation on the device.
In early FW releases you had to reformat your drives which was very time consuming to copy off your data, reformat then copy data back to DNS.
For uPNP, if you share a folder with sub folders your DNS will crash with pink LEDs which Dlink support has no documentation of pink LEDs.
I still think this device is better than most others but would like more airflow or a larger fan to pull hot air out of the box.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Solid product - saved my digital life
by imageeclipse on January 17, 2008
Pros: No cables, fast
Cons: bright LEDs
Summary: This product is awesome. I recently had my primary PC crash and burn... luckily, I had the 323 set up to backup all of my files so I was easily ...
Summary: This product is awesome. I recently had my primary PC crash and burn... luckily, I had the 323 set up to backup all of my files so I was easily able to get back to normal. The unit is solid and built like a truck. It also has gigabit speed for quick back ups and transfers. Only complaint is the bright blinking LEDs - I recommend not keeping this in your bedroom at night unless you're looking for a strobe nightlight.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good hardware & maddeningly unpolished admin tools
by MRMinSF on January 6, 2009
Pros: good value for dual-bay device; excellent hardware
Cons: begs to be hacked to exploit its potential... which is fine unless you're not a linux gearhead
Summary: Bottom line: gets the job done (although not very gracefully) for a decent price.
Great hardware, smaller than I expected. Physical installation nearly idiot-proof. Quiet. Relatively low-waste packaging. Probably the ...Summary: Bottom line: gets the job done (although not very gracefully) for a decent price.
Great hardware, smaller than I expected. Physical installation nearly idiot-proof. Quiet. Relatively low-waste packaging. Probably the best value for a multi-bay NAS right now, all things considered.
BUT the admin tools are very version-1. Critical and basic oversights include inability to rename the shared disk (you're stuck with "Volume_1" like it or not) or configure email alerts for modern mail servers (no way to specify SSL or non-standard SMTP port, required by most spam-conscious ISPs). A host of other small but annoying head-slappers like that take a big bite out of the otherwise positive impression I have of this unit.
Clunky user interface reminds me of the early days of small routers before they hit the consumer mainstream and companies realized they had to hire someone to make things look right and work for average folks. Since more and more 'average' folks are indeed looking at NAS products, these admin/UI problems really need to be addressed.
The vibrant community of linux geeks/gurus out there with sites dedicated to hacking and enhancing this device is evidence of the 323's versatility and potential...and the shortcomings of its out-of-the-box features. Maybe D-Link should hire some of these talented people to exploit its potential.
Macs see and use the shared disk fine, and web-based admin tools are platform-agnostic. D-Link's Quick-Start CDROM and printed instructions are Windows-only, however, so if you're setting this up with a Mac you will have to take a few leaps of faith to get things up and running. It's do-able, but you're on your own.
iTunes server is fun in theory, but not sure it's worth the effort to set up and manage an additional music library when iTunes on my laptop shares itself just fine.
Not sure if drive mechanism would be readable in a standard USB/Firewire drive enclosure now that it's been formatted in 'EXT-2' format. That slightly concerns me should I ever need to abandon the Dlink box for some reason.
I thought this unit was unique by featuring "WAN" access. Turns out this functionality is by way of an oh-so-very-1993 FTP server. If you're going to open a port on your router to allow FTP access anyway, you may as well direct inbound SMB or AFP traffic to your NAS and access it as a shared drive. That technique will work with any NAS.
Prior to this purchase, I experimented briefly with an Apple Time Capsule and found both the admin tools and Finder/Desktop integration to be smoother for both Mac and Vista workstations. The D-Link box clearly has more features (not the least of which is a dual-bay enclosure), and I know RAID features are important to many NAS consumers. But since I already have a reliable offsite backup solution in place, if I had it to do over again, I think my modest home storage needs (and a desire for fewer electronics, cords, power bricks, etc) would be better served by the all-in-one TimeCapsule product.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good solid fast product
by Anthony 110 on June 5, 2008
Pros: Fast download and upload, sleek look, runs cool, very quiet, easy setup.
Cons: Wish it was a tad faster
Summary: Overall a great product for cheap. The download and upload speed are usually around 2.0mb/s. It runs so quietly with the two WD 500GB drives I have in ...
Summary: Overall a great product for cheap. The download and upload speed are usually around 2.0mb/s. It runs so quietly with the two WD 500GB drives I have in it, runs very cool as well with its little fan. Look sleek and feels fairly solid. I wish it had a few more features but for the money it was well worth it.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Works exceptionally well so far, easy setup, cost effective network storage
by tkanazawa on February 12, 2008
Pros: Works exceptionally well. easy setup
Cons: Dlink help desk was no help on a simple question
Summary: Works exceptionally well so far, much quieter than my Linkstation; if it continues to work as well, I'm thinking I may get another. Set it up with a DLink ...
Summary: Works exceptionally well so far, much quieter than my Linkstation; if it continues to work as well, I'm thinking I may get another. Set it up with a DLink DIR-655 wireless router and two Western Digital 1TB harddrives. Easy setup. Updated firmware to latest version. Had a hard time deciding whether to configure it as Standard for 2TB or RAID1 for 1TB. Finally decided to be conservative with RAID1. Now I want to store everything on the DNS-323, and not on my Linkstation. Haven't tried the print server or ftp server, but plan to soon
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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No issues after 1 year
by JackTheMan18 on June 25, 2008
Pros: -rock solid;great support
Cons: none so far
Summary: What a great product!
I have had no issues after 1 year...Summary: What a great product!
I have had no issues after 1 year...1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Hard to use, non-standard confusing, runs hot, BAD
by NerfBlossom on August 28, 2009
Pros: Small, RAID 0 or 1, cute LEDs
Cons: You CANNOT create userids the normal way you expect without getting a multiplicity of share names, each specific to a user. If you want 3 users on 1 folder, you get SHARE, SHARE-1, SHARE-2 and have to remember who gets what share. RUNS VERY HOT!
Summary: This is just plain horrible. It is my second try to replace an aging Maxtor and I wanted RAID so I got this turkey. The unit can be found and ...
Summary: This is just plain horrible. It is my second try to replace an aging Maxtor and I wanted RAID so I got this turkey. The unit can be found and setup for network attachment easily as any other NAS box but after that, the setup is a total nightmare. Groups are COMPLETELY BROKEN. When you assign a user to a group, it works. When you assign that same user to another group, IT IS REMOVED FROM THE FIRST GROUP! This makes setting up group a waste of time to consider. Not documented! When you add additional users to share a folder, you get a different share for each user named in the order they were added with a dash and a number behind. You cannot change this. IT IS NOT DOCUMENTED! This unit has a fan which does nothing to cool the unit. I had to purchase an external fan to keep it below 100 degrees in a cooled environment. Without the fan, it goes to about 120 when used at all. During initial loading (if you still insist on buying one of these turkeys), be SURE to have a fan blowing on it and best to just keep it going forever.
If I could give it negative stars, I would but can't so gave it the lowest I could. AVOID!! I am somewhat stuck with it now and trying to make the best of a sad situation. Tech support DOES NOT CARE and they don't intend to fix anything, ever on this box. With reasonable software, I would love it. Small, quiet and Broken as Designed (BAD).2 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Horrible admin tools and multiple user functionality
by whaleya on December 4, 2009
Pros: It is able to serve up files stored on it.
Cons: Primitive and limited admin tools. Can't make users and user groups like every other NAS or OS out there. There has to be multiple shares for different groups or users. The rest of the admin tool kit is just as poor, primitive and limited.
Summary: I have worked with many brands (qnap, synology, buffalo, Snapserver, etc). This Dlink is the worst by leaps and bounds. The admin tool kit it to crippled... I have to ...
Summary: I have worked with many brands (qnap, synology, buffalo, Snapserver, etc). This Dlink is the worst by leaps and bounds. The admin tool kit it to crippled... I have to make mutiple shares for folders since I can't assign multiple groups/users to a shared folder. Raid tools and HD health tools are a joke. When I compare to an 8yead old NAS the Dlink fails.
For the reviewers that like the Dlink I can only assume that they have ONLY ever used the Dlink and don't know what else is out there.
The ONLY way I can recommend this is if you dump the Dlink OS and hack in your own OS for it.
For a Good NAS look to Synology (my current fav) or QNAP (almost as good). Buffalo is cheap and OK. Look to ANYTHING other then the Dlink. Our Dlink is a few months old in a small office and we are planning on putting it in the trash and popping the HD into something else..anything else.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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OK as a NAS, useless as an Upnp server.
by bartyartfast on February 27, 2009
Pros: Ok for shared file storage & backup across a network.
Cons: Media server just doesn't work; with 14,000 music tracks & 22,000 photos it takes 8 hours to index and then serves only about 1% of the files - the rest says 'no content', and the images are distorted. Power saver doesn't work either!
Summary: Just about OK as a NAS but the non-windiws file format is annoying. CNET didn't test the upnp server - they should have done, as it is completely hopeless. ...
Summary: Just about OK as a NAS but the non-windiws file format is annoying. CNET didn't test the upnp server - they should have done, as it is completely hopeless. D-Link's poor tech support lived up to its name and have totally failed to help. The unit is supposed to have a programmable hibernation mode to save power when the unit is not in use - doesn't work! Also, the included backup software is only a 30-day trial (not mentioned on packaging or promotional material) - very shoddy approach indeed and technically a breach of advertising regulations. You can be sure I won't be buying any more D-Link products.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: D-Link
- Part number: DNS-323
- Description: The D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure, when used with internal SATA drives, enables you to share documents, files, and digital media such as music, photos, and video with everyone on the home or office network. Remotely accessing files through the Internet is also possible with the built-in FTP server. Whether you are allowing access locally or over the Internet, keep data safe by only giving rights to specific users or groups. When configuring the DNS-323, you can create users and groups and assign them to folders with either read or read/write permissions. This is ideal for an office environment with employee-specific sensitive data or for the home where you can ensure your children will only have access to age appropriate material.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Device Type NAS server
- Host Connectivity Gigabit Ethernet
- Installed Devices / Modules Qty 0 (installed) / 2 (max)
- Width 4.1 in
- Depth 7.8 in
- Height 5.2 in
- Weight 2.7 lbs
Storage Controller
- Type RAID - Integrated
- Supported Devices Hard drive
- Max Storage Devices Qty 2
- RAID Level RAID 1,
JBOD,
RAID 0 Hard Drive
- Type Standard - 3.5" x 1/3H
Hard Drive (2nd)
- Type None
Optical Storage
- Type None
Optical Storage (2nd)
- Type None
Storage Removable
- Type None
Video
- Video Output None
Networking
- Type Network adapter
- Data Link Protocol Ethernet ,
Gigabit Ethernet ,
Fast Ethernet - Compliant Standards IEEE 802.3ab,
IEEE 802.3u,
IEEE 802.3 Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Bays 2 (total) / 2 (free) x Internal - 3.5" x 1/3H
- Interfaces 1 x Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45
Software / System Requirements
- Software Included Drivers & Utilities
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 131 °F
- Humidity Range Operating 5 - 95%
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse D-Link products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:D-Link
- Address:
17595 Mt. Herrmann Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 - Phone: 1-800-326-1688
