LaCie Wireless Space (2TB)
Manufacturer: LaCie Ltd. Part number: 301940
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Home users, especially those who want an alternative to their Time Capsule, will find a lot of appeal in the LaCie Wireless Space because of its appearance and simplicity. Advanced users, however, will likely find its performance and features lacking.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Once you know, you Newegg! | ![]() | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 05/23/2012 |
| ![]() | In stock Get free shipping on orders over $25! | as of 05/23/2012 | |
PREMIER SOURCE of cutting edge electronics since 1973. | ![]() | In stock Ships Free,Ships Today! $0 Pay Avail! LaCie AuthDealer | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| ![]() | In stock Earn 2% eBay Bucks on qualifying purchases! Backed by e | as of 05/23/2012 | |
Savings, Selection & Service since 1971 | ![]() | In stock FREE SHIPPING! Authorized LaCie Dealer | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| ![]() | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| ![]() | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| ![]() | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| Costcentral.com | ![]() | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| TheNerds.net | ![]() | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| ![]() | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 |
CNET editors' review
LaCie Wireless Space (2TB) price range: $234.99 - $244.99
- Reviewed by: Dong Ngo
- Reviewed on: 11/07/2010
The good: The LaCie Wireless Space is a simple and good-looking wireless router/NAS server combo. It offers the best network storage performance among devices of its kinds and supports Apple's Time Machine backup solution.
The bad: The LaCie Wireless Space has only three LAN ports; a limited number of features and amount of storage space; and it doesn't support dual-band. Its Web interface is rather confusing, and its internal hard drive can't be replaced. The device's overall performance could be better.
The bottom line: Home users, especially those who want an alternative to their Time Capsule, will find a lot of appeal in the LaCie Wireless Space because of its appearance and simplicity. Advanced users, however, will likely find its performance and features lacking.
Sharing the same physical design as Lacie's Network Space 2 NAS server, LaCie's Wireless Space adds one more major function: it's also a wireless router. The device rivals Apple's Time Capsule, and despite the lack of support for dual-band, it outdoes its opponents both in terms of features and performance. It's also good looking and much cheaper at just around $230 for the 1TB (or $350 for 2TB). It also offers support for Apple's Time Machine backup solution.
The Wireless Space could still use some big improvements, however, especially in range throughput speed. Like the Network Space 2, it doesn't offer as many features as other dedicated NAS servers, and its Web interface is somewhat esoteric.
If you're looking for a simple and affective combo of network storage and wireless router for your home, or just want to replace your Time Capsule, the Wireless Space is a good bet. Otherwise, for better performance and more features, it's a better idea to get a separate wireless router and a dedicated NAS server.
Design
The Wireless Space is shaped like a brick, but it still manages to remain aesthetically pleasing, thanks to the sleek surface and the blue bottom-facing indicator light on the front. Also on the front, you'll find a USB port to host a USB external storage devices or printers. There are another two USB ports on the back of the server with the same functionalities. The Wireless Space comes with three LAN port (for wired devices) and one WAN port (to connect to an Internet source). All of these ports are gigabit. It's one of a few routers that have only three LAN ports; most others have four.
The light on the front indicates the power status of the device as well as the activities of the hard drive. Solid blue means the device is powered on and ready, and flashing blue means the hard drive is working. The coolest thing about this light is the fact that it shines blue light downward like a car's headlight.
The device has four rubber feet to keep it grounded on any surface and also create an open area underneath to ventilate the heat generated from the built-in hard drive. You won't be able to change this hard drive; the LaCie Wireless Space is designed in a way that seems impossible to get to the hard drive inside without breaking it cover.
The Wireless Space comes with a software CD that includes the Setup Assistant that helps you discover the device in the network and set it up. Unfortunately in our trials, the software was never able to find the device. Instead, we used the router's Web interface, which can be opened by pointing a connected computer's browser to 192.6.8.1.1.
The Web interface is very much like that of the Network Space 2. On the bottom and right sides of the interface are two arrays of big category buttons, such as Wireless AP, Firewall, and Network WAN. Clicking on a button will display that category's settings for you to make changes. These buttons can be easily removed, as well. At the lower-right-hand corner of the interface, there's a small area where you'll see tiny icons of categories that are not currently displayed as buttons. You'll need to drag an icon to the bottom or right side of the interface to turn it into a button, before you can access that category's settings. This way of organizing the interface is rather unusual and can be confusing for users who have never used LaCie's products before.
The Wireless Space can be set up in different roles, including a wireless/nonwireless router with built-in NAS, or a wireless/nonwireless switch with built-in NAS. These roles can be changed via a Mode button. We tested the device where it functions as a wireless router with built-in NAS, which is the most common mode for this type of device.
Features
As a wireless router, the LaCie Wireless Space supports only the 2.4Ghz frequency band, making it a little less appealing than the Time Capsule, which supports both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands. The LaCie also lacks guest networking, which allows you to create a separate wireless network for guests.
Nonetheless, it offers a set of popular features found in most wireless routers, including the support for Dynamic DNS, Port Forwarding, and Static IP assignment. These make setting up an over-the-Internet service to a computer in the network possible. For security, the router also comes with all the existing variations of WEP and WPA/WPA2 encryption methods.
Compared with the Time Capsule, the Wireless Space's network storage function is far superior, though still lacking if you stack it against other standalone NAS servers.
By default the device offers two share folders called MyShare and OpenShare. MyShare is password-protected and can only be accessed via the admin account; OpenShare can be accessed by anybody in the network. You can make more subfolders in these two share folders, but you can't make any additional share folders. Unlike with the Network Space 2, it seems you can't make additional user accounts with the Wireless Space, either.
The Wireless Space supports external hard drives formatted in either FAT32 or NTFS. Once plugged in, the content of the drive will be shared with public access under a share folder named after the name of the drive's volume. You can use the Drive button to change the settings of support for external hard dives, including the ability automatically back up their entire content onto the NAS' internal storage, or unmount it.
To enable support for Apple's Time Machine, you'll need to use the General Settings button and check the box that reads "Time Machine support." Now, any Macs connected to the same network as the Wireless Space will automatically see its share folders as a destination for the Time Machine backup.
The Wireless Space supports both PCs and Macs, and can be used with both without any software installed on the computer. It automatically appears in the Mac's Finder; in Windows, you can easily brows for its share folders via a network browser, such as Windows Explorer. You can also enable support for media streaming which will detect and broadcast digital content from its share folders to any UPnP- or DLNA-compliant playback devices and iTunes software.
The fanciest feature the server offers is that it supports PC-less downloading for torrents. Other than that, the server doesn't offer other popular features, such as remote access, Web site downloads, or support for IP cameras.
For PC users, the LaCie Wireless Space comes with LaCie Genie Time Line, which is a backup software application that's similar to Time Machine for Macs.
Performance
The Wireless Space performed comparatively well in our tests, though we wish it had done better.
In tests for a wireless router, it did well with the close range test, scoring 54.3Mpbs, about the average on our charts. At this speed, it can finish transmitting 500MB of data in about 75 seconds. The device, however, did much worse in the range test, where it was put 100 feet away from the client. Here it scored just 19.8Mps, the lowest score among 2.4Ghz routers. In the mixed-mode test, where it was set to work with both Wireless-N and legacy clients, it scored 48.6Mbps, which was, again, about average.
We noticed that the Wireless Space's signal, though it can reach relatively far (up to 250 feet), degraded significantly in terms of throughput. Ideally, you should only use the router with clients placed no farther than 75 feet from it. To make up for this, it offers excellent signal stability, passing our 48-hour stress test without disconnecting once.
As a NAS server, the Wireless Space was by far the fastest among NAS/router combo devices we've reviewed, scoring 140.6Mbps for writing and 164.7Mbps for reading. When compared with dedicated NAS servers, however, the Wireless Space's performance was still really far behind. The Asus TS Mini , for example, scored 467.1Mbps for writing and 690.3Mbps for reading, more than three times the speed of the Wireless Space.
Nonetheless we found that with its performance, the Wireless Space will handle most data-sharing jobs and media streaming in your home. And for its compact size, its performance met our expectations.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
| Read | Write |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
| Mixed Mode | Range | Throughput |
Service and support
Like with the Network Space 2, LaCie backs the Wireless Space with a two-year warranty, which is longer than what most other NAS servers offer. The warranty covers parts and labor. Telephone support is offered Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. At LaCie's Web site, you can download software that accompanies the device, its GPL source code, as well as have access it its documentation, knowledge base, FAQs, and other ways to contact Lacie.
User reviews
-
-
Warning to Mac Users: Stay away from Lacie
by palmerit on September 2, 2011
Pros: Shiny. Pretty blue light.
Cons: Does not work with Mac, despite claims.
Summary: Warning to Mac users:
I purchased one Lacie Big drive 18 months ago, another Lacie Big drive 24 months ago. I just upgraded to Mac OS X Lion. Neither drive ...Summary: Warning to Mac users:
I purchased one Lacie Big drive 18 months ago, another Lacie Big drive 24 months ago. I just upgraded to Mac OS X Lion. Neither drive works after the upgrade.
The Lacie web site said that the "solution" to this problem was to revert back to Snow Leopard. Not really a solution. But I assumed that maybe this meant that a firmware upgrade or something was in the works. So I contacted Lacie support.
Lacie support told me that the "version you have now is a legacy product, there is no update planned at this time to address the 10.7 [Lion] problem."
An 18 month old, $1000+ external hard drive, is considered a "legacy product". You have to be kidding me.
I don't often write reviews. And I'm really not writing this as a whiny complaint about an unfavorable support outcome. Just as a heads up to any potential Mac users.
For a company to punt on supporting products less than two years old is outrageous. These drives should last several years at least. A company who touts it's Timemachine support, which is why I purchased the drive, needs to plan to support regular OS upgrades for years.
They said they would offer me a discount on a replacement hard drive. I'll pass and buy a 3TB Time Capsule. At least I figure that one will continue working if the OS is updated.
Frustrating. I you're a Mac user, stay away from Lacie. Ignore what they say about Timemachine support. It's not true.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Useless machine, useless support
by JSSJSS on January 17, 2012
Pros: None, except the shiny black
Cons: Noisy, and does not work with my Mac. Their software does not recognise the disk, though it is connected. When I called LaCie in Switzerland, they told me to go back to the store where I had bought it. LaCie never again.
-
works perfect for 4 months
by Krischan99 on July 2, 2011
Pros: perfect with different hardware and software usage: with MAC, PC added 1TB LaCie and 250GB WD using on timemachine and itunes etc.
Cons: nonenonenone
Summary: Simply perfect and cheap!
Summary: Simply perfect and cheap!
-
Cheap network storage!
by drmoss_ca on April 7, 2011
Pros: I need a fair bit of NAS, and have two Buffalo Linkstations and attached USB drives, and a Time Capsule. I got one of these as it was relatively cheap and I don't need the speed for a weekly backup to it.
Cons: Set up isn't intuitive but if you follow the instructions it all works as advertised.
Summary: Not as simple to set up for a Mac user as a Time Capsule, but significantly cheaper. A good option for extra network storage when your Time Capsule isn't ...
Summary: Not as simple to set up for a Mac user as a Time Capsule, but significantly cheaper. A good option for extra network storage when your Time Capsule isn't enough.
-
oh so very slow
by fractalised on December 15, 2010
Pros: design of box, user interface, spec
Cons: transfer speeds are appauling
Summary: experience using the product is that file transfers on are very slow. gigabit ethernet yeilds circa 26-32MB/s and wireless G on full signal is more like 200-400KB/s. Will ...
Summary: experience using the product is that file transfers on are very slow. gigabit ethernet yeilds circa 26-32MB/s and wireless G on full signal is more like 200-400KB/s. Will not push abouve 25-27% network utilization on any network adapter I have for uploading to or downloading from. If you're thinking hd bottleneck at my then rest assured I have a Revo pci flash drive and 2 samsung spin points in raid which have average and sustained reads in excess off 200MB/s. Product support basically said thank you for letting me know, We'll look into it. 2 months later I've heard nothing.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: LaCie Ltd.
- Part number: 301940
- Description: The LaCie Wireless Space takes network-attached storage to the next level by implementing Wi-Fi technology, making it easy for you to access your files, no matter where they are in your house. It has three pre-configured modes that allow you to create a Wi-Fi access point, a Wi-Fi Ethernet extender to connect your printers or computers, or even use it as a Gigabit router. If you already have a Wi-Fi network, you can use the LaCie Wireless Space as wireless storage. It holds all of your music, movies, and photos, helping you to access and share them on any computer on your home network. You can even stream movies from the Wireless Space to any UPnP/DLNA compatible device, and it works in tandem with iTunes. Now, it's simple to organize your files in a central location and play them on all your devices. Use it as your network router - with static and dynamic port forwarding and PPoE connections, the Wireless Space performs even better than most cable routers, thanks to Wi-Fi n and Gigabit Ethernet performance.
General
- Device Type NAS server
- Host Connectivity Gigabit Ethernet / 802.11b/g/n
- Total Storage Capacity 2 TB
- Width 4.6 in
- Depth 7.6 in
- Height 1.8 in
- Weight 2.1 lbs
- Built-in Devices Router,
Wireless access point Storage Controller
- Type 1
- Supported Devices Hard drive
Hard Drive
- Type Standard
- Capacity 1 x 2 TB
Hard Drive (2nd)
- Type None
Optical Storage
- Type None
Optical Storage (2nd)
- Type None
Storage Removable
- Type None
Video
- Video Output None
Networking
- Type Wireless access point
- Data Link Protocol Ethernet ,
Gigabit Ethernet ,
IEEE 802.11b ,
IEEE 802.11n ,
IEEE 802.11g ,
Fast Ethernet - Features iTunes server,
Print server - Compliant Standards DLNA CERTIFIED,
UPnP Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Bays 1 (total) / 0 (free) x Internal
- Expansion Slot(s) None
- Interfaces 3 x Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45,
1 x Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45,
3 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x Network cable
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
Software / System Requirements
- Software Included Drivers & Utilities
- OS Required Linux 2.6,
Apple MacOS X 10.5,
Apple MacOS X 10.6,
Microsoft Windows Vista / XP / 7 Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 2 years warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 2 years
Product series
-

Manufacturer: LaCie Ltd.
Specs: LaCie Wireless Space NAS server,
1 TB,
Mac,
PC,
RJ-45,
4 pin USB Type A,
Standard,
Ethernet,
Gigabit Ethernet,
IEEE 802.11b,
IEEE 802.11n,
IEEE 802.11g,
Fast Ethernet -

Manufacturer: LaCie Ltd.
Specs: LaCie Wireless Space NAS server,
2 TB,
Mac,
PC,
RJ-45,
4 pin USB Type A,
Standard,
Ethernet,
Gigabit Ethernet,
IEEE 802.11b,
IEEE 802.11n,
IEEE 802.11g,
Fast Ethernet
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse LaCie Ltd. products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:LaCie Ltd.
- Address:
22985 NW Evergreen Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124 - Phone: 1-503-844-4500
- Email: sales@lacie.com
- Fax: 1-503-844-4508



