First thoughts: Synology -> Asustor As-202TE

[lee]

Hi

Just bought 202TE a few days ago and started playing with it. Currently own a Synology. Things I miss:

1. Camera station: Synology supports FOSCAM, so I can't use the Asustor camera station "yet" - hope Foscam FI8918W gets added...There's also a great iPhone app for checking recordings (DSCAM).
2. Audio station -> iPhone app for listening to music from Synology

I wish users could be restricted to certain Web apps (Gallery etc) - just now I install .htpasswd files etc.

I've noticed passwords with characters like "!" or "," etc are not allowed? Ok on Synology. Would be nice.

Overall I'm very happy with the Asustor, it's fast enough (I get about 51mb/sec read and write using LAN SPEED TEST), fast enough CPU and enough RAM. I'm not interested in the HDMI, I think the best thing for me is using Plex media Server and using the iPad/Plex Client to Airplay to Apple TV...works fine since my XBMC/AppleTV2 broke. I can't say having a NAS under my TV is right for me. So I use it's other features.

Great work so far to the Asustor team though I must say, and can see Asustor being a big threat to the Synology/QNAP in the near future,

Thanks

[Kerry]

mm... I feel the same way too! Very neutral comment.

For Foscam and the Aimusic, both are under development now as mentioned in other posts in the forum and hope to have them soon...

[zakspop]

My thoughts so far after a few days with my new 202TE.

Pros
The speed is great compaired to my old DS110j. I'm getting 5MB downloads with SabNZBd compared to 2 with the DS110j.
The file manager is much more responsive.
The ability to attach it directly to my TV via HDMI.
Price compared to Synology.

Cons
Lack of mobile apps. (Compared to the Synology, this thing is seriously lacking) AiData is pretty good. Streams video to my cell phone over LTE fine.
The apps that are available aren't as good. Download Center pales compared to Download Station.
The 3rd party apps available are OK but have issues with permissions as most run as root and the admin has no right to modify files acquired by these apps. (Kudos to Clinton.Hall for his work and his responsiveness)
Having to use ASUSTOR Portal to get to XBMC. One unneeded step to get where I want to go. Chrome is not too useful in its current configuration. It is too clumsy to use without a real mouse and keyboard.
Not having the option to even try Boxee.
Not being able to disable the default admin account. I want to setup an admin account with my own name and disable admin. One more layer of security.
As previously mentioned, not being able to use certain characters in passwords.

[clinton.hall]

Thanks for the mention...
Obviously Synocomunity has been around for a lot longer and so their store is larger... But Asustor store is growing

I'm in the process of adding the start-stop-daemon into my apps to have each App run as admin, not root. This should allow files/folders to be modified via share/file browser etc.

On the other side, while I have never had a Synology NAS, I have seen a lot of issues (on CouchPotato forum) where each App runs as a different user in its own group. This prevents files downloaded by one app being moved/renamed/accessed by another App. Users have to manually change the user used to launch each App.... Given how long they have been around, this to mee seems like a limitation...

To be fair to their package maintainers, this might be something that they are required to do etc... There is always a balance between security and usefulness... But as an "outsider" I am surprised that this has not yet been resolved in those Apps.

So, I think having the Apps run as admin should be a good compromise for the apps I maintain. All files can be accessed and modified easily enough and the various Apps should be able to "share" files.
In theory it should be easy enough for a user to customize the app to run as a different user if they really see this to be necessary.

[zakspop]

Thanks for the mention...
Obviously Synocomunity has been around for a lot longer and so their store is larger... But Asustor store is growing

I'm in the process of adding the start-stop-daemon into my apps to have each App run as admin, not root. This should allow files/folders to be modified via share/file browser etc.

On the other side, while I have never had a Synology NAS, I have seen a lot of issues (on CouchPotato forum) where each App runs as a different user in its own group. This prevents files downloaded by one app being moved/renamed/accessed by another App. Users have to manually change the user used to launch each App.... Given how long they have been around, this to mee seems like a limitation...

To be fair to their package maintainers, this might be something that they are required to do etc... There is always a balance between security and usefulness... But as an "outsider" I am surprised that this has not yet been resolved in those Apps.

So, I think having the Apps run as admin should be a good compromise for the apps I maintain. All files can be accessed and modified easily enough and the various Apps should be able to "share" files.
In theory it should be easy enough for a user to customize the app to run as a different user if they really see this to be necessary.

I can only wait patiently as I am very disappointed so far with some of the lack of features. I got uTorrent working correctly, I think. Neither SabNZBd nor NZBget work correctly. Neither will download additional PAR files to repair the download so it always fails. I hope the newer versions resolve all of the issues. Thanks

[clinton.hall]

@zakspop

Have you previously reported these issues?

I myself use all 3 of the apps you mentioned without any issues.
Generally speaking I am only able to resolve issues that I have been made aware of and am able to reproduce.

You can go onto NZBGet and SABnzbd forums to learn what settings need to be enabled to ensure correct download of additional pars for repair.... With the correct settings, this does work.

[zakspop]

@zakspop

Have you previously reported these issues?

I myself use all 3 of the apps you mentioned without any issues.
Generally speaking I am only able to resolve issues that I have been made aware of and am able to reproduce.

You can go onto NZBGet and SABnzbd forums to learn what settings need to be enabled to ensure correct download of additional pars for repair.... With the correct settings, this does work.

Yes. I've posted in the sabNZBd forum. I did get a reply to the par issue and it might have resolved my issue. I haven't tested it. I download from my news server by the megabyte so I only use it sparingly. So, I might be working correctly now. I just miss my mobile apps.