Big Ask???

[Plod2151]

OK maybe I'm asking too much but this is what I'm after. A nice magic box that:-

You plug the phone line into and it connects to the net (modem built in basically).

Provides wireless and wired internet (fast as possible)

I can put my SATA hard drive into so it can be used as a networked drive (DO NOT want to have a seperate caddie that connect to the box via USB)

Also have USB so I can connect my printer to it for wireless printing

Is there such a thing???

[0iD]

You can get routers with wired & wireless, plus usb printserver, but i'm not aware of one with eSATA.

[Funkstar]

Not seen anything like that. Doesn't mean it doesn't exist, I just haven't seen one.

[nichomach]

The Freecom data tanks and storage gateways do all that minus the modem (you'd need an external ethernet modem), but generally they're not available without a disk already installed.

[Templar87]

A modem with a hard drive is quite unlikely - although as Funkstar said just because we haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The printer functionality is a bit more likely, however.

Is there a particular reason you're adverse to using USB or network attached storage?

[Plod2151]

Nothing other than convenience. I'd just prefer not to have a BB modem, router with wireless print functionality, and a HD enclosure. This needs 3 power sockets and a load of wires. I can't believe know one has ever asked for this all in one solution.

I have the hard drive already and I'd probably pay up to £200 to tick all the above boxes

[Funkstar]

I think nichomachs sugestion is the closest you are going to get.

There will be a pretty limtied market for these so you aren't going to get one with an ADSL model built in, as then you couldn't use it on cable systems, and the US is predominantly cable, so there goes a load of potential customers.

You know, with some time and some playing with linux, you could build yourself a very small box with an PCI ADSL modem to do all this

[Plod2151]

What sort of cost would that work out at? Could it be 802.11n? As I say I already have the hard drive. Would it need any additional cooling (NOISE)?

[kidzer]

I beleive there is an ASUS device that will do all of that with the exception of an ADSL Modem, I shall try and remember its name for you....


Edit: Asus WL-500g Premium - ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

It appears to do everything you want with the exception of an ADSL Modem, it has 2 USB ports for plugging in a Printer/Ext. HDD/etc, and I'm convinced it has a 160GiB HD inside it anyway, if it doesnt - another one in the Asus range does because I thought about buying it.

[Funkstar]

What sort of cost would that work out at? Could it be 802.11n? As I say I already have the hard drive. Would it need any additional cooling (NOISE)?

Cost depends entirely on the hardware you choose. It wouldn't need to be high performance.

Yes it could be Draft-N spec, you would just need a PCI card that works under linux.

There probably would be a bit more noise, but as it doens't need to be a poerful box, you could look into under-clocking the CPU to reduxce the cooling needs.

[Plod2151]

This has got me thinking as I'm buying a Mac very soon so my old PC (spec below) would either be kept as a spare or ebayed. So if I could make use of the A socket 3200, and the ram coupled with the SATA hard drive then I could be in business.

All I would need is a small case, mini mobo that could take above equipment, SATA 150 or 300 matters not. Not bothered if it's only 10/100mbs ethernet but needs to have a PCI slot so I can include 802.11n wireless card.

I've never used Linux but could this all work as one???

[Funkstar]

I don't see why not.

not going to be easy. I can't get my head around linux at all. I know what is possible, I just have no idea how to go about doing it