Network Attached Storage Setup UK¶

Guide to choosing, installing, and configuring a Network Attached Storage device for UK home networks, covering RAID options, media streaming, remote access, and data backup strategies.

Choosing a NAS for Your UK Home Network¶

A Network Attached Storage (NAS) device centralises your files, backups, and media library on your home network - accessible from every device. For UK homes, entry-level options include the Synology DS124 (single bay, £150) and QNAP TS-133 (3-bay, £200). For families, a 2-bay Synology DS224+ (£280) with two 4 TB Seagate IronWolf NAS drives (£110 each) provides 4 TB of mirrored RAID 1 storage - enough for 50,000 photos, 500 hours of video, and all documents. Ofcom reports that the average UK household now stores 1.2 TB of digital media, up 30 % from 2023. Consider whether you need 4K video transcoding (Synology DS423+ supports hardware transcoding for Plex, £400) or Docker support for running home automation containers.

Installation, RAID Configuration, and Remote Access¶

Connect the NAS to your network switch using Cat6 Ethernet, install the hard drives (slide-in trays with no tools needed on most models), and power on. Download the Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) or QNAP QTS from the manufacturer's website - the assistant will guide you through RAID setup. For UK users, RAID 1 (mirroring) is recommended for family data: if one drive fails, your data survives. RAID 0 offers speed but no redundancy. Set up a shared folder structure: Photos, Video, Music, Backups, and Documents. Enable QuickConnect (Synology) or myQNAPcloud for secure remote access from outside your home. For UK privacy compliance, disable cloud-based indexing and enable HTTPS for DSM access. Budget £10-£15 for a UPS (APC BK650-UK, £85) to protect the NAS from power cuts - especially important in areas with frequent UK storm-related outages.

Specifications and Comparison¶

NAS Model	Bays	CPU	RAM	Transcoding	UK Price (no drives)
Synology DS124	1	Realtek RTD1296	1 GB	No	£150
Synology DS224+	2	Intel Celeron J4125	2 GB	4K H.264	£280
QNAP TS-133	3	Realtek RTD1296	2 GB	No	£200
Synology DS423+	4	Intel Celeron J4125	2 GB	4K H.265	£400
QNAP TS-464	4	Intel Celeron N5095	8 GB	4K H.265	£450
Asus AS6704T	4	Intel Celeron N5105	8 GB	4K H.265	£500

FAQ¶

Do I need a NAS for my UK home network?: Consider a NAS if you: store 500 GB+ of photos and videos, want to stream your own media library via Plex, run home automation (Home Assistant on Docker), or need automated backups of multiple family PCs and phones.
What RAID level should I use for UK home use?: RAID 1 (mirroring) is the safest choice for family data - one drive can fail without data loss. RAID 0 is risky (no redundancy) and only useful for non-critical scratch data. Synology SHR offers flexible mixing of drive sizes.
Can I access my NAS from outside my UK home?: Yes - Synology QuickConnect and QNAP myQNAPcloud provide secure relay access without port forwarding. For advanced users, set up a WireGuard VPN on your router for direct encrypted connections.
Which hard drives are best for NAS in the UK?: Use NAS-rated drives: Seagate IronWolf (2-12 TB, £55-£180) or WD Red Plus (2-12 TB, £60-£190). Avoid desktop drives - they lack vibration tolerance and TLER (time-limited error recovery) that NAS systems need.
How much storage do UK families need for a NAS?: For a family of four with photos, videos, music, and backups: 4-8 TB usable (8-16 TB raw in RAID 1). A Synology DS224+ with 2 x 8 TB IronWolf drives (£220 for drives, £280 for NAS) is the sweet spot.
Is Plex legal to use on a NAS in the UK?: Plex is legal for streaming your own legally obtained media (ripped CDs/DVDs, home videos, purchased downloads). Streaming copyrighted content is illegal under UK copyright law regardless of the platform. For more information see our Home Network Design Guide UK.

Last updated: 2026-05-31.

External Resources¶

For further information consult authority guidelines at the National Security Inspectorate.