Tritton Makes Online Sharing Simpler

All-in-one-device acts as a router and file server--and offers 120GB of storage, accessible remotely.

Tom Spring, PCWorld.com

Multitasking has come to networking hardware: Tritton Technologies has released a router that acts as an all-in-one unit, providing storage capacity for file-sharing on a network, hosting a home page, and backing up computers attached to it.

The Tritton Advanced Server Appliance Product sells for about $310. It can act as a file server, a four-port router, a home media server for streaming audio and video, and a firewall, as well as a 120GB storage device. It also supports a virtual private network. The Linux-based device is compatible with the Microsoft Windows, Linux, Unix, and Macintosh OS operating systems.

In geek parlance, the Tritton ASAP is known as a network attached storage device. For the rest of us, the Tritton ASAP is a potentially useful tool for a lot of people who want to store and share digital media on a regular basis.

Not for Novices (Yet)

The concept behind the Tritton ASAP is not new. Businesses have been using bigger and more expensive versions of NAS devices for years.

But because Tritton has brought the price within the reach of a mass market, now consumers and small businesses can benefit from the technology.

The Tritton ASAP in its current form remains business-focused and techie-oriented, rather than being simple enough for most consumers.

Tritton says a more user-friendly version of the Tritton ASAP unit will be available in November. Anyone who has purchased it before then is welcome to a free software update.

Hands-On NAS

However, the patient or sophisticated home user can still find the current model handy. For example, you can use it as a file server that's accessible from within and outside a home network. You can stream audio and video files stored on the Tritton ASAP to any computer plugged in to the router portion of the device.

It also proves handy for backing up PCs. The Tritton ASAP accommodated backup of an entire 20GB hard drive without requiring use of cumbersome removable media or a tape backup.

What's more, you can assign the device a URL that lets you--or others, with your permission--access your Tritton ASAP from any computer connected to the Internet. Tritton walks you through assigning and setting up a free domain name for your device. You enter the URL as a file transfer protocol command. To get at that 120GB of storage, you simply drag and drop files in and out of folders using a browser. Or, you can use FTP software to access the device for uploading and downloading files. This is a better way to transfer large files than sending them by e-mail. You can use Tritton ASAP to supply friends and colleagues with large multimedia files, for example.

It's important to note that you can password-protect access to your Tritton ASAP. You can create multiple users and passwords, granting them access to only the content you want to share. You can also give visitors permission to copy files to your Tritton device.

A new feature expected in the November update will enable you to use the Tritton ASAP as a Web server. That means you can host your own home page of up to 120GB in size.

ISP Issues

A note of caution: Some broadband customers may discover that their cable or DSL provider may not allow them to run a FTP or a Web server from home. DSL provider SBC, for example, says customers at the $30 monthly rate cannot have that capability.

Also, consider that broadband providers don't offer upload speeds equal to download speeds. For example, while Comcast serves up Internet data at 1.5 megabits per second, it offers a top upload speed of just 256 kilobits per second. SBC's monthly $30 plan gives you 1.5 mbps down and 128 kbps upload speeds. So be aware that transfers can take a while, depending on your broadband provider's speeds.