Buffalo LinkStation HS-D 400GL review

Wireless networking is an ideal way to share a broadband internet connection and it means you can, say, access MP3 files from the PC in your bedroom when you're sitting with your laptop in the lounge.

The trouble with this sort of arrangement is that you need to have your 'server' PC switched on all the time. Buffalo's LinkStation is designed to eliminate this - it's a standalone 400GB storage device that connects directly to a wireless router, making it accessible by any PC on the network. It also includes a host of other features, ranging from streaming videos and other files to a media player, such as Buffalo's own LinkTheater, to acting as a network print server.

Setting the device up to work with your network is a cinch. It needs a wired network connection to a router rather than a PC, as certain features won't work if it's plugged directly into a computer. The LinkStation supports 1Gbit wired network connections, although most wireless routers only support 100Mbit, anda 5m network cable is included in the box. After connecting things up, the Quick Setup program from the supplied CD detects the device. Access to the drive's 400GB disk can be password-protected using the drive's control panel, accessed from your web browser. If you're using a wireless connection, the drive's contents will be protected from hackers by whatever wireless security you have enabled on your network

The LinkStation has two USB2 ports, so you can connect other storage devices to it and have them appear on the network as another shared folder on the drive. Setting this up is easy, but our USB flash drive needed to be reformatted by the LinkStation before it was recognised. The USB2 ports can also be used to plug in a printer, enabling the device to act as a print server for all the PCs on your network.

A 400GB external hard drive would cost nearly £200, so getting this range of network features, plus network-wide backup software for an extra £100, is good value. At £300, it's still a lot of money though, so while this drive is ideal for simple home networks that need more shared storage, those with a dedicated server are better off adding a standard internal or external drive.