Since Apple deprecated AFP and discontinued the Time Capsule, I’ve been looking for a simple, plug-and-play NAS something reliable and hassle-free. My experience with NAS devices is limited, so I really just want something dead simple and reliable without tinkering after setup.
I know I could use an external SSD with my Mac, but that’s inconvenient and requires me to remember to back up on a schedule. Modern NAS devices have become overly complex, with servers, Docker apps, and high price tags like Synology and QNAP.
The closest option I’ve found that fits my needs is the Ubiquiti UNAS 2, but even that is around $200 without drives.
Ideally, I want a NAS that can serve as both cloud storage and a Time Machine backup endpoint nothing more. I previously had a WD MyCloud, which was perfect except for the baked in security vulnerabilities.
With storage prices so high right now, I’d love to use the drives I already have: a new 1TB 2.5" SSD and a 1TB 3.5" WD HDD (shucked from my previous NAS) in a simple RAID 0 or RAID 1 configuration. Secure remote access with a mobile app would be a huge bonus.
Is this really a niche ask?
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My Time Capsule died today (RIP), and I'd love to continue backing up wirelessly to a local device from my MacBook.
What do people currently recommend as the best way to do this?