Summary of THE WEBSTICK IS A SMALL, CHEAP NAS
This project turns an ESP12F (ESP8266) board into a tiny, low-cost network-attached storage device that hosts a microSD card and provides USB-A for power/programming. It runs Arduino-compatible firmware (source provided by tobychui) to serve files, stream music and video, and host web services; WebDAV support can be added via a library for more traditional NAS features. The whole PCB costs around $5.
Parts used in the ESP8266 Webstick NAS:
- ESP12F board (ESP8266)
- microSD card slot
- USB-A port (for power and programming)
- PCB with supporting traces and connectors
- Microcontroller-compatible power circuitry
- Optional microSD card (storage media)
The ESP8266 was one of the first chips that provided wireless functionality at a cost low enough to be widely popular for small microcontroller projects. This project uses one to provide rapid, small, and inexpensive network-attached storage (NAS) capabilities wherever you happen to go.
With an ESP12F board at the heart to provide network connectivity, the small device also hosts a micro SD card slot and a USB-A port to provide power and programming capabilities for the device. It’s Arduino-compatible, and creator [tobychui] has provided the firmware source code necessary to bring it up on your network and start serving up files. Originally intended for people to host web services without experience setting up all of the tools needed for it, there’s services for storing and streaming music and video over the network as well.
While it includes a lot more functionality than is typically included on a NAS, [tobychui] notes that with a library, something like WebDAV could be added to provide more traditional NAS capabilities. As it stands, though, having networked storage with web hosting capabilities on a PCB with a total cost of around $5 is not something to shy away from. If you’re looking for something a little more powerful for your home network, take a look at this ARM-based NAS instead.
Source: THE WEBSTICK IS A SMALL, CHEAP NAS
- What chip provides the wireless functionality for this NAS?
The ESP12F board based on the ESP8266 provides wireless functionality for this NAS. - What storage interface does the device use?
The device uses a microSD card slot for storage. - How is the device powered and programmed?
The device uses a USB-A port for power and programming. - Is the firmware available for this project?
Yes, the creator tobychui has provided the firmware source code needed to bring it up on a network. - Can the device stream media over the network?
Yes, there are services included for storing and streaming music and video over the network. - Can traditional NAS features like file sharing be added?
Yes, tobychui notes that with a library, something like WebDAV could be added to provide more traditional NAS capabilities. - How much does the PCB for this device cost approximately?
The PCB with its components has a total cost of around $5.
