Version: 2008
  • On The Insider: Miley Cyrus in Sex and the City 2
advertisementShop RadioShack for Great Gifts
advertisement

Asus WL-HDD 2.5
Reviewed by
Xiao Ming Wu
on 10/06/2004
overview front back above

See all Asus products

  • Quick specs
  • Product Description: ASUS WL-HDD2.5 - NAS server
  • Compatibility: PC
  • Connector type: RJ-45 4 pin USB Type A
  • See full specifications

Add to my list Product summary

The good: Small and light; inexpensive; 802.11g; repeater mode.

The bad: External power adapter adds bulk; lacks NTFS write support; poor service and support.

The bottom line: Unless you need the WL-HDD 2.5's portability, consider a nonwireless networked hard drive such as our Editors' Choice, the #similarProds { margin-bottom:10px; } #similarProds ul { margin:0px; } #similarProds li { background-image:none; } #similarProds a{ padding:5px 0.7em; font-size:100%; background-position: 0 100% !important; } #similarProds strong { color: #1E5B7E; display:block; font-size:100%; } #similarProds li.first span.price a, #similarProds li span.priceRange a { color:#CC0000; display:inline; padding-left:2px; } #similarProds li span.priceRange a:after, #similarProds li a:after { content: ""; display: inline; height: 0; clear: none; visibility: hidden; } #similarProds li.seeAllcont a.flexButton{ padding:0; } #similarProds ul.tabContent.rubics { border:1px solid #dfdfdf !important; } #similarProds li.seeAllcont { float:left; } #similarProds .seeAllcont a.flexButton { float:left; margin:75px 0 50px 18px !important; white-space:nowrap; }

CNET editors' review

  • CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
    Detailed editors' rating
      Setup and ease of use : 6.0
      Features : 7.0
      Performance : 7.0
      Service and support : 4.0
      Overall score: 6.4 (3.0 stars)
  • Reviewed by:
    Xiao Ming Wu
  • Edited by:
    Allen Fear
  • Reviewed on: 10/06/2004
  • Released on: 06/01/2004
The Asus WL-HDD 2.5 is a wireless hard drive enclosure that facilitates toting data around and sharing it with friends and business associates. Once you add your own 2.5-inch drive--you choose the capacity--the enclosure connects the hard drive to an 802.11g access point, making it easy to share data with most new computers and PDAs. For example, you could take it to a party and make your entire music collection available. Since many laptops have 2.5-inch drives, you could even use the enclosure to repurpose a laptop drive you were about to put out to pasture.

Basic setup is simple, but there are many installation scenarios for the WL-HDD 2.5, and you'll need to call forth your inner geek and flip through the 90-page manual to take full advantage of the unit. The drive enclosure comes with a helpful, printed quick-start guide, which walks you through the initial steps. You begin installation by unscrewing the outer shell, pulling out the circuit board, and adding a 2.5-inch hard drive. (We used an 80GB Hitachi Travelstar drive in our informal tests.) Then, screw the device back together and connect it to a computer or a router with a standard Ethernet cable.

Next, you configure the WL-HDD 2.5 via the unit's browser-based configuration tool. The tool allows you to format the enclosure's drive and prepare it for use. Supported formats include FAT, FAT32, NTFS, EXT2, and EXT3. Unfortunately, NTFS support is read-only, which means that if you're using an NTFS volume on the drive, you won't be able to write to it.

By default, the WL-HDD 2.5 is set to allow all connections to access the drive, but the browser-based tool lets you set user permissions and passwords. You can also use the configuration tool to assign read and write access permissions to specific folders and partitions.

The WL-HDD 2.5's integrated 802.11g access point sets it apart from other network drives we've tested. You can use the unit either as a standard access point or as a repeater/bridge by enabling the WL-HDD 2.5's proprietary WDS, (wireless distribution system) feature. This feature lets you wirelessly connect the enclosure to other Asus WDS-enabled access points and routers, such as the WL-500g router. You can also connect the unit to your network via the Ethernet port, and a USB 1.1 port on the unit's back panel lets you transfer files automatically from a flash drive to the WL-HDD 2.5.

Continue reading

Most helpful user reviews

Submit your review

Log in or create an account to submit your review for:

Asus WL-HDD 2.5

 ORLog in with your Facebook account
1. Rate this product:
(Mouse over the stars to rate this product and click to set your rating.)
2. One-line summary:(Summarize your review in one line. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 55 characters
3. Pros:(Tell us what you like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
4. Cons:(Tell us what you don't like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
Bottom-line summary:(Explain to us in detail why you like or dislike the product, focusing your comments on the product's features and functionality, and your experience using the product. This field is optional.)
0 of 5000 characters

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks are prohibited.
Click here to review our site terms of use.

Submit

Compare prices for Asus WL-HDD 2.5

This product is currently not in stock at any of our online merchants.

Email me when this product is available

advertisement

Recent user reviews

Submit your review

Log in or create an account to submit your review for:

Asus WL-HDD 2.5

 ORLog in with your Facebook account
1. Rate this product:
(Mouse over the stars to rate this product and click to set your rating.)
2. One-line summary:(Summarize your review in one line. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 55 characters
3. Pros:(Tell us what you like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
4. Cons:(Tell us what you don't like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
Bottom-line summary:(Explain to us in detail why you like or dislike the product, focusing your comments on the product's features and functionality, and your experience using the product. This field is optional.)
0 of 5000 characters

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks are prohibited.
Click here to review our site terms of use.

Submit

Special sponsor stores

advertisement

Asus WL-HDD 2.5

Reviews & advice
Site map
Editorial policies
Meet the editors
How we test
Forums
Internet speed test
Popular topics
Apple iPhone
Apple iPod
Cell phones
Dell
GPS
LCD TV
CNET sites
CNET Site map
CNET TV
Downloads
News
Reviews
Shopper.com
More information
Newsletters
CNET Mobile
Customer Help Center
RSS
CNET Widgets
About CNET
sponsored