Networking Question
Does anyone know if it is possible for me to access a portable harddrive via wireless router without having it connected to a computer? Or do I have to create a file server with a computer and create a network that way?
I was browsing through some of the storage boxes and they are way out of my price range. Thanks for that info though, I didn't even know there was such a thing.
I just need a way to get all my photo video and audio files off my laptops hard-drive and onto my external one, but I don't want to have to sit next to a wall outlet everytime I want to access those things because my hard-drive requires a power cord. I thought it would be cool if I could set up a network where I could access and save those things onto my external hard-drive wirelessly.
I guess my only other option is find an old computer and just set up a file server.
You could also consider burning DVDs or carrying around a stack of USB drives. Certainly less convenient, but probably cheaper (at least in the short term), and you don't have to leave them plugged in and sipping on power all day.
Oh, the joys of moving data around. 
Good luck, again.
Yeah, that's totally doable. What you need is a network attached storage device. I believe there are enclosures for existing hard-drives. If your hard drive is external so you have to connect to the NAS box through USB, you can probably do that too.
As far as getting the NAS box to your network, the ones I have seen just use RJ-45 ethernet cables to your router or hub. I'm sure you can get them with wireless adapters, but I've never seen one, so don't quote me.
One last note, if you look at them, you'll want to pay attention to the protocols they support. They'll probably all do FTP, but just in case, you don't want to buy one to discover that it only uses some Windows only protocol that you can't use with a Mac/Win98/whatever you have now and in the future.
Good luck!