Nas

Separate Ethernet link speed from transfer speed, then check the router port, USB connection and cable before replacing your 2.5GbE adapter.

2.5GbE is enough for most home networks. See when 10GbE pays off for a NAS, server, workstation, switches, adapters, and cabling.

A 2.5GbE USB-C adapter is useful for NAS transfers and multi-gig internet, but only when the port, cable, switch, and driver path all support it. These are the sensible picks.

A 2.5GbE switch is often the cheaper upgrade before another router. Here are the sensible unmanaged, fanless, PoE, and NAS-friendly picks for 2026.

Backblaze drive stats are useful, but they do not prove which consumer SSD you should buy. Here is what the 2025 HDD data and SSD boot-drive reports can and cannot tell normal buyers.

The best mini PCs for home servers, Plex, Jellyfin, Home Assistant, Docker, Proxmox, and low-power self-hosting.

The best NAS devices for Plex in 2026, including 2-bay and 4-bay picks for direct play, hardware transcoding, 4K libraries, and Docker users.

Internal NVMe, portable USB4 SSDs, 8TB external HDDs, home NAS — the modern personal storage stack has four distinct roles. Here is the full SolderMag map, with picks for every tier.

Set up your first NAS for backups, photo storage, and media streaming. Drive selection, network setup, and first-run configuration.

Build a home server for backups, media, and self-hosting. Hardware picks, OS options, and the setup steps most guides skip.

Synology DS224+ vs QNAP TS-264. Software, performance, media streaming, and ease of use compared for home NAS buyers.

The best home NAS devices of 2026 for backups, media streaming, and photo libraries. Beginner to power user picks.

The Synology DS224+ makes home NAS accessible without dumbing it down. Full review for backups, media, and remote access.

8TB external HDDs are still the cheapest bulk storage. How to pick one that’s quiet, reliable, and won’t make you hate backups in 2026.

A UPS is a controlled shutdown button you hopefully never press. How to pick the right capacity and topology for your PC, NAS, or router in 2026.