Linksys EtherFast Network Attached Storage EFG 250

The Linksys EtherFast Network Attached Storage EFG250 was the only NAS device we tested with gigabit ethernet connectivity; and when tested on a network of that speed, the device delivered top-notch performance. Along with its business-level features, the EFG250's speed justifies its high price.

The EFG250 has an empty bay for adding a second drive, which can be used either to expand storage capacity or to back up the first drive. Both bays come with sliding trays that house the drives and make it easy to swap them out. For $29 each you can buy additional drive trays (to which you add your own drives) that let you rotate backups of the main drive easily. The drive bays offer key locks, and the EFG250 provides FTP and HTTP access so remote users can connect to the device.

The EFG250's wizard-based setup was easy--in fact, we had the unit connected and serving data in less than 10 minutes. A Web-based configuration utility lets you set up users, groups, and private shared folders.

When used with gigabit ethernet, the EFG250's performance was the best of all the NAS units we saw in several tests, showing how much networking speeds impact NAS performance. When used on a regular 100-mbps ethernet network, its performance was just above average.

Upshot: This business-class network-attached storage device is expensive but offers deep features and top performance, plus simple setup.

Becky Waring