Beginner’s guides

Pi NAS: A Guide to Build Your Own Budget-Friendly NAS

NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a popular application for Raspberry Pi. However, how does it compare to the existing solutions available? How much time and effort does building your own Pi NAS take?

Pi NAS is an affordable way to manage files across your devices using a storage solution connected to your home network. It can be up and running in a few hours with a Raspberry Pi, a few storage devices, and software to manage everything.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to build your first NAS system with the Raspberry Pi. We will first walkthrough how they compare to existing NAS devices and how Pi NAS is different. Then, we will go through the hardware and software requirements to build one and some add-ons you can add to enhance its functionality.

Table of Contents

• Pi NAS vs Traditional NAS
• Hardware Considerations for Pi NAS
• Software Considerations for Pi NAS
• Optional: Add-Ons for a Better NAS Experience

If you’re feeling lost in all the Raspberry Pi jargon, I’ve got something to help you out. a free glossary that explains all the essential terms and abbreviations in a way that’s easy to understand. It’s a great resource to have by your side. Get your free copy here.

Pi NAS vs Traditional NAS

Network Attached Storage (NAS) systems are dedicated systems that store and access files across any network. In simple words, it gives you access to your files from any device connected to that same network.

Now, there are various types of NAS systems and their categories depend upon the use case they are developed for, functionality, etc. However, this article will focus mainly on two types of NAS systems: Traditional NAS and Raspberry Pi-powered NAS.

To understand this better, let’s compare both of them and understand how they differ from each other.

Aspect	Traditional NAS	Pi NAS
Cost	Much Higher (typical range starts from $250)	Much more affordable (you can get one up and running for less than $100)
Performance	Much better as they have dedicated CPU, RAM and Storage support	Limited because of the low-power CPU and USB-connected storage
Power Consumption	Higher power consumption (20-50W or more in general)	Much lower power consumption
Software	Proprietary OS in most cases (like Synology DSM, QNAP QTS)	Open-source OS options (like OpenMediaVault, Samba, Nextcloud)
Reliability	Designed for 24/7 operation, with cooling and redundancy	Less reliable for 24/7 use without proper cooling
Ease of Setup	Plug-and-play, with user-friendly software	Requires manual setup and Linux knowledge
Backup & Security	Built-in backup tools, snapshots, encryption	Requires configuring software tools manually
Customization	Limited to what the NAS OS allows	Highly customizable with scripts and open-source tools

Based on the above comparison, it’s fair to say that Pi NAS is for personal or home use. However, if you are like me and need a storage solution for your home and are unwilling to spend hundreds of dollars, then the Pi NAS is the way to go!

Now that we have an idea of where the Pi NAS stands, let’s see how we can build one. We will discuss the following aspects of the system in this article:

• What hardware to use?
• Software options for our NAS.
• Finally, what customization options are available (a major upside of using a Pi NAS).

So, let’s start with the most fundamental requirement of any system – the hardware.

Before you go any further, I want you to take a look at some of the recommendations I’ve handpicked for you. I think these are essential items you should have for your Raspberry Pi. You can check them out and buy them directly from Amazon.

Hardware Considerations for Pi NAS

Our primary goal is to build a simple NAS system using the Raspberry Pi. So, the main components of this system would be:

• Raspberry Pi
• Storage (Hard drives (HDDs) or Solid state drives (SSDs))
• Cooling solution for Pi (this includes a dedicated cooler or a case with attached cooling solution)

Let’s discuss each of these components and additional things in detail now.

Raspberry Pi Models

Your NAS system should have hardware capable of managing different storage drives, networking and the file management system that the OS we use implements. So, choosing a suitable Pi model is crucial. Here is an article that will help you know about the available models: All Raspberry Pi Models and Specifications (Comparison Table).

Based on our goal (to build a NAS system), the Pi Zero would not be viable because of its low-power CPU, limited power output and virtually no I/O interfaces. My suggestion for this system would be to at least go for a Raspberry Pi 4 or a Pi 5 if possible.

In addition to a more powerful CPU, and enough I/O ports, they also offer Gigabit Ethernet, which would impact our system’s performance. Plus, the Pi 5 also has a PCIe interface, allowing you to connect faster storage solutions like M.2 NVME SSD drives.

Storage Configurations

The Raspberry Pi runs off an SD card with the Pi OS flashed onto it. While this works for the operating system, it’s not ideal for large-scale storage.

SD cards typically max out at around 512 GB, which quickly becomes insufficient if you want to store media content, backups, or large project files. To build a truly functional NAS, you’ll need to consider external storage options. There are four key factors to evaluate when choosing a solution:

1. Performance: Transfer speed affects how quickly you can access or back up files. The Raspberry Pi 4 and above have USB 3.0 ports, which support speeds up to 5 Gbps, but connecting through USB limits potential performance.
   
   If you’re using a Pi 5, the addition of PCIe support opens the door to faster storage options like NVMe SSDs.
2. Capacity: The amount of storage you need depends on your use case. For instance, you might want a NAS to store your media files or you want to build a local book repository. Both cases will require different storage capacities.
   
   USB hard drives offer affordable capacities of up to 5 TB or more, while SSDs tend to cap out at lower capacities but provide faster transfer speeds, which translates to a smoother user experience.
3. Cost: Costing is always an important factor because we are going for this solution to get a budget NAS. Traditional HDDs offer the most storage for the least money, but SSDs deliver better performance at a higher price.
   
   The Pi itself is a cost-effective option to run your NAS software, so you should allocate more of your budget to quality storage as that is the primary purpose of a NAS.
4. Power Consumption: Power is crucial for a stable NAS. The Pi can only supply limited power through its USB ports, so large drives or multiple disks may need an external power source or a powered USB hub. This ensures consistent performance and avoids random restarts.
   
   My personal suggestion is always to go for the official Pi power supply to get the maximum power out for the Pi. If more power is needed for storage, external solutions can be implemented as discussed above.

So, let’s explore our options based on the above considerations. There are many storage options available in the market:

• USB External Hard Drives (HDDs) — Cheap and high-capacity but slower.
• USB SSDs — Faster but more expensive and with limited capacity.
• SATA Drives with a USB Adapter — This provides a good balance of price and performance.
• PCIe NVMe SSDs (on Pi 5) — Blazing fast, but expensive and needs extra hardware (PCIe Pi HATs, for instance).
• Multiple Drives via USB Hub — multiple drives with external power. However, it’s still limited by the USB interface transfer speeds.

Thanks to the Pi’s ample port connectivity options, you can start small with a simple USB drive and upgrade later if needed. I suggest starting with an external USB HDD with at least a terabyte of capacity and then upgrading as required.

Moreover, tools like OpenMediaVault or Samba make it easy to manage your storage through a web interface. We will dive deeper into the software options in the next section. Now, let’s talk about networking, i.e. how will our Pi NAS connect to our network.

Networking

Networking is an important consideration when building a “Network” attached storage. There are two primary options that you have if you are planning to host it for your personal use:

• Wireless Connectivity (Wi-Fi): Although you can connect your Pi to your home network wirelessly, I highly suggest you not do that. The reason for that is if you are hosting a place to store and transfer files, you need a reliable connection at all times.
  
  That would be a challenge in this interface as if you have a lot of devices at your home, the limited bandwidth can result in network losses, which in turn results in slow speeds and file transfer failures. So, what would be a better alternative?
• Wired Connectivity (Ethernet): I would recommend to anyone. You don’t just get reliable connectivity; you also get faster speeds thanks to Gigabit Ethernet on the newer Pi models which results in much faster upload and download speeds.

Case & Cooling

Although this would be considered optional for any other use case, in my opinion, this is a necessity when you are building a NAS system. The primary reason for this is that your system will be running 24/7 so you always have access to your files.

However, this can lead to challenges over longer operations which include not just CPU overheating by also dust that can result in limited performance in many cases. To avoid this, I would highly suggest you get a cooling case or at least the official Pi Active cooler for the Pi 5.

Optional Add-ons (NVMe, Multidrive Setup, etc.)

Apart from the above necessities, there are optional add-ons that can make your NAS setup more capable and robust. Let’s see what you can get right now for this particular case.

• Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+: The official PCIe connectivity HAT from Raspberry Pi allows you to easily connect peripherals like NVMe drives that can give you superior transfer speeds. They just launched NVMe SSDs for this HAT that you can get today.
• Third-Party HATs: The above option, although great might not be enough for you if you need more storage. Many third-party HATs allow you to connect multiple drives to your Pi. Here are two options I would suggest: Option 1 and Option 2.
• Application-specific cases: The above options are limited to the Pi 5 because of the PCIe interface. What about a Pi 4?
  Some companies have built dedicated cases for a particular application, which is a NAS in our case. Here is an affordable option for the Raspberry Pi 4 that you could use to start building your NAS.

Phew! That is a lot to consider. Now that we are all set for the hardware, let’s cover software options for your epic NAS system!

Software Considerations for Pi NAS

Once we have the required hardware for our NAS system, we need compatible software that will allow us to run our Pi as a NAS. There are numerous open-source options that are available. We will be discussing three of the most popular ones here.

Open Media Vault (NAS With an Easy-To-Use User Interface)

Open Media Vault is a very popular software to easily set up a NAS system on your Pi in minutes. It also provides an interactive interface to manage different storage devices, files, etc.

The main reasons I would suggest this option would be:

• Simple and Easy-to-use Interface.
• Makes upgrading and managing storage very easy.
• Support for plugins to further enhance functionality.
• Advanced features like file sharing and email notifications.

This is just the start, there is a lot more to this software. Interested in what you read? We have a dedicated tutorial that will help you set up OpenMediaVault on your Pi NAS.

Samba + Network File System

What if you don’t want an interface and instead, want a simple and barebones file server that can get the job done? Well, then Samba is the way to go. It does require some configuration and knowledge of commands to setup but if you are ready to do that, then this is also a real option.

Here are the main reasons for me to choose Samba:

• You are an experienced Linux User who prefers a shell over a web interface.
• You want more customization and control.

Moreover, you can always get extensions in addition to the basic installation to get a simple interface, additional features, etc. If this resonates with you, look at this tutorial to set up Samba for your NAS.

NextCloud

This is another popular option for NAS software available for the Pi. It’s a slightly matured and developed version of NAS software. Several features would help you gauge if this is the right choice for you:

• A supported Android/iOS application for mobile devices for file access and sharing.
• Multiple download options: dedicated OS or as a software add-on for Raspberry Pi OS (docker or package).

Optional: Add-Ons for a Better NAS Experience

Finally, the main advantage of using a Raspberry Pi NAS is the customization options to bundle additional services you might use with your NAS. For instance, I can host a Media server that can allow me to access my NAS media library or set up a secure file server.

Let’s discuss these services in more detail so that you have a better idea of things you can do.

Media Server + NAS

Storing media files is often one of the main reasons someone would get a personal home NAS system. However, if you want to access those files, you would need a dedicated program for it on the system you would like to access it.

What would be the solution? Well, you have a Pi, so you can easily host a media server that has a user-friendly interface to access your content library. You can either add it as a plugin in one of the above software solutions or install it as a package if you are running Raspberry Pi OS.

Now, the question is, which media server option should you choose? Well, there are a lot of options. We have tutorials for most of them so that would be a great starting point.

You might also like: Turn your Raspberry Pi into a money-making machine

• How to Install Jellyfin on the Raspberry Pi – A popular open-source media server option for the Raspberry Pi that you can install on the Raspberry Pi OS.
• Getting Started With Plex Media Server On Raspberry Pi – Another popular alternative for a media server running on the Raspberry Pi.
• Aside from the dedicated packages, you can even install plugins on existing software setups like OpenMediaVault to get a media server up and running in no time.

Enhanced Data Security and Backup (RAID)

If you need a secure storage solution for sensitive files, you can set up RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks). RAID enhances data security and redundancy by storing multiple copies of your data on different disks.

So, if you ever lose an important file for some reason, you will have a backup of it on another disk that you can use to restore the original file. Having said that, setting up RAID on a Pi NAS is challenging and might need a lot of configuration and additional hardware.

So, I suggest you explore this option only if it is a requirement for your personal NAS use case.

That is it for this article. You now have a much better idea of what you will need to build a fully functional Raspberry Pi NAS for your home or office.