NSLU2
The NSLU2 is a NAS device for private users. It was manufactured by Linksys belonging to the Cisco group. The name means Network Storage Link for USB 2.0 .
The device has been known for the possibility of an alternative Linux - Firmware to use the more advanced server features to install.
As the successor to the NSLU2, the Raspberry Pi has been available since mid-2012 .
technology
In the case is the mainboard with an ARM processor from Intel (XScale IXP420), which was initially clocked with 133 MHz and in newer devices with 266 MHz. The size of the main memory is 32 megabytes of RAM , 8 megabytes of flash memory are available for the operating system . The device has two USB ports for connecting hard drives and memory sticks as well as a 100 Mbit network connection. There is also an RS-232 interface, which, however, is not routed to the outside.
Embedded Linux with an SMB server is installed at the factory as the operating system. Administration takes place via a web interface. More possibilities can be achieved by installing an alternative Linux distribution . You can also connect additional peripherals such as printers, webcams, keyboards or hard drives.
Linux variants for the NSLU2
There are numerous firmware variants tailored to the NSLU2. Parts of the systems are transferred to a connected hard disk or USB stick .
Unslung
Unslung is a Linux distribution specially tailored to the NSLU2. The update takes place via the web interface, which is also retained after the update.
Debian / NSLU2
Debian / NSLU2 is the official branch of the Debian distribution for installing Debian on ARM devices like NSLU2. It provides all Debian packages for the ARM architecture on the NSLU2.
Current Debian distributions support installation on NSLU2 hardware via the Debian installer . The official Debian image does not support the integrated network controller for licensing reasons. But there are also unofficial images that contain the proprietary IXP4xx microcode required for this. Alternatively, two manual workarounds ( tarball and bootstrapping ) are described on the homepage . Tarball is the easier way to install Debian on NSLU2, Bootstrap the more flexible one, since it is in principle also suitable for other ARM devices in addition to the NSLU2.
The Debian packages, however, are not optimized for the NSLU2 hardware; this can lead to a deterioration in performance for some packages.
SlugOS / LE (formerly Debianslug)
SlugOS / LE is a predecessor of Debian / NSLU2 and provides an alternative firmware for installing Debian on NSLU2. To avoid confusion with the official Debian / NSLU2 support, Debianslug has been renamed to SlugOS / LE. The bootstrapping of this version is largely the same as that of Debian / NSLU2, but is out of date.
Other variants
There are other versions of the firmware. Thus, you can choose a variant that is tailored to the individual usage conditions and habits.
Problems
- The current firmware version with which the last devices were delivered cannot be found on the product homepage.
- The device does not switch on automatically if it receives power from outside. This can be remedied by modifying the hardware.
- The power supply occasionally shows subtle malfunctions: the NAS still works, but z. For example, connected USB devices sporadically no longer receive enough voltage and then show errors that are difficult to understand.
