Review of the Toshiba Canvio Home Backup and Share 3TB

The Toshiba Canvio Home Backup and Share 3TB allows you centrally store and access files on your home network. The device is classified as a hard drive, but since files are accessbile on any DLNA enabled device on the network, it can also be considered Network Attached Storage. The device has a USB port, but it can only be used to connect a network printer. If you attempt to use the USB port to transfer files, the PC will not recognize the device as a hard drive. You will also need to go to the website to download the application software. There were several password prompts for administrators, users and the upload server during setup, which is a bit tedious. I did not expect to see user permissions or log features, which are characteristic of server software. For a small office or single family home, permissions provide a highly effective way to delegate access. In addition, you can also set quotas and create volumes on the drive.

Pros

User interface is easy to navigate

drive settings

Permission features

Access logs with email alerts

Cons

Cannot access files via USB
Website out of date
Documentation out of date
Android App out of date




 


However, I did encounter some issues. For example, when I tried to connect remotely, I received an error, "Cannot connect to server to obtain pin". I thought updating the application would resolve the issue, but when I attempted to update the software, it failed on the last step with an unknown error. I was sure it was not a firewall issue, because I verified that all required ports were opened. Next, I attempted to setup the Toshiba Canvio app on my phone, however the app listed in the instruction manual was not available for download in the Android App store. So, I went to Toshiba's website to look at FAQ's and although there was a link for hard drives, it gave no relevant information about Toshiba Canvio hard drives. I also tried to browse through Toshbia's website forum but did not find any relevant answers. However there was an 1800# listed that provides 24/7 technical assistance.


In the end, I was able to successfully launch the device as a media server for my smart TV and my PS3. For a basic user who wants to access local files, it is a decent product. Based on the website, applications and available documentation, I give the product 3/5 stars.

user interface