How to set up a home server to store files for less than 35 euros

February 28, 2023 Matt Mills Hardware, How to 0

Building a NAS (Network Attached Storage) powered by the Raspberry Pi is one of the first projects accomplished with the board. Over the years there have been versions of the microcomputer and the possibilities to build one of these online storages.

However, in few projects we have been able to see such a low cost by adding all the necessary components to carry out the NAS. Now the record is set at only 35 dollars, about 33 euros.

NAS server for less than 35 euros

A Raspberry Pi based NAS (Network Attached Storage) server can be built using all new parts for as little as possible. If you don’t know what a NAS is, it’s essentially a small computer that’s attached to a storage drive and acts as a file server on your network , allowing you to access your files from any device.

It has been Michael Klements who has managed to redefine the process of creating a NAS server using Raspberry Pi and manage to reduce both costs. I had created other models before, but with higher costs, so this time, as demonstrated in the video, the main focus has been to build a fully functional NAS as cheaply as possible .

To achieve this, he has had to take certain shortcuts and make some sacrifices. The fact that it is “low-cost” makes it slow and does not have a large storage capacity , but it will be perfect as the first version of a NAS for someone who does not want to spend a lot of money or if you just want to build one to learn how they work and how to set them up.

Klements’ project opts for the use of a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (the W means it has built-in WiFi), at a price of about $15. The reason is clear. The Pi Zero 2 W provides roughly the same processing power as the Raspberry Pi 3 in a smaller package.

As we said, the storage options are also reduced. Instead of a large 2.5-inch drive, which would inflate the price of the build by three times the cost of the Pi Zero 2 W, Klements chose to use a 128 GB micro USB flash drive . In a world of terabyte and petabyte storage capacities, a paltry 128GB seems useless. But those 128 GB of network storage are enough for your most important files. The micro USB flash drive was chosen as the Pi Zero range of boards uses micro USB for their only USB port and using anything else would require adapters and take up precious space in the case.

Build your low cost NAS

In addition to the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W and a micro-USB flash drive, another ingredient used in the process was microSD cards to load the operating system . In addition to the fact that you could surely have one at home without using it, which would make you not spend on this component, if you have to, they are really cheap.

Little else is needed to carry out this project, so write down the ingredients and follow the steps in the video to get your NAS server up and running in no time :