And though the ND520 delivers, its performance lagged most of the other products on our tests, including competitively priced units from Intel and Linksys . The good news is that its benchmark test scores may not matter. NetGear markets the ND520 primarily as a backup device for laptops and file servers, and its throughput speed is more than adequate for the intended uses. Unlike most of the smaller servers in our tested group, the 20GB ND520 has a built-in power supply instead of a bulky external transformer. The ND520's front panel contains a single RJ-45 Ethernet connector with speed, activity, and link LEDs, and an uplink switch for attaching either a PC or a network hub.
Installation is a simple matter of plugging in the power cord and a network cable.
If your network is equipped with a DHCP server, you're finished. If your network does not have a DHCP server, you'll need to install and run a utility program on the provided CD-ROM to set the ND520's IP address. When you're done, you can use a browser to manage the user access list. By default, all users have access to the entire shared disk, but you can limit access on a directory basis. The management interface is simple and clear, and it can be password-protected to prevent unauthorized access or changes.