Micro Mart 24March2016

8/18/2019 Micro Mart 24March2016

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BUYING THE

RIGHT NAS

BOOSTING YOUR

NETWORK SPEED

PICKING THE

RIGHT NETWORK

HARDWARE

TROUBLESHOOTING

TIPS

AND MUCH

MORE!

ONTEST:WHICH IS BESTFORYOURBUDGET?

•

BuildingA£500Entertainment PC• HowToCreateYour Very OwnWiki

• TheBest SoftwareFor Video Enthusiasts

£ 2 .

9 9

APR 2016 ISSUE 1406

tinyurl.com/mm1406mm


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4 Issue 1196

This week...

08The BestNetwork HardwareSetting up a home network is easier than it’s ever

been, but there are still plenty of ways to improve or

expand yours. From new routers to wireless extenders

and adaptors, James Hunt looks at some of the best

hardware on the market

14 Common NetworkingProblems ExplainedHopefully, your internet and home networking all work

smoothly and reliably. If things do go wrong, though,

what can you do to fix them? Well, maybe one of our

tips can help you get back online again…

20The EssentialNAS GuideNetwork attached storage is a marvellous thing. All

the devices and computers in your home can share

the same files, and you can even access them over theinternet. To help you choose the right one, we’ve put

together this handy guide

26Five Ways ToImprove Security There’s no way we could produce a networking special

without at least mentioning security. The very nature

of wireless networks means they’re potentially open to

uninvited guests. With a few a simple steps, though,

you can easily shore up your defences

Contents 08The Best

Network Hardware

14CommonNetworking

ProblemsExplained

The Essential

NAS Guide

20


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8/116

Issue 14068

Picking out network hardware

can be tough. There are tons of

options, lots of technologies, and

it’s rarely clear what separates the high-

end expensive brands from the low-endones that claim to be as good.

So whether you’re actively looking

for new hardware or just window

shopping for upgrades, we’ve put

together a collection of the best

network hardware items you might

want to buy.

1. Budget PCI WirelessAdaptor:D-Link DWA-525 (£17)Just because USB adaptors are generally

cheaper, it doesn’t mean you have no

choice when it comes to low-cost PCI

adaptors – far from it, in fact. There

are plenty of sub-£20 cards around,

and some of them aren’t even made

by budget king TP-Link. As proof,

here’s an excellent single-band Wireless

N150 card, which is only a little more

expensive than TP-Link’s equivalent andbetter in every technical regard.

The single antenna reflects its

2.4GHz-only capabilities, but it’s

directional and compatible with

Wireless AC networks. The bundled

software allows for WPS-protected

connection, and there’s also a low-

profile bracket in the box for use in

slim systems.

About the only bad thing you

can say about this card is that it

doesn’t come with its own Ethernet

connection port, but then it’s a safe

bet that your PC already has one

on its motherboard anyway. It’s not

the most thrilling piece of hardware,

Give your internet and file transfersa real boost!

THEBESTNETWORK HARDWARE

1


9/116

Issue 1406 9

BEST NETWORK

HARDWARE

but performance is solid and it gets

the job done. If nothing else, it’s

potentially three times faster than

a Wireless G connection, so that’s

reason enough to upgrade.

2. High-end PCI WirelessAdaptor:

Asus PCE-AC68 (£69.99)The only problem with the Asus PCE-

AC68 is it’s so expensive you’ll have

a hard time trying to justify why you

need it. But make no mistake, this is

a wireless adaptor that qualifies as

all-singing and all-dancing, and the

feature list alone make you practically

beg to pay for it.

Don’t believe us? Well, start reading

and stop when you get to something

you don’t want. It’s a dual-band

Wireless AC adaptor that can achieve

speeds of up to 1900Mbps (assuming

your network is fast enough to

handle that). The Broadcom fifth-

gen AC chipset has its own heatsink

to keep performance smooth and

uninterrupted even in systems that

get a bit hot. A flexible, triple-antenna

aerial comes mounted on a cord

with a magnetised stand, so you can

make sure you’re getting the best

signal and that it stays in place, and

all three antennas can be removed

and replaced at your preference. And

of course, it comes with a low-profile

bracket if your system requires one.In short, there’s nothing you could

want out of a network card that this

one doesn’t have, with the possible

exception of a gigabit Ethernet port.

But let’s face it, when you can get

faster speeds wirelessly, it’s far from

necessary to have wired support as

well. It costs a lot, but seriously, it’s

worth it.

3. Budget USB WirelessAdaptor:

Asus USB-N10 Nano (£7)The Asus USB-N10 wireless adaptoris so small that you could potentially

forget it exists, and that’s what makes

it so good. Whether you’re adding

it to a laptop or desktop system, it’s

discreet, stable and completely unlikely

to get knocked or yanked out of the

socket like many large, cumbersome

USB adaptors are.

That said, this is single-band N150

hardware, and the fact that it mostly

doesn’t seem to exist is proof that itdoes most of the work in software.

But it achieves strong speeds and

comes with some interesting features,

such as the software access point

function, which allows you to securely

share your internet connection with

other users, and an auto-off function

that makes sure you don’t waste

power searching for a wi-fi signal

while the system is inactive – ideal for

situations where battery conservation

is a priority.

As USB adaptors go, it simply

couldn’t be more compact. If

anything, that’s its biggest flaw. If

you put this in your pocket or drop

it on the floor, there’s a good chance

if might disappear forever, which is a

problem you don’t have with larger

dongles. If you want a decent Wireless

N connection for the lowest price

possible, then frankly it over-delivers.

4. High-end USB WirelessAdaptor:Asus USB-AC53 (£30)

Even when you’re looking for a USBadaptor, there’s no shying away from

the high cost of Wireless AC hardware

even this far into the technology’s

lifespan. But the fact that you can get

the Asus USB-AC53 for around £30 is

a pleasant surprise, because it means

you can get your network hardware

from a respected manufacturer, which

implies a level of longevity.

The AC53 is dual-band, offering

combined speeds up to 1200Mbps.

The internal patch antennas give

you wide coverage, while Asus’s

NetClip software helps you locate

the optimum positioning. Unlike

some USB network adaptors, this one

Just because USB adaptors are

generally cheaper, it doesn’t mean

you have no choice when it comesto low-cost PCI adaptors

4

3

2


10/116

Issue 140610

comes with a cable-integrated cradle

so you don’t need to have it sticking

inconveniently out of a USB port if

you don’t want to. There’s also a WPS

instant connect button.

The only thing we can imagine

criticising it on is that it’s quite large,

especially compared to the likes of

the N150 Nano. While the cradle is

innovative, it does add yet more bulk

to an already large piece of hardware.

Still, it looks great, connects atfantastically high speeds, and if you

don’t want to crack open your PC and

install an internal adaptor, there’s no

better choice than this one.

5. Budget Wireless Bridge:Edimax EW-7228APn (£17)It’s possible to find cheaper bridges,

but in most cases anything that costs

less than the Edimax EW-7228APn

will either be a one-port device,

support Wireless G connections only,

or be so shoddily made that it doesn’t

really work anyway. At most, you’ll

save £3 to £5 buying a cheaper unit,

which is so little that it hardly seems

worth shouldering the inconvenience

it’ll bring.

By comparison, the Edimax

EW-7228APn is a very convenient

piece of hardware. Its five Fast

Ethernet ports allow you to connect

five networked devices, which can

then use the bridge to attach to

any 2.4GHz wireless network – so

Wireless B, G and N, which includes

the 2.4GHz channel of a wireless ACnetwork. The Wireless N connection

offered is single-speed (up to

150Mbps), so it should be fast enough

for most network uses.

Setup is simple enough: it includes

a WPS button (something else that’s

often missing from cheaper hardware),

so all you have to do is pair it with

your preferred network and plug the

devices in. If all goes well, you’ll never

need to touch it again.

6. High-end Wireless Bridge:Trendnet TEW-800MB (£89)Wireless bridges occupy a strange

space in the market. There are a lot of

very cheap ones, and not very many

mid-priced ones, and then suddenly

a lot of expensive ones again. That’s

why there’s such a large difference

between the Edimax bridge and this.

The leap in price might be near-

colossal in scale, but there’s a good

reason for that: the TEW-800MB is a

Wireless AC-enabled bridge capable of

providing speeds of up to 1200Mbps

if connected to a Wireless AC access

point. This makes it ideal for situationswhere you might be attempting to

stream high-definition media to a

smart TV or other set-top box. It

supports up to four devices on its

gigabit Ethernet ports, meaning even

multiple HD streams are supported.

Although the speed improvements

are what you’re paying extra for, you

still get plenty of convenient features,

such as one-touch WPS connections,

encryption support and backwards

compatibility for all network types. It’s

particularly ideal if you’re expecting

to stream a lot of HD video and don’t

want a wireless connection that might

struggle with that.

7. Budget WirelessRepeater:Netgear WN3000RP (£30)The Netgear WN3000RP is a universal

wi-fi range extender, which can be

used to increase the reliability of

wireless networks using any standard

up to and including Wireless N. At

£35, you’d expect at least that level

of coverage; it is, after all, almost asexpensive as buying a second router!

To be fair, the WN3000RP makes a

fairly convincing case as to why you

shouldn’t just do that instead. Setup

is incredibly simple: you only have to

plug it in and hit the WPS button (for

Wireless N networks, at least), and

it’ll immediately get to work. The fact

that it’s a universal extender means

it can be transported, shared and

reused without any reconfiguration or

adaptation, and it’s much smaller than

a second router as well!

It’s not a completely perfect

device. As there’s no signal strength

indicator, you’ll have to guess

Wireless bridges occupy a

strange space in the market

7

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5


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12/116

Issue 140612

where to place it to get the best

performance. All this would be

harder to forgive if it wasn’t such

good value, but ultimately it’s not

too fiddly, even under sub-optimal

conditions, and it performs well

regardless of circumstance. For

those reasons alone, it’s worth

recommending.

8. High-end Repeater:Asus RP-AC52 (£48)As with most types of wireless

accessory, if you want Wireless AC

support, you have to be prepared to

accept a significant jump in pricing.

The Asus RP-AC52 is a repeater with

Wireless AC support for speeds of upto 750Mbps, which is enough to cover

the needs of almost any home user.

The RP-AC52 has full dual-band

support, so it’s compatible with any

2.4GHz and 5GHz standard, and

its variety of on-device indicators

eliminate the guesswork involved in

making sure it has a strong signal

to repeat. A secondary access point

mode allows you to connect it

to any wired LAN (for example, a

library or hotel’s access point) and

then create a personal wi-fi hotspot

for devices that don’t have an

Ethernet connection.

And as a bonus, you get some

of Asus’s proprietary technologies.

The Asus AiPlayer allows you to plug

speakers into the repeater and then

stream audio from any connected

device, meaning you can play music

off your phone without having to tie

it to the speakers with a cable, and

even access internet radio using the

repeater’s web interface. There’s even

a powerful LED on the back, which

turns it into a night-light! As repeatersgo, it’s rammed with gimmicks, but if

you want a repeater that stands out

from the crowd, we’ve got no better

recommendations.

9. Budget Router:TP-Link Archer C20i (£30)Most of the routers we’ve looked

at contain an ADSL modem, since

that’s overwhelmingly the way most

people in the UK get their broadband.

However, if you’ve already got a

modem – or you’re not averse to

running an additional router – you

can get a Wireless AC-enabled access

point for as little as £30.

Once again, you have to look

to TP-Link for this bargain. The

Archer C20i isn’t just its first sub-

£40 Wireless AC750 router – it’s

pretty much the only one. As well as

supporting gigabit Ethernet, it has

dual-band 802.11ac at speeds up to

750Mbps. While you don’t get some

of the high-end features seen in the

older (and twice as expensive) Archer

C7, you do get a USB port, which

allows you to share storage and

printers over the network through

built-in software. It’s an incredibly

useful feature and a genuine rarity on

entry-level wireless routers.

Although TP-Link’s hardware is

sometimes a bit too basic and flimsyfeeling, the C20i is one of its more

solid releases. The upright form factor

hides three internal antennas for

stable, omnidirectional connectivity,

and the software is made to meet

modern needs. A guest network

allows you to easily share your

connection with visitors, while built-in

parental controls allow you to restrict

access and bandwidth by IP. At this

price, it’s hard to overlook it.

10. High-end Router:Belkin F9K1113 (£70)If you want a more conventional

router, with a built-in ADSL modem

and the ability to take advantage of

even faster multiplexed Wireless AC

transmissions, the Belkin F9K1113

is worth checking out. It’s expensive

compared to most other routers,

but compared to other Wireless AC

routers, it’s surprisingly reasonable.

Most of the feature set is fairly

standard, with four gigabit Ethernet

ports, two USB 3.0 ports for

detachable storage and some one-touch configuration buttons, but

again you’re getting the reliability

and quality of the Belkin name. If

anything’s likely to be a problem, it’s

that the Belkin F9K1113 is quite old

as Wireless AC routers go, and that

means it’s very much a first try at

getting one right.

Newer and more expensive Belkins

offer performance that while not

necessarily faster, is certainly less

variable. But if you’re not willing

to spend £100+ on what is, even

at that price, comfortably mid-level

hardware, this router is probably your

best option. mm

10

9

8


13/116


14/116

Issue 140614

Once you’ve set up your

network, it instantly

becomes essential to

everything you do online. That’s

why, when one goes wrong, itcan be a source of near-infinite

frustration. Troubleshooting a

network – especially a wireless

one – is hardly ever easy. If do

you encounter a problem, the

best way to fix it is to already

know what’s wrong, or know

someone who does.

Unfortunately, when your

network is down, you can’t

even get online to Google the

problem. It’s just you, your wits,

and a near-incomprehensible

router administration page to

guide you. Unless, of course,

you’ve got this article handy…

PROBLEM: Your

Network Connection

Isn’t Active

If your PC can’t find the

network connection, thenumber of reasons for that

are virtually endless. The only

way you can approach the

problem is to start with the

absolute basics. The first thing

you have to check is whether

your PC and network hub (we’ll

assume it’s a router) are actually

capable of communicating.

So from the bottom up: does

your network hardware actually

have power? Both the router

and your network adaptor need

to be active. Check that the

router is still plugged in, that

it’s switched on, and that your

network adaptor is properly

seated (whether that’s in a PCI

slot or USB port).

If you’re not sure whether

it has power, check the LEDs.Even hubs and adaptors that

aren’t actively transmitting

data should give off some

sign of life, even if it’s just the

occasional flash as it tests for

an available connection.

In the case of network

hubs, a lack of power should

be easy to diagnose and repair

(check the power leads and

socket), and at worst you

might find yourself having

to replace a fuse or switch

plug sockets. At best, it’ll be

a loose cable or accidentally

flipped switch.

With adaptors, you’re in a

much more precarious position.

USB adaptors can simply be

swapped between ports to see

if they wake up once they’vebeen plugged in somewhere

else. The main ports at the rear

of your system have the best

chance of working, because

they’re attached directly to the

motherboard. If the adaptor

doesn’t seem to wake up, then

either the LEDs are broken

(unlikely) or the USB adaptor

itself is dead and should be

replaced. It’s always worth

trying the adaptor in a different

system just to check, though!

Internal network adaptors

are a little bit more of a chore

to move, especially if you don’t

COMMON

NETWORKINGPROBLEMS

EXPLAINED

If you can’t get online or access shared files, we might be able to help…


15/116

Issue 1406 15

COMMON NETWORK

PROBLEMS

have any PCI slots free. Before

you take the step of opening

your PC, we recommend

checking the Windows device

manager. If the network card

is present and free from errors,

it’s probably receiving power

regardless of whether the LEDs

are going or not, so use that to

guide your decision.

In the case of wirednetworks, you should also

check the network cables. It’s

not impossible that they can

get pulled out, so give them a

good push into their sockets

and check for any nasty twists

or nicks that might have broken

the internal wiring. Replace any

damaged cables before doing

anything else.

If you correctly address and

fix all of these problems, then

your network should hopefully

be alive again. If not, triple-

check that the hardware is

powered and working and

that the operating system still

recognises it.

PROBLEM: You’reConnected To TheNetwork But Can’tReach Web PagesOne of the most frequently

encountered (and irritating)

problems is when your network

seems to be connected but you

can’t reach web pages, or you

can only reach a small number

of them. This is typically alogical problem between your

computer and the internet,

so given that you can’t

troubleshoot the entire internet

at once, it makes sense to start

with your own PC.

First, check that you’re still

connected to your router.

If you’ve lost your network

connection, that would explain

why web pages aren’t loading.

This could something simple,

like a dislodged cable or

rebooting router, so check your

connections and restart your

hardware to try to kick it back

into life.

If that still doesn’t work

and you’re using wi-fi, try

connecting directly to your

router with a cable. If that

works, then the problem can at

least be narrowed down to the

wireless signal in some way.

If the connection exists

and you still can’t get to web

pages, that’s when things getdifficult. First you have to make

sure the connection is actually

working properly, so check that

you can access your router’s

administration system. You’ll

normally need to browse to

192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in

your browser to do so. If this

connection fails, it’s probably

that the router has crashed (so

reboot it by cycling the power).

If you can access the router’s

admin page, then at least

you know the problem isn’t

between your PC and the

router. The problem is that it

Triple-check that the

hardware is powered and

working


16/116

Issue 140616

means there’s likely something

wrong between the router and

the ISP.

But all is not yet lost!

To troubleshoot this, try to

establish that the connection to

your ISP is working. Have a look

at the lights on your router, and

if the one marked something

like ‘ADSL’, ‘DSL’, ‘Cable’ or

sometimes just ‘Internet’ is

switched off, then it means

your modem has no signal.

That means the connection has

probably gone down (though

it could just mean the cable is

unplugged, so check that too!).

Assuming the cable is fine, thefault is with the ISP, and all you

can do is wait for them to fix

the problem, though obviously

you can call them or check

their service status page on

your phone’s mobile connection

to confirm whether they know

of any faults.

If the internet connection is

working, then there’s one last

avenue to pursue: the problem

could be that your ISP’s DNS

server has gone down. This is

most likely if some pages are

still working, but others aren’t.

Those for which you already

have the DNS information will

continue to be reachable, but

others won’t be.

To fix this, open your router’s

admin page and change the

first two DNS servers to the IP

addresses of the free OpenDNS

servers: 208.67.222.222 and

208.67.220.220. Make a

note of the ones you change,

though, in case you needto change them back. Once

that’s done, reboot your router

and the connection should –

hopefully – be working.

PROBLEM: Your RouterKeeps ResettingA spontaneously resetting

router is a difficult problem

to fix, and usually requires a

permanent solution in the form

of replacement hardware – but

that doesn’t mean always. At

the very least, you can try a

few things to see if you can

manage the problem.

When routers spontaneously

reset, it tends to mean that

they’ve actually crashed and

performed an automatic

reboot. This could be the result

of a hardware fault, but it’s not

always that. There are a few

potential causes, so we’ll tackle

them in terms of how easy they

are to fix.

The first is that the router

might be overheating. Like

all computers, if they get too

hot, they become prone to

errors, which cause crashes.

If your router is kept in an

enclosed space, near another

heat source or has its vents

covered, then this might be

the problem. Ensure it’s in a

cool and well-ventilated area

and, with any luck, the crashes

will stop.

The next problem is that the

router might be overheating

because it’s overworked. This is

something that can happen a

lot if you’re using a lot of heavy

traffic, like video streaming or

file sharing. You can potentially

stop it by limiting the traffic

throughput, either in your

router’s settings or by slowing

down your own system’s

demands on it. It’s not an

ideal solution (after all, no one

wants to limit their connection

permanently), but if it works,

at least you’ve got a stable

connection while you see what

can be done.

Finally, if none of that works,

the best thing to do is flash

your router’s firmware with the

latest version. If the crashes

are being caused by a bug or

configuration error, flashing

the firmware will hopefully fix

it. You can obtain the latest

version of the firmware from

the manufacturer’s website,

but be aware that flashing it

will probably lose any custom

settings you’ve got, so you may

want to make a note of them

before you do it!

PROBLEM: YourWireless NetworkIsn’t VisibleBeing unable to find the

wireless network you’re

looking for is one of the most

irritating problems for wireless

hardware, though 90% of the

time it means that the access

point has reset itself, and the

network will reappear as soon

as it’s finished rebooting and

reinitialising. The other 10% of

the time, it’s the indication of a

much bigger problem.

Being unable to see the

network name you want in

your list of available networks

means, on its most basic level,

that your wireless antenna isn’t

picking up a signal from which

it can extract SSID. Several

things can cause this, so we’ll

try to eliminate them in a

logical order.

First, check whether you can

see any other networks in the

list, even if you can’t connect

Triple-check that the hardware is

powered and working


17/116


18/116

Issue 140618

to them. Assuming you’re not

living in a lone house with

miles of farmland in every

direction, you should see a

few other wireless networks

around. If you can, you have

good reason to believe that

your wireless adaptor is

working fine. If you can’t, then

the problem might be that the

antenna isn’t working properly.

Check that it’s powered up

and, if it’s a full-size aerial, that

it’s properly screwed in.

If the adaptor definitely

working, then the next thing

to check is whether the SSID

is actually being broadcast.Assuming you’ve checked the

wireless access point’s power

(remember that even after

being switched on, a router

takes a minute or two to start

broadcasting the SSID), then

the best thing to do is quickly

check another wi-fi capable

device to see if that can pick up

the SSID.

If it can’t, then you know that

the SSID isn’t being broadcast,

which can be a consequence

of three different things: that

the wireless isn’t active, that

the SSID has been voluntarily

suppressed or that the range

simply isn’t long enough to

reach the antenna. You can fix

the second by checking that

SSID broadcast is enabled in

the router backend, and the

third by moving the router and

access point closer together (or

rearranging the antennas).

However, if that doesn’t

have an effect, then the only

remaining cause is the first:

that the wireless access pointhas stopped working for

some reason.

The best course of action at

this point is to connect to the

wireless access point using an

Ethernet cable and manually

enter the administrative back-

end. See if the wireless (WLAN)

signal has been disabled, and if

it has, switch it back on. If it’s

already enabled, you may have

a hardware problem with the

router’s antenna, so check that

it’s attached and undamaged.

If, for some reason, you

can’t access the router via

Ethernet or any other device’s

wireless signal, then your only

remaining hope is to do a

factory reset on the wireless

access point. Most wireless

access points come in the

box with wireless enabled by

default, and assuming there

isn’t a manual switch for

enabling and disabling the

feature, a factory reset is the

only way to turn it on without

accessing the router’s back-end.Check for a pinhole button

and/or consult your device’s

manual for details on how to

do that.

PROBLEM: You Can’t

Connect To A Wireless

Network

Being unable to connect to a

network is, in many ways, more

frustrating than being unable

to find it at all. In this case,

you know that the network

is available but something is

preventing a stable connection

from being established.

If the network uses

encryption, it’s probable that

the thing preventing you from

connecting to it is an incorrect

wireless key being used. If

you’re manually entering

the password, double-check

with your source that you’re

entering it correctly and that it

hasn’t changed.

If it has changed and you

can’t get the correct one, you

have to find an Ethernet cable,connect your device directly to

the wireless access point, then

use the administrative back-

end to enter a new wireless

password. Alternatively, you

can perform a factory reset

and use the default wireless

password, which should be

printed on a sticker somewhere

on the device.

If the password isn’t what

appears to be at fault (i.e.

at no point are you asked to

enter a password, implying

that the one you’re using is

correct), then the problem is

probably something far harder

to get a handle on: a software

misconfiguration.

To fix this, open the ‘network

and sharing centre’ from the

control panel and click ‘change

adapter settings’. Select your

wireless network (probably

called ‘wifi’ and right-click on it

to access the properties. Here,

under the networking tab,open ‘Internet Protocol Version

4’ and make sure both sections

under the general tab are set

to ‘obtain automatically’. Click

OK and restart all of your

hardware. With any luck, the

configuration problem will

be fixed.

Hopefully, this helps you fix

the most common networking

problems, and it gives you

some idea about any others

that might come up. Let us

know if you have any of your

own and we’ll try to address

them in a future issue! mm

Being unable to connect to a network is, in

many ways, more frustrating than being unable

to find it at all


19/116


20/116

Issue 140620

Having a home network makes it easy

to take advantage of lots of different

technologies, though most of us only

use ours to share an internet connection

between several devices. Network attachedstorage is just one way you can use your

home network to make your life easier. But

what actually is it, and why should you care?

What Is NAS?

Network attached storage is essentially

a hard drive (actually more often a set

of hard drives) that you can access from

almost any device on your network – and

frequently from outside it too, thanks to

built-in server software.

The technology has been growing in

popularity for various reasons. One is the

general move towards solid-state storage

in home computing devices (whether

they’re laptops, smartphones or tablets).

This means that after years of being dirt

cheap, storage space is once again priced

at a premium. Worse still, the increasing

resolution and quality of commercial media

means that the entertainment we actuallyuse our computers to view takes up more

space than ever. The experience is universal:

devices becoming full, and media being

deleted and redownloaded.

But increasing the space in a phone or

tablet from a meagre 16GB to a marginally

less meagre 64GB can cause the price to

jump up by £100-£200. By comparison, the

same amount of money could get you 4TB

of mechanical hard drive storage.

NAS devices allow you to take advantage

of low-cost, high-capacity storage using

your network. Acting as a stand-alone

file-server, they give you a place to store

large files and run the software you need

to stream those files direct to your PC, TV,

games console, smartphone or tablet on

demand. In some cases, you can even do so

over the internet, meaning you don’t even

have to be in the same country to gain

access to your beloved media.Cross-compatibility means NAS devices

can allow easy access to data regardless of

device manufacturer or operating system

make (something you’ll appreciate if you’ve

ever tried to share files between a Mac and

PC, or Windows and Linux). They require

very little technical knowledge to set up, and

they’re cheaper, quieter and smaller than

dedicated file server systems.

Admittedly, there are disadvantages to

using network attached storage instead of

local storage: an increase in network traffic,

the potential speed limitations of certain

types of wireless networks and a greater

expense to run. In general, though, the

benefits outweigh the problems.

THECOMPLETE

HOMENASGUIDE

Everything you need to know to get you started with network attached storage…


21/116

Issue 1406 21

HOME NAS GUIDE

What Technologies Do NASEnclosures Support?NAS devices contain a variety of

technologies, none of which should be

especially unfamiliar to any seasoned

computer user. When you’re buying one,

look for Ethernet support – especiallygigabit Ethernet – if you intend to use a

physical connection to your router (or other

network hub).

Some models support wi-fi, but it’s worth

remembering that slow wireless connections

can create a bottleneck. Only the fastest

multi-channel Wireless AC connections come

close to gigabit Ethernet speeds, and even

then they’re generally much less consistent

and far more vulnerable to interference.

Software-wise, you may want to check

for iTunes compatibility, a DNLA-compatible

media server (a standard protocol for media

streaming to devices and applications) and,

if you’re interested in accessing your files

remotely, some ability to stream over the

web. Many NAS devices have their own

backup suites too.

You may also be interested in extra

online features. Some NAS devices come

with free online cloud storage, which will

automatically back up your data when your

internet connection is idle. Indeed, you canget as much as 25GB of online storage

‘free’ with some of them, although they do

tend to be priced more highly to cover such

an expense.

Whether or not you want to use cloud

storage may depend on what you’re using

the NAS for, but it does give you the

ability to access files from anywhere on the

internet, even when your home connection

is inactive or the NAS is switched off, as

well as creating a secondary backup that’s

immune to any major catastrophe.

Finally, if you see hardware specs for

things like cache and CPU, don’t get

confused: NAS devices have their own

internal controllers and processors (much

like a router), so in that sense, the processor

speed lets you know how well that software

performs. Similarly, the cache tells you how

well disk speeds can be maintained, because

more cache means better performance.

Don’t get too hung up on paying extra for

that type of hardware alone, though. You’re

unlikely to notice a huge leap between the

low- and high-end processors or cache levels

in a home environment. They’re only likely

to have tangible effects if you have a lot of

simultaneous users.

What Drive Configurations AreAvailable?When buying a NAS device, it’s important

to know whether you’re buying a single or

multi-bay device. You can’t tell this from

capacity alone, though high-capacity drives

are more likely to be multi-bay. Neither is

especially better than the other, but we’d

guide home customers with one or two

users towards the cheaper, single-drive

solution, and larger networks towards a

multi-bay setup.

To illustrate using examples, a 2TB

capacity NAS might contain either one

2TB drive or two 1TB drives. The former

is likely to be cheaper, but the latter gives

you better data integrity (backups can

Some models support wi-fi, but it’s

worth remembering that slow wireless

connections can create a bottleneck


22/116

Issue 140622

be kept on separate physical drives, or

duplicated), as well as the potential to

run disks as a RAID array, which will give

better speeds when multiple users are

accessing the data together.

What Are Driveless NAS Bays?If you have a spare hard drive hanging

around that you think has a few good years

left in it, then you’re in luck: you can save

money by buying a driveless NAS bay, which

will allow you to get a NAS device up and

running for as little as £35.NAS bays contain the software and

hardware you need to run a NAS device,

but are considerably cheaper because they

contain no actual storage. If you can provide

the remaining component of a hard drive

off your own back, it’s undoubtedly the least

expensive way to get a NAS up and running.

Don’t spend too much on this type of

NAS, though; high-end NAS bays contain

many features you probably don’t need.

Space for multiple hard drives can be useful,

but even two high-capacity drives might be

much more than any home user needs.

As previously noted, the most expensive

NAS bays may also have additional

hardware, such as memory modules to

improve their caching capabilities. These are

aimed at business and enterprise uses. Such

features are far more sophisticated than

a home user would need and a potential

waste of money – which somewhat ruins the

savings inherent in buying a NAS enclosure.

NAS Devices For Every BudgetIf you’re wondering where to start with

NAS devices, here are a few you can start

with no matter what price range you’re

looking at, so you know what to expect

and what’s available for what the amount

you want to spend.

LOWEST PRICE OPTION:Synology DiskStation DS115j (£89)This diskless enclosure contains one bay,

making it perfect for budget home users.

It’s a simple unit, with two USB ports, a

standard Ethernet port and 250MB of

RAM, but if you’re looking for a basic

backup or file server, this is the kind of

hardware you need.

The File Station software allowed

secure sharing over the internet, and the

Cloud Station service allows you to syncbetween multiple devices (including multiple

DiskStations) and online services like Google

Drive and Dropbox. All you have to do is

provide a sufficiently robust hard drive to

store the files on. It’s possible to buy with

the same unit with pre-installed Western

Digital Red drives, and the price then ranges

from £151 for a 1TB version to £311 for a

6TB version.

Obviously, the lack of a drive is what

makes this particularly cheap, so if you don’t

have a spare hard drive to put in it, you

won’t save a huge amount of money. But

even if you don’t, it’s cheaper to buy the

enclosure and shop around for a SATA drive

than to buy the two together. Just beware

If you have a spare hard drive hanging

around that you think has a few good

years left in it, then you’re in luck


23/116


24/116

Issue 140624

of using low-quality or particularly old drives;

the last thing you want is a storage failure

wiping any important data stored here!

BUDGET OPTION:

Buffalo LinkStation 210 3TB(£104.99)

If you have a little bit more money to

spare, the Buffalo LinkStation 210 isn’t much

pricier than an enclosure on its own, but

when you factor a 3TB drive into the price as

well, it becomes substantially better value.

As well as the network storage, this NAS

unit contains a built-in BitTorrent client, so

you can download things (perfectly legal

things, of course) directly to your NAS

without even needing your PC switched

on. The free WebAccess app allows you toget at the contents from anywhere online,

on virtually any device. A built-in DLNA

service allows any smart devices to access

media from the NAS’s own storage, and

your entire household’s backup needs are

provided for by five bundled licences of the

NovaBACKUP software.

The built-in interface is designed to be

completely operable even from smartphones,

so even if you don’t own a PC, you can take

advantage of its storage and capabilities.

250MB of RAM and a gigabit Ethernet

connection mean it easily competes with any

NAS device in its price class.

Note that as a single-bay enclosure, it

might be slow if multiple users are trying

to access it, but unless you’re expecting

lots of people to use it simultaneously, this

shouldn’t be a huge problem. And certainly

if you want to pay for a multi-bay enclosure,

it will mean stepping up your budget a

considerable amount.

MID-RANGE OPTION:

Buffalo LinkStation LS220 6TB(£190)

If you want a more robust backup solutionor a NAS device with faster access times,

the Buffalo LinkStation is a two-bay NAS

device that remains affordable for home

use (just about). Two 3TB drives give it a

full capacity of 6TB, which you can either

use at the full capacity (if you want more

storage) or in tandem as a RAID array (if

you want better performance and/or more

secure backups).

Additional features include everything

you get in the cheaper LinkStation: a gigabit

Ethernet connection for high-speed LAN

performance, a built-in BitTorrent client,

WebAccess apps for all major platforms and

novaBACKUP licences as well. In addition,

it contains a built-in FTP server for remote

access and a print server so you can use it to

share any USB printer as well.

Support for domains, network access

restrictions and active directories means

this enclosure could also service small

businesses, though in technical terms it’s

only recommended for up to two users

simultaneously, and any more than four

would probably become a problem. Still, for

less than £200 it’s a good price considering

the features it offers, and anythingsubstantially more expensive would probably

be too much for a normal household.

HIGH-END OPTION:

WD My Cloud Mirror Gen 2 6TB(£260)If you don’t want to get into the order

of Enterprise-level storage solutions, this

kind of device is more or less the upper

limit for home NAS units. The Western

Digital My Cloud Mirror comes with a pair

of automatically RAID mirrored Western

Digital Red drives, which are designed for

high-integrity and fast access times.

The personal storage software gives

you the ability to manage photos, videos

and other files from any device, while WD

SmartWare Pro gives you backup software

compatible with all major operating

systems, and WD Sync allows you to

mirror the contents of any part of the NAS

storage to any PC you like.

While in technical terms there’s not a

huge amount of difference between this

and other two-bay drives, what makes it

worth paying extra for is the software and

pedigree. Western Digital’s storage is high-end and reliable, so it’s an ideal choice for

anyone who wants their NAS to act as a

secure place to store files. Obviously no type

of storage is irreplaceable, but it’d take a

pretty big disaster to lose data stored here.

And that concludes our brief tour of

the NAS scene. With any luck you now

feel equipped to start investigating which

NAS is right for you, whether you want

extra storage, better backup abilities or

remote access to your files. Remember –

if you’re running a home network, then

networked storage is just one of the

many things it can do that you aren’t

already taking advantage of. Don’t leave

it any longer! mm

Cross-compatibility means NAS

devices can allow easy access to dataregardless of device manufacturer


25/116

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26/116

Issue 140626

Network security is more important

than it has ever been, but since

wireless routers now come with a

level of security set up by default,

many people are less aware than ever of

the security issues they face, and what can

be done to improve and manage network

security in general.

That’s why, to help anyone wondering

what they can do about their own network

security, we’ve put together this list of 5

things you can do to improve it without

making any major changes to your setup

or hardware.

1Keep An Eye On YourNetwork Device ListMost modern routers give you the ability

to see and manage a list of all devices that

are connected to your network. Properly

managing this list will allow you to see

if and when something unexpected has

hitched a ride on your wireless connection.

These device lists mostly work by reading

the MAC address of a piece of hardware,

so any entries are tied to the specific piece

of equipment regardless of its IP address.

You can generally assign names (and

sometimes a hardware class) to each entry,

so whenever you connect a new device

take a moment to add it to the list and

properly identify it. Not only will this help

with troubleshooting, it’ll mean as soon as

you see a device that isn’t identified you’ll

be able to tell that it’s unauthorised – or at

the very least, new.

Just having a device list doesn’t make

your network more secure in itself, since

there are no access restrictions based on

it (at least, not by default) – but it does

give you the ability to monitor the status

of your network more closely, and that

can only be a good thing for its security.

MAC address filtering is an option, but

easily spoofed by anyone making a serious

attempt at unauthorised access – it’s better

to keep your own eye on what’s connected

rather than assume the router can block itfor you.

2Change The DefaultAdministrator Login DetailsMost of us never bother to change

the login credentials on our router’s

administrator account, assuming that the

wireless network key will keep potential

snoopers out – but this is a bad idea. If

someone manages to connect to your

network by some back-door method, such

as through malware on your desktop PC,

they might be able to gain access to your

router’s administration area.

Lists of default admin logins aren’t

difficult to come by online. Indeed, most

manufacturers list them on their websites

in case people customers their hardware

but don’t have a manual. If you know the

router’s model number the full login details

are probably just a Google search away.

That’s why it’s a good idea to immediately

change the admin password to something

secure as soon as you can.

The standard rules for a secure

password all apply – make it long, ideally

unguessable (so no dictionary words)

and use a mixture of upper case, lower

case and numbers. Any change is better

than no change, and it means that even

if someone manages to connect to your

network without your approval, there’sanother layer of security for them to crack

before they can open your network up in

any serious way.

3Don’t Use The DMZ ServerIf you experience connection issuesthat might be caused by a firewall, it’s

often tempting to set your system as the

DMZ server for your network. The DMZ

server is a reference to “demilitarised

zones”, but what it means in practical

circumstances is that the system is

essentially outside the firewall. This can be

a good thing for diagnosing problems that

the firewall might be causing, but it’s only

ever useful as a short-term solution.

Give yourself the best chance of keeping your network secure and private

5WAYS TO IMPROVENETWORK SECURITY


27/116

Issue 1406 27

IMPROVE NETWORK

SECURITY

That’s because if you leave a system as

the DMZ server for any extended amount

of time, it essentially becomes vulnerable

to all of the online attacks that would

previously have been filtered out by the

router. If you install a software firewall

there’s some ability to get rid of this type

of traffic, but a router can do it far more

reliably and comprehensively.

Essentially, using the DMZ is as bad

as having no security, because it leaves

one system open to attack, and that

in itself creates a weak point that can

cause trouble for the entire network.

To create a completely secure network,

you have to make sure the DMZ is onlyused temporarily if at all. Any permanent

fixture on it is practically issuing an open

invitation to hackers.

4Turn Your Wi-fi Off If You’reNot Using ItWhile it would be inconvenient to switch

your router on and off every time you stop

using your network, that’s not what we’re

talking about here. If you’re only using

a cabled connection (i.e. Ethernet) then

having a wireless access point is only going

to give hackers the opportunity to attack

your network.

Turning off wi-fi is a trivial procedure –

all you have to do is log into your router’s

administration backend and click the

relevant option, then reboot it. Reversing

the process if you decide you need wi-fi

at any point in the future is just as simple.

Ethernet-only networks are far harder to

break into than wi-fi ones just because

of the sheer practicality that wi-fi offers

potential attackers – after all, you don’t

even need to be in a building to trymaking a connection to networks inside!

Make sure you don’t turn off wi-fi while

you are using it, though – otherwise you’ll

have to drag your computer and/or router

somewhere so you can make a cabled

Ethernet connection to switch it back on.

5Change The DefaultNetwork CredentialsYour router probably has a sticker on the

bottom that identifies its critical details,

such as SSID and WPA key. Having access

to this combination of information is

necessary for anyone wanting to connect

to your network – but the fact that it’s

easily obtained from the router also makes

it fundamentally insecure, especially if

you’re running a network in a public

location such as a café or other small

business with a lot of traffic.

Knowing the SSID of a router can

also give attackers ways to learn other

things about you, such as the ISP you

use, so changing it is a good idea under

any circumstance. Make sure you don’tchange it to anything that connects you

to your address or online identity – keep

it nice and generic so no one can be sure

whether it’s even yours without personal

assurance from you.

Similarly, changing the WPA key will

ensure that no one can steal that by

looking at the router. Many devices can

connect to a network using the one-touch

WPS (wi-fi Protected Setup) system (which

is normally just a button you push on your

router to connect new devices) so it’s not

even as if you have to enter the WPA key

a lot. Just make sure you don’t lose it,

otherwise you’ll have to do a factory reset

to get it back! mm

MAC address filtering is an option, but

easily spoofed by anyone making a serious

attempt at unauthorised access


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Issue 140628

If you’re worried that your

network is slowing down or

not performing as well as it

used to, you’re not alone.

Poor network performance

can be incredibly frustrating,

and trying to fix it can be even

more difficult. So here are five

different things you can do to

improve your network speed

that actually work.

1Make Use Of QoS

And Packet ShapingBy default, your router

probably assigns all traffic the

same priority. That’s fine if

you’re only doing very simple

things online, but if you’ve

got a program that’s taking

up a lot of bandwidth in the

background – or perhaps one

that’s struggling to get the

bandwidth it needs because

of other things you’re doing

online – then reprioritising

might be the best way to

improve the network’s speed

in the areas where it matters

to you.

Most routers allow you to

shape traffic based on the TCP/

IP port, so if you want standard

HTTP traffic (i.e. web pages) to

be served first, you’d select port

80 to be a higher priority than

others. This would speed up

your browsing, even though the

connection speed would remain

the same as before. It’s worth

remembering that packet shaping

doesn’t actually speed up your

connection as a whole, it only

makes certain bits of it faster.Generally traffic shaping

features are found under the

section of a router’s settings

labelled ‘QoS’ (meaning ‘Quality

of Service’). As well as shaping

traffic on specific ports, you

may also be able to shape the

traffic based on a system’s IP

address or MAC address.

2Install New FirmwareWhen it comes to software,there’s always room for

improvement. That’s why

companies release firmware

updates for their systems.

Installing new firmware is

always a gamble on some level,

not least because it almost

certainly means you’ll lose all

of your customised settings

during the process, but in

the plus column it can add

features, iron out bugs and

improve compatibility in ways

that do give you extra speed

and reliability. In some ways,

upgrading the firmware makes

old routers feel like new.

The latest firmware

downloads are normally

available from a router’s

manufacturer website, and

updating the existing firmware

is a fairly simple process, which

can be accomplished from the

system’s administration backend.

There’s an element of danger

– if the firmware is incorrect

or the update is interrupted it

could turn your router into little

more than a decorative brick –

Is your wi-fi underperforming? Take a look at these tips

FIVE WAYSTO IMPROVENETWORK SPEED


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Issue 1406 29

IMPROVE

NETWORK SPEEDS

but this is very much a worst

case scenario.

If your router doesn’t have

an official firmware update

available, you could try using

a custom firmware, such as

the free, open-source firmware

alternative DD-WRT. Available

from www.dd-wrt.com, the

firmware adds a number

of features and even some

controls not found in most

router software. It’s tricky for

novice users to master, but if

you’re thinking of replacing

the hardware anyway (and it’scompatible – not every router is)

then it can’t hurt to try it out!

3Rearrange AerialsIf network connectionsaren’t running at the speed you

hope, the problem might just

be that the connection is weak.

If this is the case, removing

obstructions and redirecting the

antennae might be a simple but

surprisingly effective way to get

your network back at capacity.

Network signals are

surprisingly sensitive to

interference from any number

of sources – microwave ovens,

fluorescent lights and other

electrical equipment are

obvious ones, but sometimes

a reflective or flat surface

is enough to cause serious

havoc with your connection.

Redirecting the aerials on your

equipment gives you a chance

of establishing a strong, more

reliable signal by reorienting the

hardware in such a way that theradio waves can be sent and

received unobstructed.

Although you can get

specialist equipment to help,

it’s not necessary for a home

system. There’s no real art to

figuring out what works best in

any given situation – just point

your aerials (on the router

and, if you have them, your

adapter) in a new direction

and see whether the signal

gets stronger or weaker, and

whether the speed improves.

If you really want to boost

a weak connection, it might

make sense to move the router

completely. As long as your

cables are long enough, there’s

no reason to leave the router

exactly where it was installed -

the closer it is to your network

adaptors the better.

4Step Up To ACMaybe it goes withoutsaying, but the best way toget the best speed out of a

network is to make sure it’s

running on the latest protocol.

That means getting a router

that’s compatible with Wireless

AC, also known as 802.11ac.

802.11ac doesn’t have

a much better range than

802.11n, but its bandwidth is

significantly higher, so even a

low-strength connection should

be able to carry more data. It’s

backwards compatible with

older standards, so upgrading

your router shouldn’t cause

any problems to your existing

devices, but it will also mean

you can take advantage of

the faster speeds. Most new

tablets, laptops, smartphones

and consoles all support

Wireless AC, and it’s a simple

matter to update a desktop

system to do so as well.

If you do swap out your

router for a Wireless AC one,

remember that you also have

to upgrade your Wireless Nadaptors too if they aren’t

already compatible with it.

If the network standards

don’t match up, the network

will automatically run the

connection between those

devices at the speed of

the slower one. Backwards

compatibility means you don’t

necessarily have to do it if

money’s an issue, but you’ll

only see significant speed

improvements if both ends of

the connection are Wireless

AC-enabled.

5Use An ExtenderIf there’s no way you canimprove the signal strength

between your wireless router

and the device you want to

connect to, there is still one

more thing you can do: buy

a wireless range extender.

Sometimes called “wireless

repeaters”, these devices

can detect and rebroadcast a

wireless signal with virtually no

delay, giving you the ability to

stretch a signal over a much

larger distance.

This signal amplification

makes connections more

robust, and are especially

useful if you can’t move yourother devices around for any

specific reason. Typically, they

plug into wall sockets and

repeat a wireless signal, but

it’s also possible to get ones

that take a wired Ethernet

connection if that’s more useful

to you. This sort of hardware

is also useful for extending

wireless range into the garden

or attic, where a normal

wireless signal may not reach.

Ultimately, a stronger

wireless signal is always going

to result in better speeds,

and that’s exactly what a

range extender of this type

will provide. They’re relatively

cheap and easy to set up, so

it’s always worth giving one

a try if you think poor signal

strength might be what’s

behind your troubles. mm

Removing obstructions and redirecting the

antennae might be a surprisingly effective way

to get your network back at capacity


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Issue 140632

If you need more video editing power than Windows’

built-in tool, take a look at these more powerful apps

Video Editors

For Enthusiasts

Video editing is a something that anyone can try, but only a

few get just right. It’s one of those tasks that many dismissas easy, but then find is quite complicated if they want to

create polished and professional results. The truth is you

need imagination, and to develop an eye for design along with the

technical skill to operate the software if you want to excel.

Even within the YouTube community there’s a wide spectrum of

skills on show, from total newcomers using mobile phone cameras,

to seasoned professionals with high-end equipment and a real

understanding of what it takes to make professional videos. The

difference between the two is like night and day, and the magnitude

of skill and effort the best YouTubers put in really does show.

One of the main reasons for this difference in quality is the software

used to edit the videos. Many people starting off on YouTube are

still learning, and stick with entry level editors like Windows Movie

Maker or YouTube’s own online editor, while more advanced users

and enthusiasts graduate to more powerful options that open up all

sorts of new possibilities. These more powerful programs allow greater

control over cuts and transitions, as well as the addition of professional

effect. These features, in turn, gives content creators more options,

which can lead to better videos if used properly.

We’re going to take a look at some of these editing options,

focusing on software that users with more advanced skills should

consider moving to – though these programs will take users from entry

and mid-level editing all the way to full-on professional creation. Some

are expensive, a fairly common drawback in the market, whilst others

are free. The latter options obviously don’t always provide quite the

same amount of power as expensive suites, but for YouTube content,

they should provide ample power. So let’s begin with the freebies.

FreeWindows Movie Maker

www.microsoft.com

We’re looking at the more advanced programs here, and we’ve

already said Movie Maker is a commonly used starter program, but we

should include it for reference, and as it can be used to make some

good quality clips.

Movie Maker features a simple design that focuses on ease

of use to make it very approachable even for the video editing

layman. It’s mostly drag and drop, and by simply dragging and

dropping clips into the timeline, you can easily create many types

of movie. Additions of audio tracks, subtitles and other effects are

easy to add later on, with the minimal, and familiar interface that

borrows from Microsoft’s usual Ribbon GUI. So, if you know how

to use Windows, Office, or nay other Microsoft app, it’s not hard to

make the jump to Movie Maker.

VirtualDub

www.virtualdub.orgOne of the oldest options available, VirtualDub has long been

a staple in the video editor’s toolbox. That is, if you’re a fan of

.avi files, which the format supports exclusively. Even with this

limitation, and the arrival of more, very popular formats, VirtualDub

is still a very useful, and surprisingly effective free tool.

VirtualDub

Windows Movie Maker


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Issue 1406 33

VIDEO EDITORS

The interface is well-designed and not bogged down with

clutter, yet is packed with filters and other video manipulation

tools. Admittedly, the menu system itself is a little stodgy, and

needs work to get used to, but if you need to work with .avi files,

VirtualDub is a good option.

Lightworks

www.lwks.com

If we had to pick the most powerful free video editor, as well as

possibly the best all-round, Lightworks would almost certainly

win. It’s an amazingly powerful editor, especially consideringit’s free. It has a full timeline editing suite of tools packed with

features such as real time effects, trimming tools, support for HD

resolutions (up to 720p) and multi-cam support.

The program is so powerful and effective, the developer is keen to

point out that it’s even been used in Hollywood, on such films as The

Wolf of Wall Street , Pulp Fiction, and LA Confidential , to name but a

few. That’s high praise indeed, and if a multi-million dollar movie can

make use of it, it’s a sure-fire bet YouTube videos are covered.

There is a cost to the program, and that’s your time. Due to its

power and flexibility, Lightworks isn’t the easiest editor to use, and

will require a lot of practise. However, we’re here to look for more

advanced editors, and this perfectly fits the bill.

VSDC Free Video Editor

www.videosoftdev.com

Arguably the most difficult kind of video editing to get to grips

with is non-linear. Because of this, VSDC Free Video Editor can

be one of the trickier applications to use if you’ve no prior

experience. As a more advanced user, however, it’s a good

program to try if you want to broaden your skills and try a

different way of editing your footage.

The interface is well-designed, and the app has a wide range of

tools that make it easily better than many competing programs.

The addition of a tool that can be used to create movies specifically

for mobile devices is a major bonus for social media content

creators, as mobile devices are only getting more and more popular

as devices to view such content.

VideoPad Video Editor

www.nchsoftware.com

If you’re focusing on the creation of footage for social media and/

or YouTube, VideoPad Video Editor is surely one of the best options.

It’s a powerful editor that supports just about any video format you

can name, and it has a respectable amount of features. However, the

major draw it it’s ability to handle tasks any online star will relish.

It can export videos directly to the likes of Facebook andYouTube, and even has the option of capturing desktop activity,

a commonly required ability for YouTube content creators and

reviewers. It also has a flexible export option, and can burn footage

directly to disc for easy archival.

It’s not the most well-designed interface, though, and the

actual editing GUI is very cluttered and not as well laid out as

some alternatives. If you put in the time, however, you’ll find it

is a very competent editor.

Lightworks

Jahshaka 2.0

VideoPad Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor


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Issue 140634

Jahshaka 2.0

www.jahshaka.com

This is an open source editor that packs in some unique features

that advanced users will no doubt appreciate. Along with a

powerful set of timeline editing tools, there’s support for 2D and

3D animation, as well as Chroma key effects (a technical term

for the now-ubiquitous ‘green screen’ effects used in almost

all major movies), and a lean towards more visually impressive

effects that many other competing programs (certainly free

ones) don’t feature.

On the flip-side of the positives, the program’s core interface

is a little confusing, not allowing the almost universal drag and

drop loading of clips. It demands a different approach, one that

you’ll have to learn to love if you want to make full use of theprogram. If you’re planning on getting into animation, though,

this is a task you might just want to tackle.

ivsEdits LE

www.ivsedits.com

This is an editor that’s aimed at the more advanced user, and

although the free incarnation has some restrictions placed on it

– mainly in terms of the formats it can work with – it still offers

a lot of options. These include support for HD video up to 4K

and the real-time video input from external devices.

Other features include 3D transitions, the ability to crop video,

colour and brightness alteration, multi-camera mixing, and a

slew of other higher-level editing tools. It’s quite the app, and

clearly has the power for even expert users. The interface isn’t

the best, however, and it’s quite complex and counter-intuitive,

but again, we’re looking at software for the advanced user, so a

complicated interface shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Shotcut

www.shotcut.org

Shotcut is an open source editor that can work with almost any

video source, with a very flexible import set up. It supports wide

file video formats and packs in a range of filters. However, its

real strength comes from its specialisation in the more mundane,

practical tasks, such as colour touch-ups, picture quality

adjustments, and camera fixes (stability). This makes it a very

powerful post-production touch up tool, especially for advanced

users, who will certainly get the most out of this.

As powerful as it is (and it’s very powerful), it’s specialisation in video

optimisation means you’ll likely need another editor if you also need to

perform more glamorous edits, such as special effects and the like.

Machete Video Editor Lite

www.machetesoft.com

It’s not hard to guess the speciality of this program. As the name

clearly suggests, this tool is all about trimming down video, and

you can use it to get rid of unwanted footage. What’s differentabout this tool than many other apps, even more powerful editors

is the fact the program does it’s trimming without the need to

re-encode the video. This means that you’ll lose no video quality,

no matter how many edits you make.

The interface is simple, and the program easy to use, even for

beginners. For advanced users, this is a great tool to have alongside a

more general purpose editor.

Wax

Machete Video Editor Lite

Shotcut

ivsEdits LE


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Issue 140636

Wax

www.debugmode.com/wax

This is another very specialised program, and one that focuses on .avi

files. Wax isn’t really a powerful editing tool in the strictest sense, but

is instead mainly concerned with special effects. It’s here where the

program stands out, so much so it’s been used as a plug-in for big

name editors from the likes of Adobe and Sony.Along with standard effects and filters, Wax can apply all manner

of pro-level additions, including particle effects, masks, and even

mapping video footage onto 3D objects. It’s a very interesting app,

and its specialised tools make a good addition to any editor’s tool

set, It comes into its own in tandem with another editor, though.

MPEG Streamclip

www.squared5.com

This is a very interesting program, and like some of the other apps

we’ve looked at, it’s also specialised. It’s also very small in size,

with a download smaller than 400KB. Within this tiny package

you’ll find a surprisingly competent editor that can manipulate

video, rotate it, and work with the soundtrack.

It’s able to open a range of file types, including DVD video and

video streams via URL. Additionally, it has a very flexible export

function that’s one of the best we’ve seen. It may be small, but

this app has plenty of power within its tiny frame.

Avidemux

fixounet.free.fr/avidemux

Compared to some of the other programs we’ve listed here,

Avidemux isn’t one of the most powerful, but it still has plenty

to offer those looking to expand their editing options. This

includes easy to use trimming tools, that perform their task

without any need to re-encode, alongside additional features

like filters and quality touch-up tools.

What’s even more pleasing is that these are all contained in

a simple, easy to use GUI that, while still undoubtedly being for

the more advanced user, makes it one of the programs that’s

easier to get to grips with. It’s also open so

Micro Mart 24March2016

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