A NAS feels like a solved problem once it's up and running—files go in, files come out, and everything looks fine. This is exactly why these mistakes go unnoticed for so long. Some of the most common NAS setups out there have quiet, slow-burning problems baked in. To help improve your setup, here are five of the most common NAS mistakes—and how to fix them.
You believe RAID is a backup strategy
Redundancy and backup aren't the same thing
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a way of combining multiple drives so they work together, either for speed, redundancy, or both. In a RAID configuration , you've got two drives mirroring each other—if one fails, your data is safe on the other.
Many people mistake this for proper backup—but it's not. RAID is designed to protect your data in case of drive failure. It doesn't protect your data from accidental deletion or ransomware attacks. It also won't help if both drives fail simultaneously.
A real backup is a separate copy that exists independently of your primary storage. You'd ideally follow the 3-2-1 framework where you keep three copies of your data, on two different media types, with one offsite. Your RAID array counts as one copy. It's part of your backup strategy—not the whole strategy.
For actual backups, you want either a scheduled sync to an external drive you rotate offsite, or a cloud backup service running in the background. Synology has Hyper Backup, QNAP has Hybrid Backup Sync—both handle this natively. If you're on a DIY setup like TrueNAS or OpenMediaVault, Duplicati is a free, open-source option with encrypted backups and support for all major cloud providers.
You've exposed your NAS to the Internet
An open port is an open invitation
The default setup most people land on when they want remote access to their NAS is port forwarding . You open a port on your router, point it at the NAS, and now you can reach it from anywhere. However, this doesn't just give you remote access—it exposes your NAS to the entire public internet—giving everyone remote access. Anyone online can find your NAS and start probing for access.
This isn't a theoretical threat. NAS devices are actively hunted by automated scanners. DeadBolt and eCh0raix are two ransomware families that specifically target exposed Synology and QNAP devices. Since these bots sweep IP ranges for open ports, it's usually only a matter of time before they find you.
As such, you should always avoid port forwarding. Instead, if you want remote access to your NAS, use a VPN like Tailscale —which creates a private, encrypted network between your devices. This way, your NAS isn't directly exposed to the public internet, but you can still reach it from your phone or laptop anywhere in the world.
Alternatively, if you prefer not to rely on a third-party service, there's a more hands-on option in Wireguard —an open-source VPN protocol you run yourself. Both QNAP and Synology have it built into their software, so you don't need a separate server—just enable it from the NAS interface and configure your devices to connect through it.
Even after you disable port forwarding, check UPnP . It's enabled by default on most routers, and it allows devices on your network—including your NAS—to open ports automatically without you touching anything.
You're using desktop hard drives for NAS storage
Desktop HDDs in a NAS run hotter, die faster, and void your warranty
Desktop drives aren't rated for 24/7 operation. They're designed to spin up when you need them and sit idle the rest of the time. In contrast, a NAS runs constantly, often with multiple drives packed close together. This means higher temperatures and more vibration than desktop drives are built to handle.
As a result, using a desktop-grade HDD in a NAS will make it more likely to fail. In fact, on the flipside, error recovery timeouts in desktop HDDs can break your RAID setup.
Furthermore, when it fails, you might not even be able to claim your warranty. That's because desktop drives aren't designed to run inside a NAS enclosure, and manufacturers may deny your claim on the grounds of improper use.
As such, if you're building a NAS, you should exclusively use drives designed for it . WD Red Plus and Seagate IronWolf are standard recommendations, with vibration sensors, CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording), defined workload ratings, and support for always-on use. A NAS-grade HDD costs slightly more than a desktop drive, but not enough to justify the risk.
NAS compatibility matter more than whether the drive is new. If you're on a budget, consider recertified or refurbished NAS drives —they're often more affordable than brand-new desktop drives while still giving your NAS-compatible storage.
You're only using it for storage
Your NAS has a CPU and RAM—and you're probably not using them
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
Most NAS owners use it like an overpriced external hard drive—files go in, files come out. That's fine, but it's worth remembering that your NAS is essentially a small computer. It has a CPU, RAM, and an operating system. If your NAS has decent specs, it can run other services alongside your file storage. You NAS could technically work as a homelab .
For example, you can run a media server like Plex or Jellyfin on your NAS. Instead of just storing your movies and TV shows, your NAS can stream them directly to your TV and other devices. You can also set up lightweight services like Bitwarden for your own private password manager, or Pi-hole as a network-wide ad blocker. Docker expands this even further —if there's a self-hosted app you want to run, there's likely a container for it.
Consider your NAS's hardware before deciding what services to run. For example, entry-level NAS devices with ARM-based chips might not be powerful enough for hardware transcoding, which some media streaming setups require.
You're bottlenecking it with Gigabit networking
Fast drives don't matter if your network slows it down
When you're using a NAS, your drive is just one part of what determines your read and write speeds. Remember that your PC is connected to your NAS over a network, and if the network is slow, it'll bottleneck your transfer rates .
The chain looks like this—data leaves the NAS, passes through your router or switch, and then arrives at your PC, and vice versa. The slowest link in that chain sets the ceiling for everything. A typical SATA HDD inside a NAS can push 150–200 MB/s in sequential read and write speeds. If you're using SSDs , the speeds will be even higher. However, most home networks still rely on 1GbE , which caps real-world speeds at around 125 MB/s—no matter how fast your drives are.
Thankfully, there's a simple fix. Use a 2.5GbE switch and connect both your NAS and PC to it so they can communicate at full 2.5GbE speeds.
Before buying a switch or anything else, check your hardware—your PC's Ethernet port, followed by your switch or router. Most modern NAS devices already include a 2.5GbE port, so you should be covered there. Identify which link is actually the bottleneck and upgrade that.
None of these are hard to implement—they're just easy to skip
A poorly configured NAS can become a liability over time. The good news is that most of these improvements don't take much time—or money—and once you've addressed them, your NAS becomes a far more reliable and valuable part of your setup.
