Introduction

In my quest to enhance our family’s digital life, I recently decided to upgrade our home network storage solution with the Orico NAS.

My main motivation for this purchase was twofold.

  • First, I wanted to create a private cloud for my family, allowing everyone to back up their data in one centralized location without the ongoing costs associated with cloud subscriptions. This ensures that our precious photos, documents, and other data are securely stored and easily accessible.

  • Second, I was looking for a reliable platform to host my blog. As a tech enthusiast, having control over my blog’s hosting environment is important to me, and the Orico NAS seemed like a promising solution.

While the hardware is impressive considering its price point, the software experience left much to be desired. However, the ability to expose Docker opened up a world of possibilities. Here’s my detailed review of the Orico NAS.

Hardware Configuration

The Orico 5 Bay NAS HS500-Pro boasts a solid hardware configuration, especially given its affordable price. It features:

  • A Intel Celeron N5105 4-Core 2.0~2.9GHz
  • 8GB DDR4
  • 5 of bays for hard drives
  • SATA3.0 6Gbps5, M.2 M-Key NVMe 22802, DDR4 SO-DIMM*2
  • 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet2, USB3.2 Gen1 Type-A2, USB3.2 Gen1 Type-C1, HDMI1, DC IN 12V*1

Overall, the hardware setup is more than capable of handling everyday storage needs and even some more demanding tasks.

Software Experience

Unfortunately, the software provided with the Orico NAS is rather basic and lacks many of the advanced features found in more premium NAS solutions. Some of the shortcomings include:

  • A user interface that’s not very intuitive
  • Limited functionality and customization options
  • It doesn’t even allow to connect via FTP to its OS which is OpenWRT.

While the native software might be fine for basic storage tasks, it certainly doesn’t take full advantage of the hardware’s potential.

Docker Support

The silver lining, however, is the NAS’s support for Docker. This feature allows you to install and run a variety of applications, making the NAS much more versatile. Here are some examples of what you can do with Docker on the Orico NAS:

  • Run Media Servers: Easily set up and manage media servers like Plex or Jellyfin.
  • Home Automation: Integrate your NAS with home automation tools like Home Assistant.
  • Backup Solutions: Implement robust backup solutions with tools like Duplicati or Restic.
  • Custom Applications: Install and run any custom applications that you need for your home or small business network.

Docker support essentially transforms the Orico NAS from a basic storage device into a powerful multi-purpose server.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I wouldn’t recommend to buy it because it requires too much of customization and native softwares are completely useless.