Asustor AS6210T NAS Review

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Software Features

Interface

Asustor provides a software installer that allows you to find the NAS on your network. The tool also walks you through the initial configuration to set an IP address, build an array, and dial in other settings. You can also use the built-in display and buttons to initialize the drives and work through the settings.

Once the local installer tool finishes, your browser opens and presents you with a log-in screen. From there, you can enter the NAS. 

If you skipped over building a drive array in the initial setup, you'd want to do that first. Formatting only takes a few minutes, after which the array is ready to accept data. Post-format, the system scans your drives. You can access the array at that point, though transfers are slower until the background scanning process is complete.

Then it's time to work on customization. In the screen on the left, you can configure the LCD with a personalized message or instruct it to display different status updates. You can also program the LED lights on the front of the chassis.

A lot of folks use NAS appliances to backup their desktops and notebooks. The system is easy to configure for those tasks. On the front of the NAS, there is a USB 3.0 port with a button surrounding it. You can configure Asustor's platform to either save files from the USB port to the NAS or copy data from the NAS to a thumb drive.

DHCP is supported, naturally. And even if you're not familiar with Ethernet topology, you can still take advantage of the advanced cloud features. The AS-5108T has an EZ Button, and with just a few clicks Asustor's system will reach out to your router and change the necessary settings for you.

A great number of modern NAS appliances are infused with in-house and third-party software features. Asustor, in particular, leaves no stone unturned. There are so many available applications that we can't list them all, much less explain what each does. You can scroll through the list on Asustor's App Central, though.

If you run into any issues, the Dr. Asustor section will either correct it or help you with support. It's a nice feature only available through Asustor.

Multimedia & Mobile Sharing

Although there are several different software options for playing back multimedia files, Asustor utilizes KODI, and it's an amazing application. The AS6210T can display 4K content through its HDMI port along with 3D video playback. The system also supports up to 7.1-channel audio via HDMI or S/PDIF. If you pair the system with a receiver like the Pioneer Elite SC-99 your sonic options explode! The AS6210T now supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which enables speakers built into the ceiling. We run a 9.2.2 configuration, and the Blu-Ray ISO playback is excellent.

In theory, the AS6210T allows you to divorce yourself from a cable package and still watch live TV, but you need a high-speed Internet connection, and you'll have to jump through a few hoops to configure the capability. Bear in mind that not all of the plug-ins would pass a legal challenge (Asustor doesn't own or govern the third-party plug-in system).

Asustor has a number of applications for different operating systems that lets you access data from any device. All you need is an Internet connection.

Software Features

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Operating SystemADM 2.0 & Up, Built-in App Central for Various Apps
Supported OSWindows XP, Vista, 7, 8, Server 2003, Server 2008 & Server 2012
OS X 10.6 & Up
BSD, Linux, Unix
Supported BrowsersInternet Explorer 9 & Up, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
Network ProtocolsCIFS/SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP, WebDAV, Rsync, SSH, SFTP, iSCSI, HTTP, HTTPS, SMB 2.0, TFTP, Proxy
File SystemInternal DiskEXT4
External DiskFAT32, NTFS, EXT3, EXT4, HFS+
Storage ManagementSupports Multiple Volumes with Spare Disks
Volume Type - Single disk, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10
Support for Online RAID Level Migration
Support for Online RAID Capacity Expansion
iSCSIMaximum Targets256
Maximum LUNs256
Target Masking
LUN Mapping
ISO File Mounting
Supports MCS
Persistent (SCSI-3) Reservations
Disk ManagementScheduled Bad Block Scans
Scheduled S.M.A.R.T Scans
NetworkTCP/IP (IPv4 & IPv6)
Link Aggregation - Supports 802.3ad and Six Other Modes for Load Balancing and/or Network Failover
Jumbo Frame (MTU)
VLAN
Cloud Connect
Wireless Network
DDNS and EZ-Router
Supports Wake-on-LAN (WOL)
Backup SolutionsRsync (Remote Sync) Backup
Cloud Backup
FTP Backup
External Backup
One Touch Backup
System AdministrationLog Type - System Log, Connection Log, File Access Log
Real-time Online User Monitor
Real-time System Monitor
Network Recycle Bin
User Quota
Virtual Drive (ISO Mounting, Maximum 16)
UPS Support
Access ControlMax Users4096
Max Groups512
Max Shared Folders512
Max Concurrent Connections512
Supports Windows Active Directory
SecurityAES 256-Bit Folder EncryptionRow 45 - Cell 2
FirewallPrevent Unauthorized Access
Network DefenderPrevent Network Attacks
Alert NotificationsE-mail, SMS
Encrypted ConnectionsHTTPS, FTP over SSL/TLS, SSH, SFTP, Rsync over SSH
Swipe to scroll horizontally
File ExplorerWeb-based File Management
ISO File Mounting
Share Links
Task Monitor
Browse Files on Local PC
Thumbnail Previews
Surveillance CenterLive Monitoring (4 Free Channels)
Multiple Channel Playback with Audio
Supported Browsers - Internet Explorer, Chrome, FireFox (Windows only)
Event Notification
Supports Local Output of 4 Video Feed Channels
Recording via Schedule and Event Detection
Add Additional IP Camera Channels via Purchasable Licenses
Max. Number of IP Cameras (Including 4 Free Channels) - 12
UPnP Media ServerSupports PS3 and other Digital Media Player Capable Devices
Supports On-The-Fly Transcoding for Most RAW Images and Audio (OGG, FLAC)
Image Formats: BMP, GIF, ICO, JPG, PNG, PSD, TIF, RAW Imageâ´ (3FR, ARW, CR2, CRW, DCR, DNG, ERF, KDC, MEF, MOS, MRW, NEF, NRW, ORF, PEF, RAF, RAW, RW2, SR2, X3F)
Audio Formats: 3GP, AAC, AC3, AIFC, AIFF, AMR, APE, AU, AWB, FLAC1, M4A, M4R, MP2, MP3, OGG Vorbis1, PCM, WAV, WMA
Video Formats: 3GP, 3G2, ASF, AVI, DAT, FLV, ISO, M2T, M2V, M2TS, M4V, MKV, MPv4, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, MTS, MOV, QT, SWF, TP, TRP, TS, VOB, WMV, RMVB, VDR, MPE
iTunes ServerFor iTunes on Mac & Windows
AirPlay
iOS Remote Pairing
Audio Formats: AIF, M4A (AAC & Apple Lossless), M4P, M4R, MP3, WAV
Video Formats: M4V, MOV, MP4
Playlist Formats: M3U, WPL
Download CenterBT (Torrent & Magnet Link), HTTP and FTP Downloads
Torrent Search
Choose Files Before a BT Task Starts
Customizable Download Schedule
Bandwidth Control
RSS Subscription and Automatic Downloading
Asustor Download Assistant for Windows & Mac
AiDownload for iOS & Android
AiDownload for iOS & Android with Push Notification
Smart Download Function


MORE: Best SSDs


MORE: How We Test HDDs And SSDs


MORE: All SSD Content

Chris Ramseyer
Chris Ramseyer is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews consumer storage.
  • cds875
    EVGA, your too hard on evga's laptop, why? because obviously they kept the cost in check with a specs down from all the Top of the Line CPU-GPU Et cetera. You recommend it? Very nice of you. It was to be a Power House of a Lap Top in the 1920x 1080 gamers like myself and MOST of the US.
    Reply
  • ashburner
    Expecting my Synology 918+ to arrive tomorrow. Excited for it but I do wish it had 10gb Ethernet as well
    Reply
  • milkod2001
    @CDS875

    What you wanna about my son?
    Reply
  • 2Be_or_Not2Be
    Chris, I wish you had kept your colors consistent across the different graphs. In some screens, QNAP is green; in others, it's yellow. Synology is yellow here, and green there. Consistency in the color makes it easier to comprehend, and I don't have to keep looking at the legend to see which product is which color.
    Reply
  • 2Be_or_Not2Be
    In this review, it seems like it's showing the Synology DS1817+ as the overall winner.
    Reply