best options for file access over Internet

[nalooti]

Hi,

What is the best option to access my files at home from Internet ?

I want to access my files (essentially musics, photos & videos for streaming or copy) residing in my home PC, from work or from other places when in vacation, over Internet. The following solutions come to my mind:

1/ Setup a web server (e.g. with Apache) meaning the protocol underneath will be http over TCP.
Goods: decent performance over wan, natural browser access
Bads: having to setup a web server and dealing with a new app (apache) that I don't know

2/ FTP
Goods: classical and not bad in performance over wan
Bads: having to setup an FTP server with access/privilege management, only copying files (not streaming)

3/ SMB over wan
Goods: seems (?) transparent as a method at least for sharing, streaming possible (no necessary to copy)
Bads: poor performance over wan (unless optimized for latency), don't know how to connect from another PC (same as on LAN ?)

4/ UPnP:
Goods: perfect for streaming, a UPnP server (e.g. MediaCenter) is the only thing required
Bads: security issues on Internet (I followed Tim's guidelines and turned off UPnP on my router), can't copy (maybe just for photos)

As you understood, these are just my initial perception and I may be wrong on lots of suppositions.
Although I understand turning on UPnP on my router is a security risk, I have no idea what are the security risks for other methods.

Ubiquitous access is a real advantage (e.g. access from a PC and an iPhone).

Can you please advise me on which way to choose and work on ? (maybe a poll is a good idea ?)

Could you please point me to tutorials on each method above or any other method I forgot ?

Many thanks in advance
nalooti
P.S. Sorry if the subject is an oldies but I couldn't find any review/comparison on different methods. With summer approaching, I may not be the only one thinking of this

 

[thiggins]

Running a web server will probably get you hacked, since bots are constantly scanning for open HTTP ports and will start exploits against them within minutes of your opening the port.

You should never expose SMB/CIFS to the Internet for the same reason.

UPnP in a router is not UPnP AV / DLNA, which is what you would need for supporting some streaming applications. It's also not secure.

Best bet is something like RealVNC ($60 for two clients) or TightVNC (free) that will let you mount the remote desktop. RealVNC encrypts traffic an logins. TightVNC encrypts logins only.

You could also try OpenSSH. But installation is more involved. See this article to get an idea of what you'd be in for How To Back Up Offsite for Free with rsync.

 

[nalooti]

Thank you Tim for the quick answer.

Although I understand the security risk for HTTP, lots of NAS software come with a built in web server letting share photos & music. Are these all not secure ?

I took a look (fast look) on your rsync article. Well, apart from encryption, any and every soft needs some ports to work on. Changing ports may not be the solution because hackers scan all the ports so I suppose the answer is encryption. That's why your suggestion for rsync/ssh. Am I right ?

I monitored my incoming connections and I saw not a single attempt to access a port I didn't open. How the hackers know "when" I open some ports in order for their scans to succeed ?

You suggested realVNC which is primary a remote desktop soft with additional file transfer capabilities. Will I be able to access all my files anywhere on my file system or just a subset that I have to "share" beforehand ?

Actually, after trying the RemoteDesktop from iPhone and from another PC, I like it better than realVNC (specially that it is free and included in Windows). Does RemoteDesktop have the same security features as the realVNC/tightVNC, as well as file transfer capabilities ?

thanks again
nalooti

 

[Osamede]

Do you need access to EVERY FILE - or in reality, just a subset, based on time or file type. For example you mostly want to look at all images or new music or a files on few specific projects that you are working on at the time etc

If so you could go the simple route and just use say ZumoDrive or DropBox for example. Install it on the home PC and access it by logging in online at work or on your smartphone.

I have just heard about this, which can really extend the usability of these services:
http://www.ideaexcursion.com/2009/02/26/howto-synchronize-dropbox-and-zumodrive-on-windows/
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/...tside-of-my-dropbox-folder-to-dropbox-server/
http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html

 

[nalooti]

Do you need access to EVERY FILE - or in reality, just a subset, based on time or file type. For example you mostly want to look at all images or new music or a files on few specific projects that you are working on at the time etc

If so you could go the simple route and just use say ZumoDrive or DropBox for example. Install it on the home PC and access it by logging in online at work or on your smartphone.

I have just heard about this, which can really extend the usability of these services:
http://www.ideaexcursion.com/2009/02/26/howto-synchronize-dropbox-and-zumodrive-on-windows/
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/...tside-of-my-dropbox-folder-to-dropbox-server/
http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html

Thank you Osamede for the suggestion.
Actually I heard about it and also though about online storage & backup but the problem is (as you wanted to know) I want to access to all my multimedia files i.e. ALL my music, photos, videos, etc. not just a subset and I'm on ADSL meaning little upload bandwidth. So it takes very long time until I could upload them all.
More, I want to avoid copy operations as much as possible; with online storage whether partial or complete I have to copy/update them before I could access meaning more operation and time.
I'm really surprised there isn't one simple secure method while lots of people are doing it either via NAS or self maid web servers.
Also, I want to (like many others) install a webcam for surveillance with built-in web server, so I don't have to boot my computer. I hope this is secure so robbers and I aren't switching our role, so they see what I do at home and when I'm not at home

 

[Osamede]

Understand - if you need access to all those services will be tough if you have a lot of data.

That said, ADSL is ADSL so this will mean slow access for you anyway when you are on the outside trying to access data that lives in your home machine.

 

[thiggins]

Actually, after trying the RemoteDesktop from iPhone and from another PC, I like it better than realVNC (specially that it is free and included in Windows). Does RemoteDesktop have the same security features as the realVNC/tightVNC, as well as file transfer capabilities ?

Sorry, forgot about RDP.

If you're running OSes that support it, then RDP can be a good option. And it can be secured.

Osamede has a good point about uplink bandwidth limitations if you're on ASDL. You may only be able to stream music and not video.

 

[nalooti]

Sorry, forgot about RDP.

If you're running OSes that support it, then RDP can be a good option. And it can be secured.

Osamede has a good point about uplink bandwidth limitations if you're on ASDL. You may only be able to stream music and not video.

I saw that article about securing RDP but it was from 2006. Since then RDP has been improved on security points; although I know most of everything is encrypted, I don't know if the login/password phase is in clear or not.
Streaming music is good enough for me and I think I could do it just by RDP itself since it can now redirect audio as well as video (although video redirection is really weak even on LAN)