There are all kinds of useful peripherals for NAS from well-known manufacturers such as Synology and QNAP. This includes expansion cards, mounting material and memory modules. Do you want to expand your NAS with more possibilities? Add extra functions and enjoy better performance with these handy connection accessories.
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Synology E10M20-T1
This PCI Express expansion card from Synology isn’t exactly cheap. The E10M20-T1 therefore adds two functions to a suitable NAS. The 10Gbit/s port ensures smooth communication with the network, while you can also integrate two NVMe SSDs with an M.2 form factor (2280/22110). Ideal for applying SSD cache acceleration, so you can take advantage of better system performance.
This expansion card is mainly compatible with Synology’s more expensive NAS. The manufacturer provides a five-year warranty on this part.
QNAP QWA-AC2600
Especially with media use, a NAS demands quite a lot of bandwidth. For that reason, these network devices hardly ever support WiFi. If you want to position the NAS out of reach of a wired network, the QNAP QWA-AC2600 comes in handy. Keep in mind a maximum speed of 2533 Mbit/s via the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency band.
It is a PCI Express expansion module to which four detachable antennas are connected. These antennas are mounted on a magnetic base. To dissipate heat, the component includes a heat sink with a fan.
Depending on the temperature, this fan automatically adjusts the rotation speed. The QWA-AC2600 is suitable for almost all QNAP NAS with a free PCIe slot, such as the widely available TS-253D.
QNAP QM2-2P-384
Integrate two NVMe SSDs into a suitable QNAP NAS with this PCI Express expansion card. Ideal for SSD caching, without occupying a 3.5-inch disk slot. Many network devices from the Taiwanese brand have a free PCIe slot, so you can easily add two m.2 SSDs with a 2280 or 22110 format using this part.
To prevent overheating, this expansion module has a heat sink and fan. According to the manufacturer, the fan makes little noise.
Synology E10G18-T1
The Synology E10G18-T1 is a useful extension for owners of an older business Synology NAS. Easily migrate to a fast 10Gbit/s network. This is, for example, an interesting option for (small) companies that want to store images from multiple surveillance cameras in a high resolution on the network drive.
Incidentally, the E10G18-T1 offers backwards compatibility, so you can upgrade the network with 10Gbit/s equipment in peace. Plug this expansion module into a free PCIe slot of the NAS.
Synology M2D18
An SSD makes a NAS perform better because of cache acceleration. If possible, you should also add this storage medium to the system. Depending on the model, it is sometimes worth using a PCI Express expansion card for this. Integrate two M.2 SSDs into a suitable Synology NAS with the M2D18.
Conveniently, this expansion module supports both SATA and NVMe SSDs. Do choose storage media with a 2242, 2260 or 2280 format. Also check compatibility, because the M2D18 is only suitable for a select group of business NAS from Synology.
QNAP QXP-10G2U3A
Do you need extra USB ports on your QNAP NAS? With this expansion module, you can add two USB3.2 connections in one go. Handy in case you want to connect external data carriers or share a USB printer in the network. Plug the QXP-10G2U3A into a free PCIe slot of your NAS. The specified transfer rate is a maximum of 10 Gbit/s.
Do you no longer need the NAS after a while? You can mount this PCI Express card just as easily in a desktop with Windows or Ubuntu. Installing a driver is not necessary.
Synology Disk Holder (Type-C)
Does your NAS not have the ability to accommodate 2.5-inch hard drives or SSDs? With this affordable help, you can still add this option. The part is compatible with almost all Synology NAS for the consumer market. This mounting system is suitable for storage carriers with a maximum thickness of 9.5 millimeters. Assembly is very simple with a few screws.
QNAP QDA-A2MAR
If you have one 2.5-inch slot left, you can connect two M.2 SSDs using the QNAP QDA-A2MAR. The housing of this expansion module fits SATA SSDs with a 2280 format.
By the way, this part is not only limited to QNAP network devices, because you can also install the QDA-A2MAR in another NAS or PC. Unscrew the housing to insert the M.2 SSDs.
Synology Expansion Unit DX517
Suppose your Synology NAS is full one day. Instead of a new one with more disk capacity, you can also consider the Expansion Unit DX517. This expansion set offers space for five drives and works seamlessly with your current Synology NAS.
Add 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch storage devices to your liking and enjoy more storage capacity including RAID support. The maximum additional storage space is 80 TB. You connect this Expansion Unit to the NAS via the eSATA port.
QNAP TR-004
If you have a QNAP NAS, you can add up to 48 TB of storage space with this expansion set. The housing has four slots for hard drives. You can lock the storage carriers with the enclosed key. This way no one can delete them without your permission.
Connect the TR-004 to your NAS via the supplied USB cable. Incidentally, it is also possible to connect this storage system directly to a PC or laptop.
Aynology D4NESO-2666-4G
Nowadays, the RAM of NASs can usually be replaced. If the system responds slowly, you may want to consider RAM modules with more capacity. Synology advises not to use memory banks from other brands, as this would increase the chance of an unstable system. In addition, this will invalidate part of the warranty.
Fortunately, Synology offers plenty of choice. For example, the widely available D4NESO-2666-4G is compatible with many contemporary models, including the DS220+. You add 4 GB DDR4-RAM to your NAS with this.
Synology D3NS1866L-4G
Even if your NAS is a little older, there are still plenty of DDR3 or DDR3L memory modules for sale. For example, the D3NS1866L-4G is available at many (web) stores. For example, place this memory bank in the DS718+, DS418play or DS218+ and add 4 GB of RAM.
If all is well, the DiskStation Manager operating system will automatically recognize the memory modules after insertion.
QNAP RAM-8GDR3L-SO-1600
Before you, as the owner of a QNAP NAS, decide to install extra RAM, it is a good idea to read the instructions on the website beforehand. The Taiwanese manufacturer indicates that the replacement of memory modules is only allowed by a trained technician. Therefore, make a decision for yourself whether you want to do it yourself.
The QNAP RAM-8GDR3L-SO-1600 has been on the market for some time now. This readily available memory module is suitable for slightly older QNAP systems. You add 8 GB DDR3L memory with this.
Synology D4ECSO-2666-16G
For heavy NAS tasks, there are also memory modules with more capacity. Those are very pricey. The D4ECSO-2666-16G discussed here is worth four hundred euros at various well-known online stores. You can add 16 GB of DDR4 memory to the system with this card. Incidentally, this product is mainly suitable for Synology’s business NAS, such as the DS1819+ and DS1618+.
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