Seagate has been one of the top hard drive manufacturers since they began shipping drives in 1956. Back then, the hard drives were extremely large in physical size, expensive and not very energy efficient. While Seagate still focuses on manufacturing hard drives, they have begun to offer other complimentary items such as digital media players, network attached storage devices, and docking stations for portable hard drives.

The item provided for this review, the FreeAgent DockStar, is a combination of a docking station and a network attached storage device. It allows for the data stored on a Seagate FreeAgent Go drive and up to three other USB connected hard drives to be shared via a network connection.

Before taking a closer look at the Seagate DockStar network adapter provided for review, let's look at some published data on it as taken from the official product page on the Seagate website.

The FreeAgent DockStar network adapter is a stellar way to share and access your digital life. Share almost anything with anyone with just a few clicks. Access your files from any computer in your home, or around the world.

Features and Benefits:

» File sharing at its simplest with a clean, web-based interface.
» Access files from any networked PC or Mac® computer in your home.
» Access and share files with friends, over the internet — no special software required.
» Enables friends to upload content as well, creating a comprehensive share space.
» Appears as a local drive whether in the home or accessed through the internet.
» Simple drag-and-drop access.
» Dock a FreeAgent Go™ drive and connect up to three USB storage devices.
» Send pictures straight from your iPhone® to the FreeAgent DockStar network adapter.
» Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.

Specifications:

» Model: STDSA10G-RK
» Dimensions: 3.39 in L x 3.35 in W x 1.50 in D (86.00 L x 85.00 W x 38.21 D mm)
» USB Connections: 3 USB 2.0
» Ethernet Connections: 1 Gigabit
» Weight: 1.11 lbs (0.50 kg)
» Warranty Period: 1-Year

Inside the Box:

» DockStar
» Power adapter
» Ethernet cable
» Quick start guide