Getting Started

NAS Reborn turns a spare iPhone or iPad into a network drive for your home. You need a few minutes and a power outlet to set one up.

What you need

• An iPhone or iPad running iOS 15 or later. This covers the iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, iPhone 7 and every iPhone since, the iPod touch (7th generation), and the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 and every iPad since. Devices from around 2014 and later can be used.
• A charger and a spot with Wi-Fi. The server is meant to run around the clock, so you should leave the device plugged in.

First launch

Install NAS Reborn on the spare device and open it. Nothing is shared until you tap the power key on the Share tab. When you do, iOS asks for two permissions at the point where each is first needed:

• Local Network is used to announce the drive on your network. Without it other devices cannot discover the server, and the app tells you when access has been denied.
• Notifications are used by the watchdog that alerts you if the server stops. You are asked when you first start sharing and not when the app launches.

A fresh install comes with a Welcome folder containing a Read Me file with connection instructions, and one S3 access key for later. You can rename, replace or delete all of it. There are no device accounts to begin with, as the first one is created when something signs in for the first time.

See it appear

When sharing is on, the device shows up as a computer named "NAS Reborn (device name)" on your network:

• in the macOS Finder under Network in the sidebar,
• in the Files app on another iPhone or iPad, using Connect to Server,
• in Windows Explorer under Network.

Sign in with a username of your choice. The server notices the first attempt on its Share tab and offers to create that account. The username is taken from your attempt and you pick the password on the server, then you type that password into the login sheet still waiting on the other screen. The Share tab also lists the exact addresses to type when browsing does not find the server. Details for each platform are in The Network Drive.

From here

• Point Time Machine at the device and back up your Mac to it. See Time Machine Backups.
• Add folders and decide what each one is: an SMB share, an S3 bucket and, when public, a website. See Folders, Access and Websites.
• Make the setup permanent with Guided Access and charging guidance. See Always-On Serving.
• Opt into web serving on the Serve tab when you want the wider internet. See Your Address and HTTPS.
• Put the device's camera on the network as a live video stream, with Pro. See Camera Feeds.
• Read your Apple Home accessories and the device's own sensors, and chart them. See Home and Sensor Data.