Data backup question

[David M]

I need to backup the data on up to 3 of my computers (two for now). I have the computers on a common D-link router.

Is it possible to use one external backup hardrive to backup the data on all three computers? Or do I need to buy 3 backup drives, one for each computer? Is there a hardrive with three USB2 ports where I can connect three computers into one backup drive or is this done with Cat 6 ethernet cable?

I am looking for suggestions on a backup drive. I think a 500 gig drive will be large enough to back up all my data from even a possible fourth computer in the near future.

Thanks

[glc]

You can connect it to one computer, share it, then map it on the other 2 as a network drive.

[David M]

I am not sure what that means. Sharing it means it is connected to just one computer at a time?...or is it connected to more than one computer simultaneously?

A network drive is a drive shared simultaneously with two or more computers?

How are they connected? Fire wire, USB or ethernet?

Does anyone have a link that shows how this is setup?

Thanks

[glc]

If you have computers connected through a router, just set up networking (file and print sharing) using the XP wizard. Tell it the computer is connected to the Internet through a residential gateway. Do this on all computers and use the same workgroup name on all of them. Plug the external hard drive into one of the computers with USB or Firewire and format it and assign it a drive letter. Then share it, give the share a name such as External. On the other computers, find it in My Network Places, right click on the share, and choose Map Network Drive, check the box to reconnect on logon. Assign it a drive letter there. I do this for customers all the time, it's an excellent way to back up multiple computers, and True Image will work like a champ with it.

I recommend that you make it Drive X on the computer and map it as X on the others for consistency - X for eXternal.

Your other option is buy a NAS box and plug it directly into the router, but those are quite expensive, approximately $1000 a terabyte.