A new guide from Engadget walks through turning an old MacBook into a home network-attached storage (NAS) server, a project that can squeeze more value out of aging hardware. For businesses or individuals looking to avoid the cost of a dedicated NAS appliance, the built-in file sharing tools in macOS offer a zero-expense starting point. The guide notes that users can enable File Sharing, select folders, and connect via an IP address, with support for Windows and Android devices.
For media-heavy use, the guide recommends installing Plex, Kodi, or Infuse. Plex in particular provides a polished interface and remote streaming for a fee, while home streaming remains free. However, the guide cautions that older Macs with limited RAM may stutter when transcoding 4K footage, so setting Plex to stream in original quality is advised.
More advanced users can replace macOS with Linux, using user-friendly overlays like CasaOS or Umbrel to manage a headless NAS through a browser. This route enables tools such as Nextcloud or Jellyfin, but the guide stresses that the Mac will no longer run macOS. Throughout, it emphasizes using external drives for storage, given the inherent disk-failure risk of older machines. The overall takeaway is that repurposing an old MacBook is feasible, but reliability depends on careful setup and{