can I use my Synology NAS without a router?

[ultimate99]

Ever since I moved and have access to the interest via the university's access point, I didn't hook up my NAS. But I've been wondering, can I use the NAS as an external hdd via ethernet or usb? Can I still use it as a NAS using the computer's internet connection?

[sc302 Veteran]

YOu cannot hook it up without getting your university's network team involved.  They control the "router" as well as network access.  Generally, it has to be approved on the network for it to function on the network. 

[+BudMan MVC]

Schools are normally pretty picky about what you connect to their network as sc302 states.  But you could always connect your laptop with a ethernet cable to the nas.. As to usb or maybe esata support or connecting to an ad-hoc wifi network run?  What specific nas do you have?

[ultimate99]

I have the Synology DiskStation DS216se NAS Server. I'm ok to use it as an external hdd for now, and hard-wire it to my macbook and pc for backups.

[ultimate99]

Yes, I spoke with the school and they don't anyone to have a kind of file sharing system installed...

[+BudMan MVC]

So you either use a wire to it from your laptop, or create an adhoc wifi network, or bring up a wifi router that is either connected to your school if they allow that, or not. If they allow a wifi router (most dont) nobody would see your nas other than you.  Or you could just bring up the wifi router and not connect its wan, now you have a local wifi network that you can use to access to your nas.. etc..