How to access eBooks on Local NAS

td3 · Yesterday, 12:22 AM

Hi All,
I'm interested in getting an EReader device like a Kobo to access my books(PDFs, ePub, Mobi, etc) stored locally on my Network-Attached Storage (NAS) unit. The two options to access the these books on the local NAS are by network using SMB/CIFS, NFS,or Web Browser (HTTP/HTTPS). Can Kobo support these features? I did not see this features on new Kobos. Also, I would to understand if it would be necessary to hack the Kobo to connect to my NAS.

Thanks TD3

JSWolf · Yesterday, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by td3

Hi All,
I'm interested in getting an EReader device like a Kobo to access my books(PDFs, ePub, Mobi, etc) stored locally on my Network-Attached Storage (NAS) unit. The two options to access the these books on the local NAS are by network using SMB/CIFS, NFS,or Web Browser (HTTP/HTTPS). Can Kobo support these features? I did not see this features on new Kobos. Also, I would to understand if it would be necessary to hack the Kobo to connect to my NAS.

Thanks TD3

Use calibre. Build your library on your local drive.

PeterT · Yesterday, 09:44 AM

While yes, calibre by itself is a solution, from your eReader (at least using it's native software) you'd be limited to accessing your books by a web broswer interface and the built-in calibre Server interface.

One alternative option would still need calibre but additionally a tool called "calibre-web" which (as the name sugests) also provides a web interface but also implements a "Kobo Store" interface that would allow you to use the Kobo eReader's "shopping" ability to browse YOUR books on the server, and download content.

Additionally calibre does provide a "wireless device" interface, originally developped to talk to an Android app called "Calibre Companion" but there is a version called Kobo-UNCaGED that allows the Kobo to act as a Wireless Device client to calibre. With this mod you would connect to calibre from the Kobo and then use the true calibre desktop to push content to the device.

Quoth · Yesterday, 10:39 AM

You are better off using USB. You have to plug the cable in to charge anyway, and it can charge while you manage with Calibre.

Best to simply save a backup on the NAS when you are not running Calibre.

A 32 G Kobo can store about 18,000 ebooks, or maybe 1000 big comics.

I've used Wireless access to Calibre via web page and via OPDS. The USB solution is better for all USB Mass Storage (non-MTP devices, non-Network only).

td3 · Today, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by td3

Hi All,
I'm interested in getting an EReader device like a Kobo to access my books(PDFs, ePub, Mobi, etc) stored locally on my Network-Attached Storage (NAS) unit. The two options to access the these books on the local NAS are by network using SMB/CIFS, NFS,or Web Browser (HTTP/HTTPS). Can Kobo support these features? I did not see this features on new Kobos. Also, I would to understand if it would be necessary to hack the Kobo to connect to my NAS.

Thanks TD3

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Use calibre. Build your library on your local drive.

Hi
Thnx for the tip. I have over near 800GB of E-Books. I normally read these E-Books (PDFs, EPubs, Mobis with Calibre) on my Ubuntu Linux laptop. I would like to use a Koko E-Reader that I can mount the NAS drive to access the eBooks. I would want to know which Kobo model to purchase that could be configured to mount the NAS to access my E-Books. Maybe, I should have stated how I access my library of E-Books with Calibre on my laptop running Linux. I guess the question is can any of the Kobos E-Reader provide user access to the OS to mount to a network device using SMB/CIFS, NFS,or access NAS Folders via Web Browser (HTTP/HTTPS).

td3 · Today, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

You are better off using USB. You have to plug the cable in to charge anyway, and it can charge while you manage with Calibre.

Best to simply save a backup on the NAS when you are not running Calibre.

A 32 G Kobo can store about 18,000 ebooks, or maybe 1000 big comics.

I've used Wireless access to Calibre via web page and via OPDS. The USB solution is better for all USB Mass Storage (non-MTP devices, non-Network only).

Hi, I have over near 800GB of E-Books, and already access these E-Books with Calibre on my Ubuntu Linux laptop. I would like know if any has used Koko E-Reader to access E-Books over a network using SMB/CIFS, NFS,or access NAS Folders via Web Browser (HTTP/HTTPS). I see the advantage of using an Kobo E-reader over a laptop.

td3 · Today, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

While yes, calibre by itself is a solution, from your eReader (at least using it's native software) you'd be limited to accessing your books by a web broswer interface and the built-in calibre Server interface.

One alternative option would still need calibre but additionally a tool called "calibre-web" which (as the name sugests) also provides a web interface but also implements a "Kobo Store" interface that would allow you to use the Kobo eReader's "shopping" ability to browse YOUR books on the server, and download content.

Additionally calibre does provide a "wireless device" interface, originally developped to talk to an Android app called "Calibre Companion" but there is a version called Kobo-UNCaGED that allows the Kobo to act as a Wireless Device client to calibre. With this mod you would connect to calibre from the Kobo and then use the true calibre desktop to push content to the device.

Peter, thank you! I think that using "calibre-web" is a good solution. I did a little research on your recommendation, and I found that I should be to configure the NAS system with Docker image of calibre-web. If the NAS can't be configured with this docker image or NAS performance is horrible on this low end NAS, then I'll use an old Raspberry Pi 3 instead. One of the two options using "calibre-web" should allow access to NAS folders. Worst case, buy a Pi 4 for around $35 US. Last question. I assume once calibre-web is operation, I can purchase any Kobo device model to sync Kobo, and this is a standard feature in all Kobo E-readers?

Aleron Ives · Today, 01:41 AM

No, you can't do this. Kobo requires the books to be stored on the internal storage. You might be able to do what you want with an Onyx Boox device, as it runs Android and has far greater functionality than any Kobo device does.

Quoth · Today, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

No, you can't do this. Kobo requires the books to be stored on the internal storage. You might be able to do what you want with an Onyx Boox device, as it runs Android and has far greater functionality than any Kobo device does.

Different functionality and many but not all Android apps. For browsing using metadata it's far behind.

jillmess · Today, 05:37 AM

COPS is a lighter weight alternative to calibre-web https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=170903
It is not as 'pretty' as calibre-web but access and downloading via the kobo web browser works well.

Yesterday, 12:22 AM	#1
td3 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2025 Device: none	How to access eBooks on Local NAS Hi All, I'm interested in getting an EReader device like a Kobo to access my books(PDFs, ePub, Mobi, etc) stored locally on my Network-Attached Storage (NAS) unit. The two options to access the these books on the local NAS are by network using SMB/CIFS, NFS,or Web Browser (HTTP/HTTPS). Can Kobo support these features? I did not see this features on new Kobos. Also, I would to understand if it would be necessary to hack the Kobo to connect to my NAS. Thanks TD3

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Yesterday, 09:44 AM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,602 Karma: 79436940 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	While yes, calibre by itself is a solution, from your eReader (at least using it's native software) you'd be limited to accessing your books by a web broswer interface and the built-in calibre Server interface. One alternative option would still need calibre but additionally a tool called "calibre-web" which (as the name sugests) also provides a web interface but also implements a "Kobo Store" interface that would allow you to use the Kobo eReader's "shopping" ability to browse YOUR books on the server, and download content. Additionally calibre does provide a "wireless device" interface, originally developped to talk to an Android app called "Calibre Companion" but there is a version called Kobo-UNCaGED that allows the Kobo to act as a Wireless Device client to calibre. With this mod you would connect to calibre from the Kobo and then use the true calibre desktop to push content to the device.

Yesterday, 10:39 AM	#4
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,588 Karma: 108669873 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	You are better off using USB. You have to plug the cable in to charge anyway, and it can charge while you manage with Calibre. Best to simply save a backup on the NAS when you are not running Calibre. A 32 G Kobo can store about 18,000 ebooks, or maybe 1000 big comics. I've used Wireless access to Calibre via web page and via OPDS. The USB solution is better for all USB Mass Storage (non-MTP devices, non-Network only).

Today, 01:41 AM	#8
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,725 Karma: 16308824 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	No, you can't do this. Kobo requires the books to be stored on the internal storage. You might be able to do what you want with an Onyx Boox device, as it runs Android and has far greater functionality than any Kobo device does.

Today, 05:37 AM	#10
jillmess Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 500190 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Clara Colour	COPS is a lighter weight alternative to calibre-web https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=170903 It is not as 'pretty' as calibre-web but access and downloading via the kobo web browser works well.