Use an old laptop as your own cloud storage
An old laptop has a big drive, Wi-Fi and a power cable: everything a personal cloud needs. With RoomDisk it keeps your photos and files at home, and your phone can reach them from anywhere, without a NAS, a server or a monthly plan.
Set it up once
- On the computer, tablet or old phone that will keep your files, open roomdisk.com/app and choose Storage disk.
- Pair your phone once at home: scan the code, show the reply, tick Remember.
- On the disk, open Settings and turn on Reach from anywhere. Keep it plugged in and stop it from sleeping.
- Away from home, open RoomDisk on your phone and tap Connect under “Away from your storage disk?”.
Why a laptop works well
- Lots of space: even an old laptop has more room than most cloud plans you’d pay for monthly.
- Normal files: in Chrome or Edge, RoomDisk keeps everything in a folder you choose, so the files stay ordinary files you can open, back up and move.
- Nothing to install: it runs in the browser. No Docker, no router settings, no port forwarding.
Make it reliable
- Keep it plugged in, and set it never to sleep while on power (Windows: Settings › System › Power; Mac: System Settings › Battery › Options).
- Leave the lid open or use an external screen: many laptops sleep when the lid closes.
- Put it near the router, or connect it with a cable.
- Turn on Disk mode for a calm full-screen view that shows only what’s happening.
What to know
- The disk has to be on. It must be online with RoomDisk open. A laptop that sleeps when the lid closes can’t be reached; set it to stay awake while plugged in.
- Your files live in one place. They’re on that device only, not copied to a cloud. Keep a second copy of anything you can’t lose.
- Speed follows your home internet’s upload. Photos and documents are quick; big 4K videos may need to load before they play smoothly.
- Some networks block direct links. Many mobile carriers and some strict office or hotel Wi-Fi don’t allow devices to connect directly. There you still see your folders and small previews; the rest waits for another Wi-Fi. Check your network.
Reaching the disk from other networks is part of RoomDisk Anywhere ($29 a year, including everything in Pro). Using it at home on the same Wi-Fi works with any plan.
Questions
Do I need a NAS or a server?
No. The old laptop is the storage. RoomDisk runs in its browser.
Is it really a cloud?
It works like one from your phone, but your files stay on your laptop. Nothing is uploaded to anyone else’s servers.
What happens if the laptop is off?
You can’t reach it until it’s back on and RoomDisk is open. Your files are still safe on it.
Try it with the two devices you have
Pay once, keep it. Nothing to install, no account.