Two points to make:
1) NAS stands for Network Attached Storage, so if you're searching for advice using the title of this thread you'll get more hits by using this phrase instead (or more readily 'NAS')
2) The functionality of one NAS server from another dictates how it will appear and work in Windows. For example, my 4-bay Netgear ReadyNAS NVX allows iSCSI volumes to be created, and I have one of those mapped to both mine and the wife's laptops for backups, etc. It also has a DLNA server and an iTunes streaming server. However I know that lesser NASes don't necessarily provide this sort of functionality.
If you've been sold a pup, can I suggest you look at the Synology range.
