davegee -- There are many advantages to using a NAS unit to store your photographic work/collection. They are becoming very popular with all photographers in particular serious amateurs and professionals.
After a little more use of PTE I find the Network NAS is found by default everywhere (right click a image in the timeline, File info, Changing image file, add or open an image in O&A, save or open a project and so on) except in the file tree.
On setting up my new PC I have loaded 20 plus items of windows software some photographic and some for other applications. All but PTE have used the windows standard of showing the network entry in the file tree.