USB to Ethernet NAS Adapter

[jthorpein]

I don't know if this has been asked, as I'm not seeing any with the same question.

I have a total of 5 USB external hard drives (i.e.: WD My Book style). 3 of them are USB 3.0 and the other 2 are USB 2.0 versions. I have some plugged into my Netgear router [1 via the USB 3.0 port and 3 (1 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0) plugged into a USB hub and plugged into the USB 2.0 port of the router.

Now one of the USB 3.0 is new and the Netgear router is being cranky when I add it ... sometimes it works fine, then sometimes it'll lose access to all the USB drives. I know using the USB port on the router isn't the best option, but using it until I can get enough saved for more of a server style device (i.e.: like the Synology Diskstations), so currently using the USB via the router for a NAS style set up.

Is there a USB to Ethernet NAS Server device that I can place some if not all of the USB drives onto the network as a NAS drive? I looked at the Addonics NAS 4.0 Adapter (https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B0093I4KRO/ref=p...) but it has a low rating for the review and one said it corrupted data.

Is there a good device that'll allow me to plug in USB external hard drives onto the network making them a NAS that's reasonably priced (without spending hundreds) that'll support USB 3.0 and preferably access through the internet (when out of my home network)? Also preferably in the Gigabit speed for the network port.

[Alex Atkin UK]

As that would effectively be a budget NAS it would surely be very similar to a router in hardware so likely still have the same issues.  I would expect far better performance from a cheap NUC or firewall device with your own software such as unRAID.  But once you go down that road, you might as well get a half-decent PC and use it as a full NAS rather than a stop-gap solution.

I stopped trying HDDs plugged into routers years ago as many routers are underpowered for full WiFi speed, let alone CPU intensive NAS performance.