Creating NAS attached to Router via USB?

[Tarun10]

I have a HDD with photos, documents and some other media. This is my backup and instead of plugging it in once in a blue moon and updating it I want to make it a NAS so I can access files whenever I want.

I have an Archer C5 which has the ability to attach a USB storage device and I intend to use the USB port. Any particular software that would make accessing and updating these files easier? What are the different settings I might need to configure? I doubt I'll access from outside my house so it's just for home access.

[Windows7ge]

I don't have experience with your exact router but the setup should be relatively simple. No extra software should be required. You just have to connect to it through your computers network locations like you would a NAS or File Server.

[Tarun10]

1 hour ago, Windows7ge said:

I don't have experience with your exact router but the setup should be relatively simple. No extra software should be required. You just have to connect to it through your computers network locations like you would a NAS or File Server.

Thanks for the quick reply. I did connect and enable sharing inside the router's settings. VLC accesses media files but is there any way to view and upload files to it? Can you link a guide because I have no idea what to search for. The name of the File Server does turn up in Networks in File Explorer but if I click on it it takes me to the router's settings page. If I copy the static FTP address, I get a very basic text view in the browser.

[Electronics Wizardy]

27 minutes ago, Tarun10 said:

Thanks for the quick reply. I did connect and enable sharing inside the router's settings. VLC accesses media files but is there any way to view and upload files to it? Can you link a guide because I have no idea what to search for. The name of the File Server does turn up in Networks in File Explorer but if I click on it it takes me to the router's settings page. If I copy the static FTP address, I get a very basic text view in the browser.

you can map the share as a network drive and it will work like any other storage in windows.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026635/windows-map-a-network-drive

[Windows7ge]

57 minutes ago, Tarun10 said:

Thanks for the quick reply. I did connect and enable sharing inside the router's settings. VLC accesses media files but is there any way to view and upload files to it? Can you link a guide because I have no idea what to search for. The name of the File Server does turn up in Networks in File Explorer but if I click on it it takes me to the router's settings page. If I copy the static FTP address, I get a very basic text view in the browser.

What is the Default Gateway of your router? 192.168.0.1?, 192.168.1.1?, 192.168.100.1?

[Tarun10]

10 hours ago, Windows7ge said:

What is the Default Gateway of your router? 192.168.0.1?, 192.168.1.1?, 192.168.100.1?

192.168.0.1

[Tarun10]

11 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

you can map the share as a network drive and it will work like any other storage in windows.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026635/windows-map-a-network-drive

Oh so essentially, I am taking that particular location in the network and telling Windows to let me write and read from it like any other drive?

I mapped the drive like you said. It work on one of my laptops but the other one says it uses SMB1 protocol and only SMB2 and newer is supported.

[Windows7ge]

7 hours ago, Tarun10 said:

Oh so essentially, I am taking that particular location in the network and telling Windows to let me write and read from it like any other drive?

I mapped the drive like you said. It work on one of my laptops but the other one says it uses SMB1 protocol and only SMB2 and newer is supported.

So you figured it out on your own. Good. I don't know why it would be using such an old version of SMB. You may find a setting in the configuration menu that will let you bump it up to SMB3.0.

[Tarun10]

15 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

So you figured it out on your own. Good. I don't know why it would be using such an old version of SMB. You may find a setting in the configuration menu that will let you bump it up to SMB3.0.

This would be in the router's settings page?

[Windows7ge]

43 minutes ago, Tarun10 said:

This would be in the router's settings page?

Should be. Wherever it is you setup your drive.