USB in router storage (tp link archer ax50)

[Real_Smoky]

EDIT: speed problem solved:
 

Go to the AX50 web interface on your PC (not the APP) and then go to

 

ADVANCED > SYSTEM TOOLS > SYSTEM PARAMETERS

 

uncheck USB 3.0 Interference reduction then save settings, you may have to reboot the router for it to take effect.

_____

Hello!

 

I have a tp link archer ax50 and I started using it with a Kingston USB stick that I'd like to use as a small NAS.

 

Since I started using it, the results were here and there. When it works, it works great, but whenever I am unolugging the USB to check on the data or temperature, it takes a lot of time for the drive to be recognized. Sometimes it just straight up loses the connection. Sometimes, the files show up in Windows when connected to the PC, but over the router, the folders look empty like there are no files.

 

Is this inconsistend behavior to be expected from a router with NAS capabilities, or from my model at least? Or am I doing something wrong? Would an external 2,5 hdd/ssd in an enclosure with USB 3.0 work better? Or would for whatever reason USB 2.0 work better?

 

Thanks!

[Needfuldoer]

I don't trust USB flash drives. Some of them used to be okay, but now they're all made to be as cheap as possible, all other attributes be damned. They choke on long writes and will die at random with no warning.

 

If you want to use the NAS capabilities of your router, get a used enterprise SATA SSD and a SATA to USB adapter as your storage instead.

 

I'd still recommend at least picking up a used corporate desktop like an Optiplex, HP Elite, or ThinkStation to use as a NAS instead. Sharing a storage device from a router works, but you don't get to use the really fun stuff like hosted apps and data redundancy. (Remember, one copy is no copies. Never trust a single drive with the only copy of important data, especially if it's a USB flash drive.)

[Poinkachu]

47 minutes ago, Real_Smoky said:

Hello!

 

I have a tp link archer ax50 and I started using it with a Kingston USB stick that I'd like to use as a small NAS.

 

Since I started using it, the results were here and there. When it works, it works great, but whenever I am unolugging the USB to check on the data or temperature, it takes a lot of time for the drive to be recognized. Sometimes it just straight up loses the connection. Sometimes, the files show up in Windows when connected to the PC, but over the router, the folders look empty like there are no files.

 

Is this inconsistend behavior to be expected from a router with NAS capabilities, or from my model at least? Or am I doing something wrong? Would an external 2,5 hdd/ssd in an enclosure with USB 3.0 work better? Or would for whatever reason USB 2.0 work better?

 

Thanks!

My current router (ASUS) have that feature as well.
Though I have yet to use it (partly because the router is mounted on my ceiling).

But yeah... I always thought that it should be a handy feature to quickly and simply share files to other devices connected to the network, especially if the devices is located far, and full stop.

Wouldn't trust it for anything more than that, especially so if I am using standard thumbdrive.

If I want to use it as a sort of NAS i'd use at least a portable SSD, though I would lean more on SSD dock / enclosure that has external power input.

[Egon3]

Many years ago I had a Netgear router with a similar USB storage option. I used it for a bit with a USB flash drive only when I needed to get small files from one PC to another but generally, the experience kinda sucked and saw similar things as you. So it seems things haven't improved in these types of routers.

 

Long term, a small USB flash drive is not a great idea for this use case. They are not designed to survive as many reads/writes or power on hours as a typical external hard drive for example. Also, these consumer routers are not designed with the most processing power so if it gets bogged down doing is primary job (routing network traffic) then the secondary function (NAS) is going to take a hit. 

 

If you want to dip your toes in the NAS world without spending a lot but have a reliable experience, I'd suggest maybe (as others have suggested) finding an old secondhand PC with a file share set up. Another option (which I did do in the past) would be to get a Raspberry pi with a USB external hard drive and set it up as a NAS (there are plenty of guides out there too).