Network trouble

[Gavinhenderson5]

I used to have a BT router that had a USB port on the back. I plugged an old hard drive I had sitting around into it. I recently changed to a new provider who make me use a new router that doesn't have a USB plug, I can't just buy a new router because the Internet is coming through a wired cable that is not Ethernet.

im basically looking for someway to network my hard drive that isn't plugging it into my PC. I have found some enclosures which is not really what I want cause I already have a normal enclosure.

any help will be appreciated.

[Profquast]

you could try hooking up your old router up to the new one as an acces point and plugging in the drive, maybe that works.plus you if position it smart you have better wirreless coverage.

[Cheesebaron]

You can buy a router with similar capabilities and just hook up to the router your ISP has issued. You don't need to replace the ISP router.

[Gavinhenderson5]

You can buy a router with similar capabilities and just hook up to the router your ISP has issued. You don't need to replace the ISP router.

I don't particularly want to buy an expensive piece of kit. I know I can get cheap ones but I have fast Internet and I don't want to sacrifice them.

[MartyniP]

I have never used one myself, but there is a product called a Pogoplug, which accepts a USB and Ethernet as inputs, which effectively does the same thing as your BT router.

[Profquast]

you could try hooking up your old router up to the new one as an acces point and plugging in the drive, maybe that works.plus you if position it smart you have better wirreless coverage.

mm, thats too bad. all i can think of then is a NAS or an old computer acting as one.

[Cheesebaron]

So you are asking for some piece of equipment that you can get for very cheap and allow you to put a USB HDD on the network?

Well you choices are limited to a cheap NAS or a cheap computer of some sort. This could be anything ranging from a Laptop with a busted screen to a raspberry pi.

[Gavinhenderson5]

I have never used one myself, but there is a product called a Pogoplug, which accepts a USB and Ethernet as inputs, which effectively does the same thing as your BT router.

Thanks that is what I'm looking for

[cemc]

You could (try to) buy a Raspberry Pi for around $35, it has a gigabit nic, a USB port where you can plug your HDD in. It has Linux on it, probably you could install a Samba server or FTP server or something on it and share the HDD like that. That's what I'm doing right now, only with a SheevaPlug (probably until my raspi arrives).

[cemc]

And then you can duct-tape the raspi to your HDD enclosure and there you go. Cheapo NAS (and maybe more) ;)

[Isopher]

personally if i where you, id just go buy a router. the modem that the isp gives you is good and all, but adding a router between the modem and your computer has multiple benefits; you can attach a hard drive or NaS to it, you can have multiple devices hard wired into the router with a more reliable LAN than the modem or modem/router combo will give you, and finally and most importantly, routers give you a hardware firewall for just one more added layer of protection.