[SOLVED] Can I plug in any USB external drive to my router?

[JacquesFR]

Hello everyone,
I would like to purchase an external hard drive and to make it accessible via local network.

1) Can I purchase any external hard drive (even one that's USB powered), plug it into my router, and make it available on the local network?

2) If I buy a USB powered SSD, and leave it plugged into the router, do I need to worry about heat issues or wear and tear?

3)I only need the hard drive for local access/backing up. Is there any advantage to getting one of the the WD My Book drives? What are the pros and cons of getting just a simple USB external and plugging into the router vs. getting one of the WD drives that requires external power and advertises a "my cloud" type solution?

I know that these questions are basic, but I can't seem to find easy answers. thanks!

 

[hotaru.hino]

1) As long as your router supports this feature and the drive is using a file system format that the router understands, then yes.

2) No

3) The problem with having a NAS is making sure that the security and permissions on the system are setup correctly. There was an issue with some routers that allowed NAS functionality with an external drive where anyone from the internet could access the drive. Having a direct-attached storage on your computer eliminates this problem, more or less.

 

[JacquesFR]

1) As long as your router supports this feature and the drive is using a file system format that the router understands, then yes.

2) No

3) The problem with having a NAS is making sure that the security and permissions on the system are setup correctly. There was an issue with some routers that allowed NAS functionality with an external drive where anyone from the internet could access the drive. Having a direct-attached storage on your computer eliminates this problem, more or less.

Thank you!

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Hello everyone,
I would like to purchase an external hard drive and to make it accessible via local network.

1) Can I purchase any external hard drive (even one that's USB powered), plug it into my router, and make it available on the local network?

2) If I buy a USB powered SSD, and leave it plugged into the router, do I need to worry about heat issues or wear and tear?

3)I only need the hard drive for local access/backing up. Is there any advantage to getting one of the the WD My Book drives? What are the pros and cons of getting just a simple USB external and plugging into the router vs. getting one of the WD drives that requires external power and advertises a "my cloud" type solution?

I know that these questions are basic, but I can't seem to find easy answers. thanks!

As answered above. However, be prepared for some lackluster performance with such a setup. Consumer grade routers generally have just enough CPU to handle the routing duties, and very little left for the extras.