[SOLVED] USB Drive as a Shared Folder

[Badger51]

I'm on Windows 10 with a home LAN of 3 pcs...connected wirelessly or via network cables on my Google Mesh WiFi "pucks"

I'd like to set up a shared folder so all three PCs can open and share files in the shared drive.

My modem connects to my Google WiFi router. The modem also has two USB ports that I could plug in a USB drive . However, when I attempt to locate the USB drive, it shows up on my modem config page, but not in my network items.

1) How can I map the network USB drive plugged into my modem?,

2) Would it be easier to share the USB drive if it was plugged in to one of the PC's,

3) I could also plug in an external hard drive into one of the PCs and share that drive.

When I've tried to share a drive plugged into the PC, I configure the user to be one of the other PC users. However, from the 2nd PC, I don't see the shared folder visible under My Computer or My Network.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Alabalcho]

If you connect your PC directly to the "modem" - can you access the USB drive? Have you tried entering "\\<router.ip.address>" in Windows Explorer?

 

[bill001g]

It sounds like the device you call a modem is actually a modem/router. If you plug devices in to both the "modem" and the google router you are going to have issues sharing files because you have 2 networks. This is also likely why you can not see the shared folders if you attempt to use the USB connected to the "modem"

You are better off with just 1 router. You might be able to convert the modem/router to just a modem but that will also likely disable the feature that lets you share drives via USB. You could also just use the google router as a AP. Why do you actually even have the google router it would be easier to just use the modem/router and likely everything will work fine. Running the google router as AP in effect just uses the wifi radios you will lose many of the other features.