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Wifi routers with USB port(s)

T

tcsenter

Lifer
Do any wireless routers featuring USB ports support connecting general storage device to it such as external USB drive, so that you can just plug let's say 2TB external drive and access it from the network to use basically as a cheap NAS?
 
Yes, almost all new mid-range or higher routers do. Most even have USB 3.0 ports now, and some will even allow you to share those files over the internet. My recommendation would be to check Small Net Builder reviews, where they do USB performance tests in addition to wireless speed tests on all routers they review. Some otherwise very good routers have mediocre USB performance, so if USB performance is important then you'll want to avoid those.
 
This chart from their recent Synology review has several of the more popular AC1900 routers, and is a good reference:

synology_rt1900ac_ntfs_usb3_wr.jpg
 
Thanks! Some older routers had USB ports that were limited to stuff like WNC, firmware updates, backing/restoring the router configuration, or only supported limited devices like flash drives. I haven't purchased a new router myself in about four years.
 
AnonymouseUser said:
I didn't see it initially (only looked at router ranker charts), but storage performance has been added to their router charts. Boy do some have really poor USB 3.0 performance...
Click to expand...
It's ridiculous that USB 2.0 was released in 2003, controller designs are like in their 4th revision/generation which you'd think would mean highly mature but many still can't achieve more than 20MB/sec. for bulk/sustained transfer.
 
Some of those USB 3.0 speeds are so pathetic that the inclusion of USB 3.0 could be considered nothing more than a marketing gimmick.
 
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