NOOB Needs help.....AC68u how to connect USB drive as network drive

[Don M.]

Hello. I have an Asus RT-AC68U as an access point running Asus Merlin. I have searched and googled for information on how exactly to hook up a USB flash drive to my specific router for use as a network drive accessible to all the computers on my home network. All my computers are running Win10 Pro. All the Asus documentation is superficial at best. There doesn't seem to be any step by step tutorial that I can find to do this. To make it more confusing to a noob like me it seems there are several ways to accomplish this with different options. Maybe since I am using it as an access point this feature in not doable...I don't know.

When I plug in my USB stick to the router and click on the USB 2.0 button in the router I can see the router in my Network Map but not the USB drive.

Here is what I am trying to accomplish. I want to access this drive as a storage device able to be accessed and edited by all computers on my home network. I further would like the capability to add or delete files from any computer on my network. After trying a bunch of things I was able to find the drive and the files but could not write to them via the network.
I am willing to do the legwork if somebody could just direct me toward a tutorial. One suggested option seemed to be to map the drive but I am not sure how to input the exact drive path. I need concise step by step instructions.

Anyone willing to help me I would be GREATLY appreciative.

 

[TonyH]

Hello. I have an Asus RT-AC68U as an access point running Asus Merlin. I have searched and googled for information on how exactly to hook up a USB flash drive to my specific router for use as a network drive accessible to all the computers on my home network. All my computers are running Win10 Pro. All the Asus documentation is superficial at best. There doesn't seem to be any step by step tutorial that I can find to do this. To make it more confusing to a noob like me it seems there are several ways to accomplish this with different options. Maybe since I am using it as an access point this feature in not doable...I don't know.

When I plug in my USB stick to the router and click on the USB 2.0 button in the router I can see the router in my Network Map but not the USB drive.

Here is what I am trying to accomplish. I want to access this drive as a storage device able to be accessed and edited by all computers on my home network. I further would like the capability to add or delete files from any computer on my network. After trying a bunch of things I was able to find the drive and the files but could not write to them via the network.
I am willing to do the legwork if somebody could just direct me toward a tutorial. One suggested option seemed to be to map the drive but I am not sure how to input the exact drive path. I need concise step by step instructions.

Anyone willing to help me I would be GREATLY appreciative.

Set up home group on your network? All users can communicate each other sharing files, photos, etc.
Did you set up the USB drive and give r/w permission to every users on the network?

 

[Xentrk]

https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1011279/

The link will show you how to configure USB features on ASUS routers. Perhaps the ability to SMB not available when router is configured as an AP? Can you add the USB on the primary router? You should be able to use a USB hub if you need additional connections on 2.0 port.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Perhaps the ability to SMB not available when router is configured as an AP?

That is correct, USB sharing (amongst other things) is not available when in AP mode.

 

[Don M.]

That is correct, USB sharing (amongst other things) is not available when in AP mode.

Well actually USB sharing is available in AP mode because I got it to work. I played around with the settings on the router and went into USB Application>NFS Exports> "path"...double clicked in the box and a window opened showing the Router and the folder tree for my USB drive. and then created a shared folder in the flash drive. I can now see the USB flash drive from every computer in my network. I am able to read and write from any computer in my home network and save to the USB drive. I think basically it is the Asus version of drive mapping I'm guessing.

Thanks all for trying to help me. It appears there are a few ways to do this but I was lucky enough to find one that worked for me.

 

[Don M.]

https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1011279/

The link will show you how to configure USB features on ASUS routers. Perhaps the ability to SMB not available when router is configured as an AP? Can you add the USB on the primary router? You should be able to use a USB hub if you need additional connections on 2.0 port.

I actually already looked at all the information on that link before I posted but it was no help for what I was trying to do without using Samba. That tutorial must either be outdated or Asus Merlin added the missing NFS option under "USB Application" menu and the stock firmware does not have it. The NFS tab doesn't even show up in the tutorial pics. NFS is how I got this to work I assume it stands for Network File Share and that is what it does. It just works.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Well actually USB sharing is available in AP mode because I got it to work.

I stand corrected . Apologies for the misinformation. I could have sworn I'd read here that USB application > Servers Center was disabled in AP mode. I must have imagined it.

 

[ma678]

I have the similar issue with HDD connected to my AC68U as an AP. I can view all my files on my home network without problem. However, I cannot play any media after certain time. Let's say a song or a movie stops playing in few minutes.
My RT-AC68U currently on Merlin 384.4 beta 3.
Any advice is appreciated.

 

[neamtariel]

In order to use the usb drive as a network location from an Asus router, I did the following:
I installed the Merlin firmware first for the Asus Router (RT-AC88U).
Then I went to USB APPLICATION/ MEDIA SERVICES AND SERVERS/ NETWORK PLACE (SAMBA) and at samba protocol version I just confirmed smb v1 + smb2 was chosen. Then hit apply and went to THIS PC in windows 10. I pressed ``ADD A NETWORK LOCATION`` and when I was asked for the location of that network, I've put in the following:
\\192.168.2.1\Netgear

because the ip address was that of my router and Netgear

was the name of the usb drive. And thats it, I have now a fully working network place.

 

[neamtariel]

This is the router settings