RT-AX86U - SMB from Windows fails on Corsair GTX

[Louis Car]

Having just bought this router I've been fighting with a few things setting everything up and trying to understand some issues.

This issue concerns USB stick and accessing them via Samba on my Windows PC - it's strange so here are the details.

1) Insert NTFS formatted USB stick (Corsair Voyager GTX) (formatted on pc then later formatted on router - not change)

2) When accessing from PC I get this error: "\\ASUSRT is not accessible. You might not have permissions .. blah blah . The stub received bad data"
I'm never asked for a UID and password and if I set up credentials the result is the same.

3) Access from Android device SMB via Solid Explorer - No problem, all files appear fine.

4) Set Samba to Guest ie. no uid /pw - no problem from the PC or Android

5) Plug in Fat32 32GB Kingston - all ok - Format Kingston NTFS - all ok - Try Samsung USB 3 32GB NTFS - all ok

6) Plug in a WD My Passport 3TB drive - no problem from the PC or Android.

So from what I gather there is some incompatibility with the Corsair Voyager and permissions. It is clearly Read/writable if using guest mode but this thing will not allow me access from Windows when credentials are needed but Android has no issues. Formatting it on the PC or router gives the same problem.

Only thing I didn't try was format it for Fat32 but that's not going to fly as this is 256GB

Perhaps someone can shed a little light. It's not a huge deal as I first thought it was as I can use other USB sticks but I am curious why this one give a problem.
Maybe there is a compatibility list I haven't found yet for these routers?

 

[john9527]

Some vendors put a hidden partition on the USB stick. Try wiping out the partition table and starting fresh (you can use dd on linux, not sure what tools are available on Windows).

 

[Louis Car]

Thanks John,

I'll check to see what info is out there on the Corsair Voyager. Not sure why they'd need to put that partition on there or why it would interfere with getting access to the visible partition.

Edit: seems this is doesn't have a hidden partition from what I can see

 

[Clark Griswald]

I had the Corsair Voyager GTX (2018), and it was bulky and ran hot.
I had difficulties trying to format due to a mfg partition which could not be erased.
Verified purchase date via Amazon, and the price is $2 more today, than 2018, which seems expensive.

Stay safe Everyone

 

[Louis Car]

I had the Corsair Voyager GTX (2018), and it was bulky and ran hot.
I had difficulties trying to format due to a mfg partition which could not be erased.
Verified purchase date via Amazon, and the price is $2 more today, than 2018, which seems expensive.

Stay safe Everyone

I don't see any other partition on this one frankly and I just don't understand why only windows / Asus AX86U in particular has a problem with it. This of course is not a problem when using it on my Windows PC. It's just wierd

 

[ColinTaylor]

Given that your SMB access works perfectly fine with and without guest access from Android, and works fine from the PC with guest access, this would appear to be an issue with your PC. Obviously the USB partition is being mounted OK and Samba is working otherwise your Android device would have issues.

Do you have another Windows PC you can try this with? Have you tried mapping a network drive in Explorer? Have you tried using the IP address instead of a name, e.g. \\192.168.50.1 ?

 

[Clark Griswald]

I don't see any other partition on this one frankly and I just don't understand why only windows / Asus AX86U in particular has a problem with it. This of course is not a problem when using it on my Windows PC. It's just wierd

I too was on a windows computer utilizing diskgenius, when I experienced my difficulties. I had to blame the usb drive, since Windows is never to blame

 

[Louis Car]

Given that your SMB access works perfectly fine with and without guest access from Android, and works fine from the PC with guest access, this would appear to be an issue with your PC. Obviously the USB partition is being mounted OK and Samba is working otherwise your Android device would have issues.

Do you have another Windows PC you can try this with? Have you tried mapping a network drive in Explorer? Have you tried using the IP address instead of a name, e.g. \\192.168.50.1 ?

I am in the process of building another PC but I stopped for unforseen reasons. I can test it when I get back to it and finish the build, but the logic at the moment is that I tried other USB sticks both NTFS and FAT32 formatted and they work from the PC just fine.

So I have to assume it's not just my PC at fault. There must be something else additionally which concerns the Corsair stick I would think and some kind of permissions issue -

Behaviour of password protected folders over SMB is that I get to see the folders. As soon as I try to open a folder then a User /Pw dialog will pop up. (This is true whenever I access my NAS SMB and when I access one of the other Sticks that did work).

In this case we are not even getting that far (the error occurs as soon as I hit enter on \\192.168.1.1 ), so something is happening well before that point that is barring any access to the stick and it's making me think the router is part of this equation.

I do have a couple of more modern sticks eg. Sandisk Extreme pro but sadly they are all exfat format and I can't mess with them at the moment. When I free them I'll reformat and test those too but I didn't because it seemed adequate to have tested 2 other ones.

I've not tried mapping as it's the same as typing in \\Asusrt or as you suggest (which I've also tried) \\192.168.1.1