Can I Connect My USB Harddrive to my network ?

[gavshouse]

I have a usb western 250GB Hard-drive and a have a Belkin G+ Wireless Router, Now at the moment i am sharing the harddrive on the network through my computer. I am going to buy a laptop and i want to plug it directly into network. Now i know you can buy a router with a usb on but i dont really want to buy a new 1, and i know you can buy a hard-drive with a cat-5 input on but again i dont really want to buy a new one. So i know there is a usb to cat-5 convertor for pc's without a network card but will that work for my hard-drive ? because if i plug the usb into my hard-drive and plug the cat-5 into my network hmm its plug and play soo... another thing is could i plug a belkin USB wireless adapter inn i think this would be inpossiable because of the drivers and other stuff but i dont see why the usb-cat-5 wouldnt work

Here is a link to the device = http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-Usb-to-...3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1177247086&sr=8-1

 

[CrossCech]

The key here is being able to assign an IP Address to your USB hard drive in order to have it be a standalone network drive. Unless there's some kind of software (that I don't know about -- which may be) that you can install on the external drive that will allow it to accept an assigned IP address and function, you're not going to be able to do what you want ... without buying/upgrading your router equipment as you described.

Why not just share the external drive while attached to your desktop pc? If you're home network is configured correctly, you should then be able to map the external drive via it's pathname from your laptop.

 

[root]

the USB on the router will undoubtedly be to connect a computer to, (as in it's a USB network card that will require a computer to have drivers etc to actually use, and will most likely not be useful for connecting a peripheral device like a hard drive.

the only way I know to get a network enabled drive is to buy one that specifically lists itself as network able,
or to set up a file server like suggested above with another computer.

 

[gavshouse]

well i know i can share it but that means my computer has to be on. so i think i might buy a new router then maybe a wireless N one but its not out yet they are all wireless Pre-N

 

[passerv]

Try this

but it may only support FAT32 partitions worth asking them about NTFS support otherwise file sizes may be a problem

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=97390

I realize you will have to remove your USB hard disk from it's current enclosure

 

[SirMille1]

Linky no worky

 

[dude_se]

yea i want to do this aswell. leaving my desktop on all the time to access files is a pain in the butt. it looks like youll need a new router. amazon is the way to go. i much prefer it over ebay now.. for most stuff anyway

 

[passerv]

Maplin change their website from time to time.

This is a link from the page indicated

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=97390&source=2001&doy=17m5

 

[dude_se]

that doesnt work either lol ^
oh and @passerv, sorry to be a pain but it looks like your sig is over 5 lines which isnt allowed (im not sure if that counts for the spaces so if im wrong someone plz tell me). just a warning before the mods find out

 

[passerv]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=97390&source=2001&doy=17m5

Have no idea whats happening the link works for me but url seems to change.

Try this one and I'll stay on-line.