How to Connect a USB External Hard Drive to a Wireless Router. If you want the people on your network to have extra storage space, but you don't want to go to the trouble of adding a whole new server to the network, adding an external hard drive to the wireless network via your wireless router can make for a handy solution.
Step 1
Purchase a middle manager that works with your computer's operating system. Products like Linksys' Network Storage Link or D-Link's Wireless Network Storage Enclosure make connecting your external hard drive to your router easier than ever.
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Step 2
Gather and connect all necessary connecting cables. You need an Ethernet cable to go from the box linking the hard drive to your wireless router in one of the open ports on the back of your wireless router, and a USB cord connecting your external drive to the storage link box (unless you are using a flash memory device or stick drive).
Step 3
Power up the devices. Make sure your Internet connection Is working and that the storage device is working properly.
Step 4
Insert the Setup CD into your computer. Run any necessary executables provided on the disk. Follow the instructions and install any necessary utilities for the specific type of external drive you are using. For example, there may be a special utility for flash drives. The disk should automatically detect the necessary device.
Step 5
Configure the storage link. During setup you should have been given the option to secure the device with a login name and password. Open the device and log in. Make any changes you want to on the storage device, but if you aren't sure what specific changes you want to make to the default settings, leave the default settings alone to avoid creating problems.
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