Trying to setup my external HD to home network for all computers to access...confused tho...


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currently i have a Wireless AC Setup at my apartment.

 

All i have is a router which DOES NOT have a USB port on it.

 

 

1)

What is the best way to have all my PCs be able to access my external USB HD over wifi...this would be for backing up files watching media from the hard drive on the computers as well.

 

2) 

is there a way to do all this and then have it connected to the TV via a wifi connection....we have two tvs in the house...

 

 

hopefully i was clear in my questions.

 

 

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Can't you just put it on a PC and just share the drive?

 

i dont have any pcs all laptops

 

hey my friend...my router has no USB hook up.  I am using all laptops...i didnt want to be stuck leaving a external USB HD or re-hooking it up everytime...

 

how can all my computers access this external usb hd right nwo its plugged into nothing.

 

 

tks!

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You can't share a hard drive unless it is somehow connected to your network, either through a USB connection or as a shared drive on a computer that is on the network (like one of your laptops). The drive needs to be "seen" by the other computer on a network and must have permission to access it before it can be shared. I am not sure if there is any other way around those basic principles.

 

Google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+share+a+drive+on+the+network&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb#channel=sb&q=how+to+network+a+portable+hard+drive&revid=149963359&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

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If you want to put a usb disk on your network, easy simple way is pogoplug - can be had for under $20 http://www.amazon.com/Media-sharing-device-black-POGO-P22/dp/B005IULTI4/ref=pd_sim_e_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=08C905AN86Z6YZ1EE19B

 

Or just setup raspberry pi box for it, or get a new router that has usb sharing, etc.  The pogoplugs are very easy to setup.. And sure can stream dnla to your TVs if they support it, etc.

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hi budman youve always been great....will a pogoplug work for an external USB HARD DRIVE and even a SSD?

 

Im willing to spend a few bucks to get whatever i need to on my network to be able to have this 2TB computer connect to my laptops and TVs both of my TVs have DNLA capabilities...

 

If you want to put a usb disk on your network, easy simple way is pogoplug - can be had for under $20 http://www.amazon.com/Media-sharing-device-black-POGO-P22/dp/B005IULTI4/ref=pd_sim_e_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=08C905AN86Z6YZ1EE19B

 

Or just setup raspberry pi box for it, or get a new router that has usb sharing, etc.  The pogoplugs are very easy to setup.. And sure can stream dnla to your TVs if they support it, etc.

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Product Description
Size: P22
Pogoplug personal cloud server. Just plug in your USB 2.0 hard disk, connect to your home network with internet connection, and share files between computers and smart devices, including iPhone and iPad. Includes Pogoplug device, ethernet cable, power cable, original instructions and original packaging. Compatible with Mac and Windows, and any smart device that can open an internet window.

 

 

Q: Can this connect an external HD (USB ) to a cable modem+router (Arris, ethernet) to share to computers on the wifi?
A: Yes. You can also access the HD through the internet.

 

Looks like you're good to go :)

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yeah  you can plug whatever kind of disk you have connected via usb, be it ssd or hdd, but wouldn't worry too much about using a really fast drive pretty sure the usb is only 2, atleast the model I have - which I got for #25 got be be a year+ ago..

 

But if looking for cheapest way to add usb disks to your network, and or stream to dlna -- yeah pogo is very cheap!!

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Buy a cheap NAS.

+1 on this. You can get a cheap NAS or even one that has mire than 1 bay for future expansion.

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Problem with saying just buy a cheap nas, is not all of them support usb connections.  And they would be bigger even only a single bay then a pogo.. And I just don't see where your going to come close to a cheap nas for anywhere close to $25 -- the pogo is a "cheap nas" if you think about it.  It provides a way to attach your storage to your network - ie (Network Attached Storage)..

 

The one I have

 

post-14624-0-70190400-1409054052.png

 

Here you can get

http://www.amazon.com/Media-sharing-device-black-POGO-P22/dp/B005IULTI4/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1409054104&sr=1-3&keywords=pogoplug

 

For $18.97 & FREE Shipping

 

You can get a series 4, which has usb 3 for $20 -- how can you get cheaper than that for a NAS?

http://www.amazon.com/Pogoplug-Series-4-Backup-Device/dp/B006I5MKZY

 

Seems the series for even has sata connection, etc.  Even at the retail website price of $100 I don't see how your going to find a "cheaper" nas ;)

 

edit:  Just added that series 4 to my cart ;)  Can not pass up that that kind of price - can install arch linux on it and just do whatever you want with it, etc..  Can never have too many boxes you can run linux on that use little power and are small, etc.

edit2: Just pulled the trigger on that series 4 pogo link, should be here in a couple of days - let you know how it works with usb3 stick, and it is suppose to have SD slot as well. Found some other stuff I wanted to get the 35$ so could get free shipping ;)

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......

edit:  Just added that series 4 to my cart ;)  Can not pass up that that kind of price - can install arch linux on it and just do whatever you want with it, etc..  Can never have too many boxes you can run linux on that use little power and are small, etc.

edit2: Just pulled the trigger on that series 4 pogo link, should be here in a couple of days - let you know how it works with usb3 stick, and it is suppose to have SD slot as well. Found some other stuff I wanted to get the 35$ so could get free shipping ;)

 

Keep us posted on it. I was about to order one but I read it doesn't support  SMB so it wouldn't be of service for me or the OP's needs. If somehow we can install a Linux distro even the hassles that comes with that for someone without much experience in Linux could be worth the effort in the end. The price is great.

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where did the OP state he needed SMB?  He stated he needed to backup and watch media from it.  "backing up files watching media from the hard drive on the computers as well."
 
As to installing samba -- linux is already on the thing, you just really need to enable and configure samba
http://www.razva.ro/how-to-install-samba-on-pogoplug-4/
 
So -- I plug in stick on my pogoplug, I go to the pogoplug website -- I click on a video
 
Watching fullscreen on my pc - resized for posting this example so picture doesn't take over the post
 
post-14624-0-04316700-1409140167.png
 
As you can see that is streaming from my popoplug local IP, not the internet even though I use the internet as interface to the files, etc.

 

post-14624-0-63600800-1409140237.png
 
As you can see large amount of traffic between my pc .100 and the popoplug at .202 - now you do have direct access to the stuff you plug in - just install the backup software from pogo and enable pogodrive
 
post-14624-0-08387500-1409140750.png
 
Now files that you can not stream - say mkv files, you can access directly and play them that way.  You can drag and drop files, etc..
 
To me this is easier than having to understand file and printer sharing, permissions, etc. than with cifs/smb/etc  Figure this is what the OP wanted some easy and userproof..  While at the same time this $20 device also allows for power use via ssh and access to the linux shell, or can just completely put on say arch linux on it, etc  And not user the pogo web or software at all, etc.
 
Now where I admit there might be a bit of an issue is with streaming to something other than to ps3 or xbox.. His TV might not see the pogo out of the box for streaming via dnla/upnp etc  - and that might require use of linux.  There is many guides putting say debian on the pogo and running   Here is like a all in one guide that gets everything you could possible want on the box
 
http://blog.qnology.com/2013/03/tutorial-pogoplug-e02-with-arch-linux.html
Tutorial] - Pogoplug E02/V4 with Arch Linux ARM - NAS (SAMBA), AirPlay, AirPrint, Google CloudPrint, SqueezeBox (Logitech Media Server), SqueezeLite, Plex Media Server

 

To be honest not sure if his TV is even smart or not, etc.  But for $20 even if it only solves his backup and file access issue.. And there are media players that can access the pogoplug via dlna with can connect to his TV if he doesn't have ps3 or xbox, etc.

 

Really need some more info about his TVs and other devices he might have connected to them to figure out if the pogoplug will work on the tv's out of the box or if extra equipment/work is required, etc.  He could go and spend $1K on a NAS - doesn't mean his TV is going to see the media on it out of the box ;)

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where did the OP state he needed SMB?  He stated he needed to backup and watch media from it.  "backing up files watching media from the hard drive on the computers as well."

 

As to installing samba -- linux is already on the thing, you just really need to enable and configure samba

http://www.razva.ro/how-to-install-samba-on-pogoplug-4/

 

So -- I plug in stick on my pogoplug, I go to the pogoplug website -- I click on a video

 

Watching fullscreen on my pc - resized for posting this example so picture doesn't take over the post

 

attachicon.gifexample.png

 

As you can see that is streaming from my popoplug local IP, not the internet even though I use the internet as interface to the files, etc.

 

attachicon.gifstreamslocal.png

 

As you can see large amount of traffic between my pc .100 and the popoplug at .202 - now you do have direct access to the stuff you plug in - just install the backup software from pogo and enable pogodrive

 

attachicon.gifpogodrive.png

 

Now files that you can not stream - say mkv files, you can access directly and play them that way.  You can drag and drop files, etc..

 

To me this is easier than having to understand file and printer sharing, permissions, etc. than with cifs/smb/etc  Figure this is what the OP wanted some easy and userproof..  While at the same time this $20 device also allows for power use via ssh and access to the linux shell, or can just completely put on say arch linux on it, etc  And not user the pogo web or software at all, etc.

 

Now where I admit there might be a bit of an issue is with streaming to something other than to ps3 or xbox.. His TV might not see the pogo out of the box for streaming via dnla/upnp etc  - and that might require use of linux.  There is many guides putting say debian on the pogo and running   Here is like a all in one guide that gets everything you could possible want on the box

 

http://blog.qnology.com/2013/03/tutorial-pogoplug-e02-with-arch-linux.html

Tutorial] - Pogoplug E02/V4 with Arch Linux ARM - NAS (SAMBA), AirPlay, AirPrint, Google CloudPrint, SqueezeBox (Logitech Media Server), SqueezeLite, Plex Media Server

 

To be honest not sure if his TV is even smart or not, etc.  But for $20 even if it only solves his backup and file access issue.. And there are media players that can access the pogoplug via dlna with can connect to his TV if he doesn't have ps3 or xbox, etc.

 

Really need some more info about his TVs and other devices he might have connected to them to figure out if the pogoplug will work on the tv's out of the box or if extra equipment/work is required, etc.  He could go and spend $1K on a NAS - doesn't mean his TV is going to see the media on it out of the box ;)

 

Appreciate all the advice.  I'm looking at spending $200 or less on whatever setup may be....

 

I have two of these TV's 

This as my router 
SURFboard eXtreme All-In-One Wifi 802.11ac DOCSIS 3.0 Internet Cable

 

And i have 1- 2tb ext USB 3.0 and 1 2tb USB 2.0.  
would like to use ALL USB 3.0.
 
Thanks, dankduke
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Appreciate all the advice.  I'm looking at spending $200 or less on whatever setup may be....

 

Yeah it looks like what Budman suggest will suffice because I don't think NAS is around 200$.  NAS hotswap bay cost a lot of money... For 20$ and you can do all that, I think I go with that 20$ suggestion.

 

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That pogoplug thing looks nasty, no thanks.

 

So let me get this right.. A box that allows you to share up to 2xusb3, 1xusb2, SD card, usm/sata.  with a gig interface.  Along with automatic backup of your computers files, streaming your video and music for $20 is "nasty"  What you don't like the color of its logo?

 

If you want you can put debian or arch linux on it and do whatever you want with it, etc. etc..

 

To the OP -- with your budget, I know for sure you could do this.  Get the $20 pogo, setup plex - get 2x35$ chromecasts to connect to your TVs - or just one you move about, so your under 100$ here and there you go your rocking..  You can watch video on your TV's you can access your files from any device on your network, etc. etc.

 

I have a older pogo, but the series 4 will be here soon and I have a chrome to play with so pretty sure I could help you through any setup.  But I also read that vizio added plex to their apps.

 

"January 7, 2014 ? VIZIO, America?s #1 smart TV company1, announced today the addition of more popular apps, Ultra HD streaming and second screen experiences to their popular VIZIO Internet Apps Plus? platform. VIZIO Internet Apps sales are sure to continue to grow with new apps including Spotify, Lyve, AirCastLive, Baeble Music and Plex."

 

So quite possible you could stream directly to your TV without the need of chromecast.  This puts you other than some setup time at $20...  But then again its "nasty" ;)

 

And also other nasty feature it has - is you can share files over the internet..  So say you wanted to watch a movie while your away from home, or needed access files, etc..  You just point your browser to the pogo page and log in and there are your files be it on your local, or in your free cloud storage you get with your account, etc. 

 

Worse case - what your out the cost of stop after work for a couple beers ;)  Or sure go spend $$ -- here you go..  This one is $150 - under budget.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822122130&ignorebbr=1&cm_re=PPSSPRONASDISK-_-22-122-130-_-Product

 

This is entry level nas - has same usb3 and usb2 ports an esata - with 2 bays.  So you could take your external drives out and put them in.  Not sure if it has support ntfs, hfs+, ext2, and all the formats that the pogo supports but this is pretty much the same thing for just more money and bigger box, etc.  Since you never mentioned you needed actual drive bays, etc..

 

If that doesn't work your out $$, if the pogo doesn't work your out pennies and could just destroy it with a hammer taking out your frustration and your out really the cost of a couple of beers with the boys..

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