Adapter convert USB to Ethernet for NAS devices.
Adapter convert USB to Ethernet for NAS devices.
I'm unsure if this query matches any previous questions, as I don't see identical ones. I own five USB external hard drives (similar to WD My Book). Three are USB 3.0, two are USB 2.0. I've connected some to my Netgear router—one via the USB 3.0 port, and three others (two USB 3.0, one USB 2.0) through a hub and into the router's USB port. The router sometimes acts strangely with the new drive, losing access at times. I understand using the router's USB isn't ideal, but I need a reliable solution for more NAS-style setups. Currently, I rely on the router's port for a NAS setup. Are there USB-to-Ethernet NAS devices available that let me connect multiple drives over the network? I checked the Addonics NAS 4.0 Adapter, but it has a low rating and some users reported data corruption. I'm looking for a budget-friendly option that supports USB 3.0, works over the internet when I'm not connected home, and ideally offers gigabit speeds for the network port.
That would essentially make it a budget NAS, probably very alike to a router in hardware, so it would likely retain similar problems. I’d anticipate much better results from an affordable NUC or firewall with custom software like unRAID. Once you venture that path, using it as a full NAS might be more practical than relying on it as a temporary fix. I abandoned HDDs in routers long ago because most of them lack the power for high-speed Wi-Fi and demanding NAS tasks, especially when paired with CPU-heavy operations.