Use FTP over the internet to transfer files between systems connected via the web.
Use FTP over the internet to transfer files between systems connected via the web.
As mentioned before, when the drive is built into the router itself, it doesn’t involve port forwarding. Port forwarding means sending traffic from the router’s WAN to another device on the network. The manual provides limited information about the router’s capabilities, but it does reference a personal FTP server for secure remote access—so I’d assume there should be a way to open that port on the WAN side. It’s strange that such features exist yet the instructions are unclear. You might want to reach out to the manufacturer for clarification. https://www.strong.tv/en/ContactInfo Would you like me to look into SFTP support as an alternative?
The manual is quite unpleasant, but I thoroughly explored each button and section on the settings page before reaching my conclusion, which led me to write this post. Still, I'm continuing to try—it might eventually help. I also reached out to the manufacturer and am awaiting their response.
The maker stated they couldn't assist and that only their ISP needs to configure a specific port for me. "That’s the only way traffic can move in and out of your FTP server via the internet." It seems this is likely a rejection from my ISP. They should update the instructions in the "5 steps guide on easy FTP server accessible from outside your LAN by USB HDD" to warn users it may not function properly in most cases.
Ah, I take it this is an ISP customised version? If not, they're talking out of their arse. Kinda odd if it supports port forwarding but not opening up ports on the router itself. (did you find port forwarding in there?) Either way, its probably a better idea to get something like a Raspberry Pi and port forward to that, then you can use something more secure like SFTP or even just a plain web server. Of course, this is assuming your ISP is not using CG-NAT in which case them needing to open the port (technically they would have to port forward to your router) would be relevant (and unlikely to happen). Is the file sharing just so you can access your local files remotely or for multiple people to do so? That rather determines how complicated and secure a system you would want to implement.
I originally built it as a file server for myself and my family to use when we weren’t connected to the LAN. (I currently reside in another city due to university commitments, so I had to configure remote router settings first.) My ISP offers a PPPoE connection over fiber, which is essentially all I understand about their technology. They supply a username and password for internet access. I think I’ll keep it that way at least—my parents already have a functional home media server and an FTP server, making file sharing between devices straightforward. I’ll explore options later. Perhaps a Raspberry Pi or an old laptop could work in the future.