This step isn't entirely necessary, but if you can, it's nice to start with clean gear.Again, much like above, you can always get a Wi-Fi enabled printer if your current one doesn’t play nice with the USB port on your router. A quick format should do in most cases, and while you're at it, give the drive a memorable name so you know what it contains. To format the drive in Windows, connect it to an open USB port on your PC, find it in Computer (called This PC in Windows 8), right-click on the drive, and select Format. Some routers offer the ability to format the drive using built-in software, but I've had the best luck formatting it with Windows. In this example I'm using a Centon 64 GB DataStick Pro.Īfter settling on a drive, I recommend formatting it using Windows.

But if you only have a few things to share, then a flash drive will do. One thing to consider before selecting a drive is to check your router's documentation to see if there are any storage limitations – certain routers do have a storage cap.Of course you'll be able to get more data at a cheaper price if you use an external hard drive. The first thing you'll want to do is find a hard drive or flash drive that you want to use to hold data that you're going to share with everyone. Here's a look at using Windows to access the drive, which is the same process for any router with a connected USB drive, despite its internal software features. The interface for each router manufacturer will, of course, vary, and have different options for sharing the drive. Note: For this article I'm using a Cisco Linksys E4200 Wi-Fi router. Have you ever wondered what that USB port on your Wi-Fi router is for? Most modern routers have at least one or maybe two, and today we'll take a look at how Windows users can set it up with a hard or flash drive to share content across a local network.

Usb 2 vs usb 3 router storage