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TP Link Router USB

Soylent — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:00:02 GMT

I would like to replace my smart hub 2 with a TP -Link 9300 (BE550) router to take advantage of the USB 3.0 port on the TP - Link.

The smart hub 2 only has USB 2 and is locked to SMB 1.

I have broadband fibre although limited ( BT Essential).

My goal is to connect an 18TB USB powered harddrive to the TP Link USB and use it as a media library ( for pc, tablet and transfering of files).

Will the TP Link work ok?

What type of file transfer speeds can I expect say from tablet/PC to hard drive.

Or is it just more practical to buy a Nas instead?

Thanks

Re: TP Link Router USB

licquorice — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:14:21 GMT

You would be better asking on a TP Link forum. Its not relevant to BT.

Re: TP Link Router USB

Crimliar — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 22:35:47 GMT

As a heads up, many of us with third party routers will end up running those USB3 ports in USB2 mode. The reason being that USB3 runs very at a speed very close to 2.4GHz and so can both disrupt and be disrupted by 2.4GHz WiFi!

And if the reason is, to have the router work as a file server, most routers don't have enough memory to properly create an index of any drive with a substantial number of files - unless you are using an exotic file system!

Re: TP Link Router USB

TimCurtis — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:36:11 GMT

@Crimliar

Very interesting you mentioned the potential USB 3 frequency issue as I was trying out using my Asus as a media server and I noticed the range of the 2.4GHz wifi was dramatically reduced which possibly could be the explanation.

Re: TP Link Router USB

Crimliar — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 10:15:41 GMT

Anything that's properly shielded/quality should be fine, but if there's little benefit, it seems to work better on USB2. I've an Asus GT-AX6000 running Merlin firmware and a 128GB USB SSD plugged in to provide space for a 2GB (recommended size) swap file, entware, some scripts (DDNS related), some light sharing, and router setting backups, ext4 formatted. The USB3 port on the router is set to USB2 as there's no noticeable advantage in this set to using USB3, my media sits on a nano server based on Rockchip RK3588 platform. Personally, when the USB3 port has been in USB3 mode, I've not noticed any issues, but I've also not noticed any advantages either, so why chance it! Using that separate nano server is definitely faster than streaming from the router.
RK3588 > 2.5Gbps switch > Router 802.11AX (4600) > WiFi client AX (2400) tops out at 1.7Gbps measured with iPerf3. If you are running Merlin on your Asus router, you can test the speeds by running iPerf directly on the router!