Smart Hub USB

[pip11]

I have a BT Smart Hub v1 and would like to add a 500Gb hard drive to the router port to enable a networked drive. My questions:

1. Can I use a USB hard drive which would I need to be powered or would it be sufficient to power off the USB?

2. Is there a limit to the size of hard drive I can use?

3. Could I instead use a flash drive?

Many thanks for your help.

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

You won't be able to use it as a NAS, but you can map it as a network drive on a PC via \\192.168.1.254\usb1

I power a 2Tb hard drive from the USB port ok.

Yes, you could use a flash drive.

Bear in mind it will be very slow and it uses SMB1 which is disabled by default in W10 and will need to be enabled.

[Mooly]

This might help anyone wanting to do this. For Windows10:

Turn on Network Discovery.

1/ Open File Explorer (This PC) and expand the ribbon.
2/ Click 'Network'.
3/ Turn on Sharing. Use 'Map Network Drive'

4/ Go to Control Panel and navigate to Programs and Features. Turn on Windows Features and enable SMB1 File Sharing.

5/ Type 'run'
6/ Enter \\192.168.1.254
7/ The USB drive plugged into the Hub should now show.
8/ Goto File Explorer and expand the ribbon.
9/ Goto 'Add a Network Location.
10/ Enter \\192.168.1.254\ and the drive should appear.
11/ Select the drive and follow the Wizard renaming the location as desired.