USB Wireless adapter + External HD = Wireless HD?
February 19, 2010 5:59 AM Subscribe
Before I partake in a spree at Newegg, I'd like to know: Can I plug a USB wireless adapter like this one into the back of an external hard drive, then access the hard drive with my laptop over my wi-fi network?
256 is exactly right. A USB wireless adapter is basically equivalent to an internal network card, in that it needs to be attached to a PC with drivers installed in order to do anything much.
A wireless NAS will do what you're trying to do, but it's somewhat more expensive than a simple hard disk enclosure.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 6:20 AM on February 19, 2010
A wireless NAS will do what you're trying to do, but it's somewhat more expensive than a simple hard disk enclosure.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 6:20 AM on February 19, 2010
Response by poster: Then a NAS solution it is! Thanks for the help. :)
posted by judomadonna at 6:22 AM on February 19, 2010
posted by judomadonna at 6:22 AM on February 19, 2010
256 is right - and normally it is easier and cheaper to get something with a wired network connection and just plug it into your wireless router (assuming it has a network port).
A cheap 1 disk NAS is fine, but you may be better off getting something with 2 hard disks set up so that data is written to both of them (called RAID-1). Then of course you have to worry about backing stuff up in case your house burns down....
posted by samj at 6:22 AM on February 19, 2010
A cheap 1 disk NAS is fine, but you may be better off getting something with 2 hard disks set up so that data is written to both of them (called RAID-1). Then of course you have to worry about backing stuff up in case your house burns down....
posted by samj at 6:22 AM on February 19, 2010
Some newer wireless routers have a usb port in them that allow you to plug in USB hard drives. Those aren't all that expensive. Like this one: Linksys WRT160NL. I can't promise that it's a great router, but it does what you want.
If you're into it, I think the new router from Fon also supports usb drives and does a bunch of other things too. Fonera 2.0.
posted by bDiddy at 7:14 AM on February 19, 2010
If you're into it, I think the new router from Fon also supports usb drives and does a bunch of other things too. Fonera 2.0.
posted by bDiddy at 7:14 AM on February 19, 2010
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What you are looking for is called Network Attached Storage.
posted by 256 at 6:02 AM on February 19, 2010