What Hard drives are most recommended for this router? It is safe to keep the drive connected and turned on all the time in the router?
651643
Yes, it is safe to keep it connected to the router all the time. You can check the list of tested USB hard drives on this link, http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.aspx?vw=1&docid;=5dee65386ed848d3b174757922b19c6d_List_of_tested_USB_hard_drives_and_printers_for_the_Linksys_.xml&pid;=80&respid;=0&snid=2&dispid;=0&cpage;=search.
651644
Yes, it is safe to keep it connected to the router all the time. You can check the list of tested USB hard drives on this link, http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.aspx?vw=1&docid=5dee65386ed848d3b174757922b19c6d_List_of_tested_USB_hard_drives_and_printers_for_the_Linksys_.xml&pid=80&respid=0&snid=2&dispid=0&cpage=search.
772690
I had a similar problem with my 500 and 1000 mb WD drives... I have since elevated them and set them on something like a cookie cooling rack! Yep, now air flows all the way around and beneath (very important) them, keeping them much cooler and they have not yet locked up. Put your hand on top of your dirves to see if they feel very warm... actually not REALLY hot, but a little too warm... you may have the same problem that I had. Thus, I think that it (or at least my problem) is heat related. I do the same kind f thing with my DSL modem and network router... keeps them cool and very reliable. Buck
252679
I have a variety installed - mainly used for storage of movies/music and vmware. If you want reliability, stick with the reds. I went for cost - so have WD, Seagate and Hitachi. Have only had 1 WD give me an issue in 3 years (10 3 Tb drives) - so when the 3 Tb drive failed, I replaced it with a 4 Tb and let the hybrid raid expand..
521218
only if your router supports connection of hard drive that big.... this hard drive itself does not have a network connection. just the USB 3 connection.
1677386
Yes, you can use a thumb drive or a hard drive on the router as a network drive Follow the instructions in the setup and you will have it up and running in no time. You can assign read only or read write to the drive as well as password access.You can find more detailed information on the manufacturers website.Hope this helps.
178452
I have 5 of these drives in a Sans Digital RAID box configured as two 2TB RAID 1 drives with a hot standby replacement drive. I've been running almost two years with no problems. I chose the lower spin rate (5400RPM) to be more reliable. I use the RAID 1 drives for backup/archive of other computers.
543522
It depends. I would say if you assign the NAS a static IP, which I recommend no matter the configuration, then the NAS wouldn't be effected. If you are planning to power down the NAS and the Router you would be causing power cycles on the NAS it was not designed for, and I would think it would effect the life of the NAS. I would recommend getting the later models of these devices at this point. I have installed 4 of these devices, and I have had to replace one locations device twice. Western Digitals Support has been somewhere between poor and abysmal, and so I would even possibly suggest looking at Seagate, or Dlink for better support of the devices. It depends. I would say if you assign the NAS a static IP, which I recommend no matter the configuration, then the NAS wouldn't be effected. If you are planning to power down the NAS and the Router you would be causing power cycles on the NAS it was not designed for, and I would think it would effect the life of the NAS. I would recommend getting the later models of these devices at this point. I have installed 4 of these devices, and I have had to replace one locations device twice. Western Digitals Support has been somewhere between poor and abysmal, and so I would even possibly suggest... » Read More It depends. I would say if you assign the NAS a static IP, which I recommend no matter the configuration, then the NAS wouldn't be effected. If you are planning to power down the NAS and the Router you would be causing power cycles on the NAS it was not designed for, and I would think it would effect the life of the NAS. I would recommend getting the later models of these devices at this point. I have installed 4 of these devices, and I have had to replace one locations device twice. Western Digitals Support has been somewhere between poor and abysmal, and so I would even possibly suggest looking at Seagate, or Dlink for better support of the devices. « Show Less
1010213
You should be good to go. I don't keep it up all the time, but I have left it connected for weeks at a time. The hard drive is out in the open so it won't really overheat, and there is a power switch on it, so you can turn it off but leave it all setup when the drive is not in use.
2231218
I have mine conected to a WD router and windows seven. The router shouldn't make much of a difference. Installation was easy.
1332344
I just read this. Very good info. But does the computer have to be on the internet all the time or just on. I do not mind keeping it on but I find my router often goes off the internet if I leave it too long. Can you Help LaRaine
507779
Nope, just link it to your router, I had no problems with this unit, I am still using it today, no problems.
698287
this discussions encourage me to buy the airport extreme as my router for home even when i only have windows computers. I can said everythings goes fine but there is an important issue about the external hdd that was a major feature i like of this product.the things is it cant handle ntfs hdd so you have only two options: format with fat32 and limit yourself to files no larger than 4gb that is absurd as it sounds, or buy macdrive and format the disk with mac format to make ir reconogzible for the airport and also readable in windows without any kind of limitations.i think i will go for the second but still have no try it but i seems to work. this discussions encourage me to buy the airport extreme as my router for home even when i only have windows computers. I can said everythings goes fine but there is an important issue about the external hdd that was a major feature i like of this product.the things is it cant handle ntfs hdd so you have only two options: format with fat32 and limit yourself to files no larger than 4gb that is absurd as it sounds, or buy macdrive and format the disk with mac format to make ir reconogzible for the airport and also readable in windows without any kind of limitations.i think i will... » Read More this discussions encourage me to buy the airport extreme as my router for home even when i only have windows computers. I can said everythings goes fine but there is an important issue about the external hdd that was a major feature i like of this product.the things is it cant handle ntfs hdd so you have only two options: format with fat32 and limit yourself to files no larger than 4gb that is absurd as it sounds, or buy macdrive and format the disk with mac format to make ir reconogzible for the airport and also readable in windows without any kind of limitations.i think i will go for the second but still have no try it but i seems to work. « Show Less
276374
Yeah....like the other responders, speed is a bit of an issue, but I found when it's backing up AND my local dropbox folder is syncing, everything slows as CPUs are eaten up. So as long as you're only syncing one drive at a time, you should be fine. I like the convenience of not having to be hooked into the machine. It works great connected to my gateway, and I have it secured quite easily.
361659
Not exactly sure about the quality of the wi-fi. I have no problems. You will make a backup of your entire hard drive though. Plenty of room
28374
I have a 2TB HDD connected to a Netgear router. According to the literature, the 2TB is the upper limit of what can be supported with a direct connection to a router. You should, however, be able to connect the 3TB unit directly to your PC. I had read where Windows now takes storage units greater then 2TB. That said, I'd do a search with BING or GOOGLE to verify that or, perhaps, talk to somebody at BEST BUY or similar.Good luck!
543521
Agree with response from Randy but add that if you have a good firewall setup you shouldn't need to powerdown the router or the drive. This also helps for timed backups during non-peak hours.
513138
I would use nothing BUT these drives in anything I built or upgraded. They're a bit pricier, and no one ever thinks about it, but the warranty on THESE hard drives, the WD Black series, is a full 5Y. VERY few other mfrs even offer a 5y warranty. And WD drives earn that warranty reputation, I haven't had a WD drive fail, EVER. In each case -- over a dozen -- they've become useless through increasing capacity, never mechanical/electronic failure. That is, I probably have an 80gig WD drive that's still functioning. It's just not worth plugging in and taking up a SATA channel when I can get that capacity on a freaking flash drive nowadays... Yes, they're that good. You can "save money" by buying something cheaper. But you'll pay in the long run with headaches from lost data, or time spent rebuilding your windows/software/os and tweaking it back to the way you had it. The HD is the soul of your machine. Everything else fails, you can practically swap a part back in and you're up and running. But the HD fails and you've got a multiday to longer term headache to get things back to "normal". And, for general purposes, they're among the best drives in performance terms, too. Tom's Hardware may rate something else marginally faster, but not by much. And not by enough to drag you away from WD Black. As the old saw goes, once you go Black, you'll never go back. :-D