https://community.tp-link.com/en/business/forum/topic/188526

Sorry for making a new thread but the other one was locked,  so I couldn't reply to it and had no choice. So just read that one if you want the details.

In a nutshell: USB File sharing isn't working on my router anymore. I can connect via both Samba and FTP, but they both show an empty folder even though the drive is loaded with files. Can't even turn it off without getting an unrelated error regarding FTP port number (see other thread for screenshot of the issue).

The "workaround" is to switch to Router mode, change your settings, then switch back to Bridge, but I'm not going to do that because that's too much hassle. Regardless, I'm not looking for a workaround; I'm looking for a fix. The other thread is rather old so I'm assuming the devs figured out a solution by now?

Using the latest firmware. Thanks for your help.