Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive

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Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive
Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive
2022-03-12 23:33:48 - last edited 2022-03-14 00:30:45
Model: TL-WR902AC  
Hardware Version: V3
Firmware Version:

Would like to know if the TL-WR902AC can be used to act as a WiFit to USB drive bridge.  That is, I have WiFi running in my home already.  I have a location I want to keep a drive to support nightly backups, but this location does not have ethernet access.  It does, however, have a strong WiFi signal from my router.  I'm looking for a device which will allow me to set up my USB hard drive in that location, and access it through WiFi.  I would like to map the drive to a drive letter on my Windows PC as well, and then use it as remotely attached storage for my backups.  I suppose the TL-WR902AC will allow this.  I just need to know before I purchase it.
Also, if this is possible, any suggestions as to how to make it happen would be appreciated.  If it is explained in the user manual, just pointing me to the spot in the user manual which explains this would be great.
Thank you,
DSPGuy

 

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Re:Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive
2022-03-21 10:02:25

@DSPGuy 

 

Hello, the WR902AC can be configured into Client mode, which allows you to connect it to the host wireless network, then brings that signal to a wired connection. 

 

You can check how the Client mode works in Chapter 2:

https://www.tp-link.com/us/user-guides/tl-wr902ac_v3/chapter-2-connect-the-hardware#ug-sub-title-2

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Re:Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive
2022-03-24 00:26:03

  @Kevin_Z The Client mode description in the manual does not mention using the USB port to host a USB drive. 

 

Do you know that it will do it? 

 

And is it fairly easy to configure it to do it? 

 

 

I just tried getting a GL-iNET OPAL, which is a similar product to do it.  Never could make it work.  I had several guys offering suggestions through the GL-INET forum page.  Maybe with enough networking expertise and intimate knowledge of the device it could have been accomplished.  I put hours into it without getting there.  I'm an electrical engineer with 42 years experience.  I'm not a networking expert, but know more than most people about it.  So I'm considering getting a TL-WT902AC to try it there.  But would prefer to have some confidence that it can be made to do the job without too much trouble.  In my opinion, it should be rather straightforward on a device like this -

 

1) Get the TL-WR902AC WiFi system connected to your home WiFi.

2) Plug in the USB drive.

3) Turn on USB file sharing with permissions.

4) Set up file sharing password.

5) Access the USB file structure via IP address from the Windows computer on the same LAN.

 

None of the above steps should be that difficult.  I gave up trying on the GL-iNet OPAL.  Nothing was working, and there were all sorts of highly technical things needed to be done which weren't mentioned in the manual.

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Re:Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive
2022-03-25 02:34:56

@DSPGuy 

 

Client mode does support USB sharing also, that have been stated clearly in the User Manual, you can check Chapter 7 > USB Settings:

https://www.tp-link.com/us/user-guides/tl-wr902ac_v3/chapter-7-configure-the-router-in-client-mode#ug-sub-title-6

 

The configuration could be pretty easy as illustrated by you.

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Re:Use TL-WR902AC Travel Router to support WiFi to USB Hard Drive
2022-03-25 13:18:33

  @Kevin_Z   Thank you for the info.  The section in the user manual which you pointed out does seem to imply that it should work without too much problem.  I will give it a try.

DSPGuy

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