Remotely accessing a hard-drive plugged into router

gnolan · 12-02-2010 03:24PM #1

A short and hopefully simple one.

I have a 500GB hard drive plugged into an ethernet port on my router. I want to be able to access the hard drive from my computer but don't know how.

I have a small home network setup with 2 laptops on it.

gnolan · 22-02-2010 05:48PM

Gonna give this a bump on the off chnace that its not a ridiculous question

Wcool · 22-02-2010 09:59PM

Hi Gnolan,

Could you give a little bit more details?
I only know of 2 types of connections:
1) a so-called NAS (Network Access Storage). This would mean your disk has an enclosure with its own power. Normally you can surf to a configuration page like you can do with your router.
2) the disk is connected by USB cable. This means that you have to look into your router's configuration for the extra disk.

It would help if you can tell the model of your disk and router.

gnolan · 26-02-2010 02:11PM

Wcool wrote: »

Hi Gnolan,

Could you give a little bit more details?
I only know of 2 types of connections:
1) a so-called NAS (Network Access Storage). This would mean your disk has an enclosure with its own power. Normally you can surf to a configuration page like you can do with your router.
2) the disk is connected by USB cable. This means that you have to look into your router's configuration for the extra disk.

It would help if you can tell the model of your disk and router.

Sorry for the delay in replying.

My hard drive is a Dane-Elec So Speaky HDMI with it's own power source but i don't know what the configuration page is - if there is one. My router is a Netgear DG834PN.

Wcool · 26-02-2010 02:32PM

Ok that explains it. You don't have a NAS but a media player.
Normally you connect this device to a telly via HDMI and you use the remote to set it up.The bad news is that you can't connect this to a network as it does not have a LAN port, however I do think you can connect it to by USB (I think).

So best thing to do is to connect it to a screen. Use your remote to set it up.Then hook it up to a computer.

Here is the manual:
http://www.danedigital.com/mp-HDD/sospeakyhdmi_eng.html

gnolan · 26-02-2010 02:54PM

Wcool wrote: »

Ok that explains it. You don't have a NAS but a media player.
Normally you connect this device to a telly via HDMI and you use the remote to set it up.The bad news is that you can't connect this to a network as it does not have a LAN port, however I do think you can connect it to by USB (I think).

So best thing to do is to connect it to a screen. Use your remote to set it up.Then hook it up to a computer.

Here is the manual:
http://www.danedigital.com/mp-HDD/sospeakyhdmi_eng.html

I made a mistake in the previous post, its a PVR HDMI, and has a lan port at the back, any ideas?

Wcool · 26-02-2010 08:14PM

Funny enough I had the same box, the so speaky PVR

But i removed the HD and used it for streaming over the LAN only.

The same principle applies, you will need to hook it up to the telly first and then share your drive by using your remote control to flip to the right menu.

I think you can use both the USB and LAN for the connection but I am not sure.
Download the manual from the same site and see if they have a section on it.

gnolan · 26-02-2010 09:43PM

Wcool wrote: »

The same principle applies, you will need to hook it up to the telly first and then share your drive by using your remote control to flip to the right menu.

Does it have to be hooked up to the router at the same time as the telly? Cos i think i only remember an option to turn DHCP on and off under the network tab. Will be able to check now in the next half hour

EDIT: Yeah, just says wired lan setup: dhcp on/off; also the option to use a fixed ip address

Wcool · 26-02-2010 11:12PM

Yes connect it to the router too by LAN cable.

The connection to the telly is only there to setup the box. As you don't use the streaming part, you can even disconnect it from the telly afterwards.

I checked the manual (you can download it as well), you have 2 options:
1) easiest it connect the device by USB cable to a computer, you should be able to see it as an external drive. you probably don't even have to connect it to a telly for this, it is 'automatic'

2) connect to it by LAN, this is what you described here, I think for this it is best to switch DHCP on. It means that the router will give the device an IP address. You should then be able to 'see' it in Network Neighbourhood on your PC.

gnolan · 19-03-2010 07:19PM

Finally got around to doing this today. Hooked up the drive to the tv and router. It connected to the network somewhat. It comes and goes and seems generally unreliable. The main problem i'm having is trying to see the hard drive from my laptop when its connected to the router. I've tried everything and still no luck.

kittex · 26-04-2010 01:06AM

I'm having a similar issue but I know so little about networking etc. Hope you don't mind me adding mine to save starting a new thread? Perhaps something will come up that sorts it for both?

I have this media player hooked up via ethernet to the Belkin Wifi router.
http://www.mwave.com.au/newAU/mwaveAU/productdetail.asp?SKU=29030284

I have 2 laptops. The Media player can see both the laptops, but can only access the C drive of one (my work laptop, which seems to have all the network type settings set up properly on it). It seems to be blocked from the other.

Neither laptop will see the media player and when I try to use the wireless network wizard it just causes conflicts with my wifi internet settings. I am so dumb to these things, I am not sure if that's the right way to go about it.
When I log on to the router settings, I can see all 3 devices and their ip and MAC addresses.

Both laptops are running XP.

Sorry if I am being a moron but would love to have these all accessed. Any really specific advice for a dummy would be great!

sonic.trip · 26-04-2010 09:05PM

gnolan wrote: »

Finally got around to doing this today. Hooked up the drive to the tv and router. It connected to the network somewhat. It comes and goes and seems generally unreliable. The main problem i'm having is trying to see the hard drive from my laptop when its connected to the router. I've tried everything and still no luck.

Can you setup a static IP on the media player i.e 192.168.1.100, then in windows explorer type in \\192.168.1.100. If its connected properly you should see the files.

I have done this on an iomega screenplay using a wireless access point

Remotely accessing a hard-drive plugged into router

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