How to connect to a USB device on your router?

[Android Central Question]

I bought a Trendnet router with a Usb hub , so I should be easily able to share files between devices.
On my windows computer it works. But I have no clue how to access this usb device from my Samsung galaxy 6 smartphone. Please help?
Trendnet support is a joke, so no help there. Same with their user manual.

I have enabled the DLNA and the Samba Server on the router.

There dosen't seem to be any previous topics covering this problem. Not that I could find.

Thanks

 

[Rukbat]

Trendnet doesn't know cellphones, so that's why they're no help.

Try ES File Explorer - it has an SMB plugin.

 

[hallux]

I'd avoid ES File Explorer, they started packaging unwanted payloads (I was getting ads where I wasn't expecting them) with it when I removed it from my devices a couple years ago.

It's not free ($1-$2 US) but Solid Explorer doesn't have unwanted additions and also supports SMB.

 

[SorenL]

I'm not sure Trendnet even knows routers... Anyway, tried the ES File Explorer. Couldn't figure out how I could connect to the router/usb. They have equal little help. Remember I'm a n00b...

 

[SorenL]

It's my question. I just signed up after asking the question hence the asker is by Android Central. Sorry...

 

[hallux]

I haven't tried this, I do have USB support on my router, I can see if I have a drive I can connect to it and see if my phone can browse to it.

 

[SorenL]

Thanks hallux. I appreciate that.

 

[hallux]

I'm happy to report - worked like a charm! I have a Netgear WNDR3700, plugged in an NTFS-formatted Western Digital MyBook and confirmed first that I could access it using my MBP > I could.

I fired up Solid Explorer, slid in the menu from the left, tapped the 3 vertical dots at the top right of that and selected Storage Manager. I tapped the + circle at the bottom right, selected LAN/SMB, picked my router, elected to connect using guest (as I have the connected storage open). Now here's where I had to fiddle with things as my router was sharing using SMB1 while the default is SMB2, so I had to select advanced and choose the different SMB version.

I am now able to browse files on the external drive from my phone.

 

[SorenL]

It worked here too!!! In the exact same way, with SMB1 and guest. Only difference is my Solid Explorer manager was free...
Thanks for the help!

 

[hallux]

I'm trying to recall if there was a long-term free version or if it was just a 14-day trial. For the quality of the app with no unwanted add-ons, I was happy to pay the buck or 2 for it.

 

[Mizamix]

Anyone know how to access your external hard drive connect to your router from outside your network?

 

[hallux]

You would need to set up your router to allow such access. Some allow for this, others don't...