Access external hard drive on router remotely over Internet?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
luisppk

luisppk

Honorable
Sep 11, 2013
12
0
10,510
I'm looking to access (read and write) a networked external hard drive which is connected to a home router (nucom r5000unv2) , which has an USB port explicitly for this purpose - from outside the network, via the internet.
I'm really tired working with dropbox, or filehostings that sometimes erases my files or 'dissapears', like hotfile (and the late megaupload).
I prefer not to run with the computer, 'cause only the router works 24/7.

I read some previous info about other routers, but I'm a little 'green' and need instructions for my router specifically.
Also... do I need something like dyn.com to do what I need?

Thks everyone for your will to help.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
eldapeeze

eldapeeze

Honorable
Dec 23, 2012
135
0
10,710
Unless the hard drive is made specifically to do it, I don't think you can access it directly. One thing you can do is to log in remotely into a computer that has the hard drive hooked up to it and transfer files. Filezilla is a great open source FTP application. There are plenty of videos and user guides on how to set it up.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
JimF_35

JimF_35

Distinguished
Dec 27, 2010
1,725
0
20,460
There are a couple ways to access files over the internet. One as mentioned above is to setup an FTP server then in the firewall of our your router open ports 20 and 21. (If you do this be sure to secure your FTP server) Another way is VPN which opens a tunnel through the internet to your private network. This will make your computer act like it is on your network at home. Most VPNs need port 500 opened on your router and some sort of VPN client installed on your host computer. There are third party VPNs like HIPPO that will do this for your. The reason for third party VPNs is that most people don't have static IPs. You ISP will change your IP periodically making it hard for you to connect to your router at home. The third party system will track these changes so that you can use VPN even without a static IP.

Here is some info that might help...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030763/how-and-why-to-set-up-a-vpn-today.html
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
luisppk

luisppk

Honorable
Sep 11, 2013
12
0
10,510
@JimF: Yes, but that implies to have the pc working 24/7.
I just want the modem/router that way, not the pc.
and... I know hackers have some knack for the 21 port open in private ftp servers/networks.

any other ideas? O_O
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

BillMan2002

Reputable
Feb 21, 2014
13
0
4,510
FTP is good, I would not worry about hackers, unless you got stuff you can not afford to have leaked to the public.
If the options don't support torrent downloading and more, buy a new router. A router that supports torrents will be sharable over the internet with a hard drive plugged into the router. You can even do FTP on the router.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
luisppk

luisppk

Honorable
Sep 11, 2013
12
0
10,510
@BillMan2002: I don't have secret data, just my own precious files which nobody else gives a damn. But, I don't wanna risk them.
And about the router... I already have one with an usb port and is the reason I'm here asking help on how to use it.
Go out and buy other without knowing if what I already have work for what I need... mmmm...
If somehow I find my modem/router is impossible to get fully operational or maybe the usb port is just a souvenir... then, I'll search for a new and easy to operate one .
In the meantime... I' still need some help with this one.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
JimF_35

JimF_35

Distinguished
Dec 27, 2010
1,725
0
20,460
"I already have one with an usb port and is the reason"

It is so you can copy your WiFi Password and config to a computer making it easy to setup a secure WiFi. They are not for VPNing an Eternal Drive.

It sounds like what you need is a VPN NAS drive...

http://www.synology.com/en-us/support/tutorials/472

"I don't have secret data, just my own precious files which nobody else gives a damn. But, I don't wanna risk them."

Do you really want a hacker to upload Child Porn to your host? You need to secure it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
luisppk

luisppk

Honorable
Sep 11, 2013
12
0
10,510
@JimF_35: First of all, thks for your answer.

I have a 'nucom r5000unv2', with a USB port that I was told (don't have any print instructions) is for connecting a external hard drive and use it ina local network.
so, I try to know if I can acces this external hard drive from other place by internet, without having my pc working 24/7... just the router.
somehow I was told it is possible and work with similar router/modem.

The exact dilemma here is... I don´t know exactly how. Neither if this router/modem is capable or not.

The security part, I'll deal with that once my router is working.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
luisppk

luisppk

Honorable
Sep 11, 2013
12
0
10,510
@Billman2002:

'nucom r5000unv2'

@eldapeeze:

Thks. I have dropbox, depositfiles, TusFiles, Mega, google...

That's not the problem. I want my router/modem working with its usb port as I already said in my previous posts.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
A

Alabalcho

Titan
Jan 13, 2011
14,019
435
76,290
@Luisppk, we do understand what you want, but with your router totally unknown (apart from couple of references to South American web sites), your only hope is to experiment, or contact support of router manufactuer.

If everything else fails - get an RaspberryPI (it is sold for $35 in the States), make it as a file and server, connect your harddrive to it, configure your router to forward web requests to it, and access your files over the net. Yes, this is additional computer, but if your files are so important for you, you can afford the expense, and power comsumption of 10W.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
P

Pooneil

Honorable
Apr 15, 2013
1,222
0
11,960
Western Digital, Synology and others make NAS devices that do just what you want to do, connecting through the LAN rather than USB. They contain an internal server that can be made assigned a drive letter on your local or internet connected computer and also accessed through FTP and mobile apps. My experience is mostly with using the WD and the mobile app. It has served well for about a year. Directory browsing from a remote computer is a bit more problematic because it relies on Java and the OEMs willingness to update the firmware.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom