Setting up your External Storage on the Linksys WRT32X

The Linksys WRT32X AC3200 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Gaming Router with Killer Prioritization Engine creates the best home routing solution for serious online gaming.  It is built on an enterprise-grade hardware platform delivering the fastest wired and wireless speeds.
 
An external storage device lets you store and share content across your network.  By setting up the external storage of your router, you can easily manage external storage devices connected to it.

The Linksys WRT32X has the following USB ports:
  • 1 x USB 3.0 port capable of supporting an external hard disk or flash drive with up to 1100 mA current draw
  • 1 x USB 2.0 / eSATA, capable of supporting an external hard disk or flash drive with up to 1100 mA current draw
IMPORTANT:  These ports support FAT, FAT32, NTFS and HFS+ and ext2 / 3 / 4 file systems.

This article will guide you on how to set up the external storage for your Linksys WRT32X.

 
Step 1:
Connect an external hard drive to the USB port on your router.
 
Step 2:
Log in to the web interface.  For instructions, click here.
 
Step 3:
On the web interface, click Advanced Settings.
 
Step 4:
Click External Storage.
 
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Step 5:
Click the arrow beside USB 1 or USB 2 to expand the drive information if needed.  If the device fails to detect a drive, click Refresh to refresh the page.
 
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NOTE:  Click Eject Drive to safely remove the USB drive.  
 
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In the External Storage page, you may opt to share and secure your drive, share it without a login, or set up FTP.  To know how, follow the steps below.

Share and secure your drive
Share the drive without a login
FTP setup


Share and secure your drive

Step 1:
Under Authentication, toggle the Enable auth switch to turn ON the function.  This will prevent open access to your storage drive on your local network.  Once you enable it, you will need to create a User Name and Password.
 
NOTE:  The Enable auth option is set to OFF by default.                           
 
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Step 2:
Under the Network file Sharing (SMB) section, toggle the Enable network file sharing (SMB) switch to turn it ON.  By enabling this option, you can access your drive by entering "192.168.1.1" or your router’s current IP address in Windows® Explorer or Finder® (for Mac®).  To do this, make sure to map the drive first.  For instructions, click here.

NOTE:  The Enable network file sharing (SMB) option is set to OFF by default.
 
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Step 3:
Click Save.
 
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Now you can log in and share your drive to your local network using the login credentials you created.
Step 1:
Under the Network file Sharing (SMB) section, toggle the Enable network file sharing (SMB) switch to turn it ON.  By enabling this option, you can access your drive by entering "192.168.1.1" or your router’s current IP address in Windows® Explorer or Finder® (for Mac®).  To do this, make sure to map the drive first.  For instructions, click here.
 
NOTE:  The Enable network file sharing (SMB) option is set to OFF by default. 
 
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Step 2:
Click Save.
 
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Now you can access your network drive without login credentials.

FTP setup

Step 1:
Under Authentication, toggle the Enable auth switch to turn ON the function.  This will prevent open access to your storage drive on your local network.  Once you enable it, you will need to create a User Name and Password.
 
NOTE:  The Enable auth option is set to OFF by default.
                            
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Step 2:
To access your drive via an FTP connection, under FTP, toggle the Enable FTP option and Enable remote FTP access to the ON position so you can access the drive remotely via FTP.
 
NOTE:  Both options are set to OFF by default. 
 
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Step 3:
Click Save.
 
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