How to Access a USB Drive on a Router on a Mac
By Jedadiah Casey
Some routers feature USB ports which can convert a Direct Attached Storage (DAS) USB device into a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. Routers that support this feature are generally designed with Windows-based networking in mind. Fortunately, Apple's Mac OS X operating system supports networking with Windows networks. You can access the USB drive connected to the router by mounting it as a network volume with the Mac OS X Finder application.
Step 1
Click the "Finder" icon in the Dock.
Step 2
Click the "Go" menu at the top of the screen.
Step 3
Click "Connect to Server."
Step 4
Type "smb://IP-of-router" without quotes and replacing "IP-of-router" with the router's IP address. For example, type "smb://192.168.1.1" without quotes.
Step 5
Click "Connect."
Step 6
Enter the user name and password configured for the share on the router. Click "OK."
Step 7
Click the name of the USB share. The default share name is "Default." Click "OK." The USB device connected to the router is now accessible through the Mac's Finder.
Tips
- The USB share must be configured on the router. Refer to the router owner's manual for details on this process.
Writer Bio
Jedadiah Casey started writing professionally in 2007, with articles published in "The Flagler Times" newspaper. He has more than 20 years of experience with computers and networking. Casey holds a Bachelor of Science in information systems from the University of Central Florida, as well as professional industry certifications.