Share external hard drive over network in just a couple of steps:
- Download and install the app - on a computer to which a device is to be connected and all machines that need access to the device.
- Connect a drive to the computer via USB port.
- Launch USB Network Gate and share hard drive over network via its interface.
With USB Network Gate you will be able to share any USB device on Windows 10 and below, Mac, Android and Linux.
These are the main advantages offered by the app:
Share storage through a high-speed USB cable
You can share USB external hard drive over network with the help of a high-speed USB cable. USB 2.0 solution provides the following functionality:
The solution is compliant with USB specification v. 1.1 and 2.0.
Overall, USB 2.0 seems to be a good solution to share USB drive over network, but since you are limited by the cable’s length, it is unlikely you can use it for sharing data between multiple computers that are not located in proximity to each other.
How to share USB hard drive over Wi-Fi
One more way to share USB storage is to map it as a network external hard drive over Wi-Fi.
- First locate it in the router settings – open a browser on a computer connected to a Wi-Fi network, type in the router’s IP address, it usually has a format like 192.168.1.1.
- Login using your credentials, go to Settings and find ‘Drive storage’ tab or section. Right-click on the drive you need and choose ‘Map network drive’ in the context menu displayed.
- Give your drive a name to identify it easier, and check ‘Reconnect at sign-in’ option.
- Once you are done with the setup, click ‘Finish’. You might have to restart your PC or laptop to see the storage drive.
This solution is quite convenient and requires no cables or additional hardware, but it is limited by the network availability, unlike Eltima software solution – it allows you to share external hard drive over Ethernet, Internet and other networks. You are not restricted to the area covered by Wi-Fi signal.
All said and done, our take would be USB Network Gate. This seems to be the most convenient way to access remote USB external drive as it is not restricted to the network area and does not require additional equipment.
