An Investigation on multi-functional USB port of TP-LINK routers

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An Investigation on multi-functional USB port of TP-LINK routers

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38 Reply
FTP drops on WAN after hour.
2014-08-16 03:19:32
[SIZE=4]New TL-WDR4300, 3.13.33 Build 130617 Rel.46239n
I setup USB to FTP server. It works on LAN w/o problems.
While accessing from WAN FTP working for less than hour. Then port 21 from WAN is unresponsive. (WAN IP doesn't change).
I tried with and without FTP transfer, with and without ISP firewall. With "FTP Internet Access: Enable" and with Port forwarding rules for passive ftp and active ftp
Even wit DMZ... Same problem FTP is unresponsive on WAN after some time. BUT it's working on LAN.
Router REBOOT doesn't fix the issue. ONLY FTP STOP and then FTP START is working (but just for an hour or less).

ANY ideas? ThX![/SIZE]
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#32
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Please check your USB HDDs. Some has standby options, and That won't work!
2014-08-16 03:38:30
Some of External HDD's are GREEN now and shuts down/suspend after few minutes, so do NOT use them with the router, it will cause lots of problems.
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#33
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my experience with USB features
2014-08-19 03:45:43
Hi,

The USB ports are one of the reason I choose a TPLINK Archer router.
I'm in great part disappointed.

The printer usb is working. But the shared drive, the media center and ftp are not what I expected.

I guess 99% of regular PC user will not use the USB sharing drive.
Why? Is not simple , is not intuitive.

Why you need to click start, to choose run to write a very long address to connect to your shared drive? Is not easy means it will not be used.
Is impossible to make a shortcut to the desktop for a folder in the shared drive or for the shared drive entirely.
More than that. I have a backup software but is impossible to insert the destination drive of the shared drive connected to the router. So is impossible to use the shared drive as a backup drive.

The easy implementation is to the drive to be discovered on Homegroup or in Network as a device there. Or at least to have a individual IP.


The media center USB is a wonderful idea.
Two problems:
- even when this options is not activated in the router, my TV is detecting the presence of a TP Link Media center. This is strange. The router broadcast this presence.
- when the option is activated, none of the video files are working. Maybe is not compatible with DLNA certifications. In the manual is not written with witch files the media center is compatible. I have other DLNA devices and the files are accessible and working ok on my TV.

I suggest to TP link to look at some home user NAS devices witch are providing interesting software / options for sharing a hard drive, to create a media server. Some of them are using slower hardware than TPlink WDR routers

And more importantly if the function provided is not intuitive, is not clearly explained, is not easy to understand and implement by an average PC user is not worth having.

Thank you
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#34
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RE Netzone, ftp drive mapping.
2014-08-20 20:49:21
RE: Why you need to click start, to choose run to write a very long address to connect to your shared drive? Is not easy means it will not be used.
Is impossible to make a shortcut to the desktop for a folder in the shared drive or for the shared drive entirely."
Just google "how to: Add network location in my computer".

RE "Is impossible to make a shortcut to the desktop for a folder in the shared drive or for the shared drive entirely." - why shortcut to the desktop on ftp?

RE: "So is impossible to use the shared drive as a backup drive." - use different backup program, many other backup programs offers SYNC/BACKUP to ftp, network or cloud.

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#35
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Re:An Investigation on multi-functional USB port of TP-LINK routers
2014-10-09 17:35:20
It is really great to add some additional features of 3G Connections to routers are just great.I am new in this forum , I want to share here that I also use TP-Link connection but a Wired network.I don't face any kind of such problems.
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#37
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Re:An Investigation on multi-functional USB port of TP-LINK routers
2014-10-10 03:27:09
Archer C7 V2, just bought it, latest firmware (3.14.1 Build 140911 Rel.41201n ). One of the reasons I bought it was to share a USB disk on the home LAN.
Everything works fine so far but the transfer rate to the USB disk (WD 2G) is awfully slow (about 25Mbps). Tested with 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, both locked at 150Mbps.
Apparently the bottleneck is on the disk. I'm guessing write cashing is disabled or something similar?

No option to configure via the web interface, so I tried to login via ssh, guessing that I may found more options via a CLI. Authentication is successful but the router replies "Server refused to allocate pty" and closes the connection, so dead end here.

Any way to improve USB disk transfer rate ? I was not expecting 480Mbps (USB2) but a decent 150Mbps should had been achievable.
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#38
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Tp ac750
2014-10-31 02:18:42
Bought it because it had USB and my parents needed it for their printer. But you can only access it using a computer and downloading a software. This is 2014. There must be support for phones and tablets. I thought it would work as a print server but it doesn't.

From their webpage:
USB port - share a printer locally and files & media with networked devices or remotely via FTP server
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#39
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Maybe you need to correct your misleading advertising ?
2015-01-06 02:17:59

tplink wrote


Please put forward your comments and suggestions thereafter this post according to the following three contents:
1、The experiences with TP-LINK routers’ USB ports including satisfactions and dissatisfactions.
2、The comparisonon experiences with other brand routers’ for USB functions.
3、Suggestions to TP-LINK USB products for future development.


TP-LINK - AC 750 - Archer C20i

1. USB only works with memory sticks. Does not work with my WD My Passport (500gb) - I can see it as active in web browser, but not in My Computer - even after follwoing instructions to connect to server.

2. none

3. Sell products that work as advertised. Be clear in your advertisement; warn your customers - before they buy - what the limitations are! You will have fewer unhappy customers.

So many unhappy customers - around the world. Many people return your products for their money back.
Your company can make a lot more money if they sell products that support common USB drives such as Western Digital's My Passport.
Or, at the very least - don't mislead your customers; be clear in your advertisements as to the true capabilities of your products.

thank you
(from another disappointed customer)
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#40
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