Netgear Readyshare

[HarryM1BYT]

I have just acquired another (2nd) Netgear router, both include a USB socket on the rear for Readyshare.

The first one is my main router, accessing BB and has a USB plugged in the rear and it works fine, normal access.

The second one bought to provide better wifi access on the ground floor, into which I have plugged a second USB stick, but I am unable to access it at all. I tried changing its name to ReadyshareGRND, but it made no difference. I have not yet tried making it the only Readyshare on the network. Should I be able to run two at the same time?

One is has a wired LAN to two. 1=DGN2200v3; 2=WNDR3400v2

[mbonwick]

Not familiar with ReadyShare specifically, but have you done the following to the 2nd router?
Set static IP address in the same range as the main, and adjust the main router's DHCP range to avoid conflicts. (eg. main router 192.168.0.1, secondary 192.168.0.2, DHCP range 192.168.0.3-255)
Disable DHCP on secondary router
Connect the cable to LAN port on #2, not the WAN.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by mbonwick

Not familiar with ReadyShare specifically, but have you done the following to the 2nd router?
Set static IP address in the same range as the main, and adjust the main router's DHCP range to avoid conflicts. (eg. main router 192.168.0.1, secondary 192.168.0.2, DHCP range 192.168.0.3-255)
Disable DHCP on secondary router
Connect the cable to LAN port on #2, not the WAN.

Not the same IP's, but yes and all is working fine otherwise - I just cannot get access to the USB on #2. If I log into router #2, it shows the USB stcik as not shared, with no way to change it.

[mbonwick]

Thought you'd have it set up right, just wanted to eliminate the obvious network connection issues....


What happens if you swap the USBs round?

[SideValve]

To access the ReadyShareGRND you'll need to resolve the name to the IP of the 2nd netgear. You should be able to do that if you are connecting directly to its wireless but not when you are connected to the first.
If you only want to access it from one computer the simplest thing would be to access it by IP or add hosts file to resolve the name.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by mbonwick

Thought you'd have it set up right, just wanted to eliminate the obvious network connection issues....


What happens if you swap the USBs round?

If I swap the sticks between routers, I still get the same issue - no access to the stick in #2.

Via the router #2 site, I can click safely remove and the LED for the USB on the router goes out. The stick also disappears from the router's setup page. Odd that I cannot edit the USB page for the stick, nor create a directory via the page.

[SideValve]

What's the ip address of the 2nd nethear?
\l<the-ip-address> should take you to it

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by SideValve

What's the ip address of the 2nd nethear?
\l<the-ip-address> should take you to it

#1 connected to the phone line and working fine is 10.131.97.173

#2 with wire to #1 is 10.131.97.173

I have tried various direct ways to access the USB on #2 and I just get a 404 error - including

http://10.131.97.176/readysharegrnd....gin.net/shares
http://10.131.97.176/readyshare.routerlogin.net/shares
http://readyshareGRND.routerlogin.net/shares

My #1 USB shows on the network, but not #2 USB.

I have tried switching #1 off and rebooting, so it isn't confusing the two and pulling the network cable that links the two.

On the router's front page (Genie) shows the USB ReadySHARE as -READY.
On the USB Advanced page it shows it as Not Shared. Trying to use Edit, it only allows me to change the share name and Workgroup name. I cannot see a way to alter the Not Shared, nor create a directory on the stick - button does nothing.

What ever is plugged into the USB port it seems to see, stick or a USB HDD - looking at the router's Advanced page.

When I first plugged the stick into #2, it did show it as Shared.

I bought #2 from Ebay, described as new, unused - bought for his son at university, who didn't need it. I wanted it to replace an older router, which lacked the USB port and the 5Gz wifi access to feed my Firestick and 2.4Gz for my laptop. It is all working apart from this USB issue.

[SideValve]

Those addresses use a mix of IP and FQDN and won't work (Sorry for the jargon). Http://10.131.97.173 should get you the web page for the 2nd router, does it?
If you are using windows, start - run - \\10.131.97.173 should get you to the share, if it's shared.
If it won't share it perhaps it doesn't like the format, if you plug the usb stick into the computer is it FAT or NTFS.

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by SideValve

Those addresses use a mix of IP and FQDN and won't work (Sorry for the jargon). Http://10.131.97.173 should get you the web page for the 2nd router, does it?
If you are using windows, start - run - \\10.131.97.173 should get you to the share, if it's shared.
If it won't share it perhaps it doesn't like the format, if you plug the usb stick into the computer is it FAT or NTFS.

Http://10.131.97.173 gets me to the login page of router #1, the main router - this has a USB stick in it which I can access without any issues.

Http://10.131.97.176 gets me to the login page of router #2, where I cannot access any stick or USB drive I plug into it. But I can at least see the share on the routers settings page.

FAT or NTFS - Having checked, the one stick it said on the web page was not shared, was formatted NTFS others which showed able to be shared were FAT. So that is one problem sorted

I bought the #2 ensuring it has the USB, just so that I could plug a stick or etc. in for easy access on the ground floor. #1 is less easy to access stashed out of the way in the loft.