Solved USB hard drive dock with network port - Is there such a device?

[teckneeculler]

I'm looking for a SATA HDD dock with both USB and LAN connections. Is there such a thing?

 

[Marie SWE]

The only thing I can think of (at 4.20am) is a NAS unit. It has USB and network.

 

[Marie SWE]

After a quick search on google, perhaps this one? I didn't read in detail.. just that it has Lan and usb
https://www.amazon.com/HighPoint-RocketStor-5411D-Expansion-Charging/dp/B00PJO53VI

 

[teckneeculler]

Thanks, Marie SWE. The device certainly looks capable of doing what I want. I've asked the Amazon reviewer if he thinks it would work.

 

[Marie SWE]

You are welcome
I'm curious about what you find out. so please write a little review if you feel like it
It sounds like a nice little universal thing to have in the computer equipment for troubleshooting and data recovery.

 

[teckneeculler]

Amazon has promised to get back to me as soon as they find out what the gizmo is actually capable of

 

[mrjimphelps]

After a quick search on google, perhaps this one? I didn't read in detail.. just that it has Lan and usb
https://www.amazon.com/HighPoint-RocketStor-5411D-Expansion-Charging/dp/B00PJO53VI

This looks like an excellent device for what you are looking for. It provides network connectivity to all devices you connect to it, including USB3 drives and SD cards, besides the SATA drive that you insert into the device. It doesn't have wifi capability; you'll need to use an Ethernet cable to connect it to your router.

The reviews look good.

The one general concern I have about these devices is that sometimes they have incorrect or defective power adapters. I'm not saying that this one has a defective power adapter; I'm saying that I have read of similar devices which have defective power adapters.

If I needed something like this, I would buy this device, and I would test the power adapter to make sure it was good; and if it was bad, I would keep the device and replace the power adapter.

 

[teckneeculler]

This looks like an excellent device for what you are looking for. It provides network connectivity to all devices you connect to it, including USB3 drives and SD cards, besides the SATA drive that you insert into the device. It doesn't have wifi capability; you'll need to use an Ethernet cable to connect it to your router.

The reviews look good.

The one general concern I have about these devices is that sometimes they have incorrect or defective power adapters. I'm not saying that this one has a defective power adapter; I'm saying that I have read of similar devices which have defective power adapters.

If I needed something like this, I would buy this device, and I would test the power adapter to make sure it was good; and if it was bad, I would keep the device and replace the power adapter.

Thanks for your comments. I thought it sounded useful - almost too good to be true. Which is why I contacted Amazon (who'd had a guy test it) to find out if it actually would do what it seemed to promise.

The problem I was looking to solve is this:

I have a Kodi box connected to my TV. It plays videos from connected USB devices, like a simple memory stick or a HDD in a dock.

The box is also connected to my network by cable, but I just cannot get it to see my main W7 Ult 64bit computer. But that's another long, long story...

So, when I saw the device that Marie SW so kindly linked, it looked like the answer to my prayers. If I understand the specs correctly, the Kodi will access media from the docked HDD (which can be up to 6TB) and I can move media to and from the HDD via my network.

Does that sound right? Or am I missing something?

 

[Barman58]

I use a Dock for access to Client/spare HDDs, that is permanently connected to a PC.

I just tried and successfully shared a drive in the dock and could access it for the rest of the network.

This could be a much cheaper option as docks are available for much less that the Item discussed above, (there are also simple cable to USB and USB enclosures that could be shared )

There are also many network Routers that include a USB port for sharing a HDD in an enclosure across the network

 

[teckneeculler]

Nigel, thanks. But I already share docked USB HDDs. The difference with the unit we've been discussing is its network port, which opens up an extra range of possible uses. If it works as described! So far, Amazon haven't come back to me. So much for their goal to be the most 'customer-centric' organization (their words) in the known universe, LOL.

 

[mrjimphelps]

If I understand the specs correctly, the Kodi will access media from the docked HDD (which can be up to 6TB) and I can move media to and from the HDD via my network.

Does that sound right? Or am I missing something?

Yes, that sounds exactly right.

 

[teckneeculler]

mrjimphelps: Thanks again