External hard drive USB to Router socket is disabled : now what?

Network Audio
1

Hello. I have labouriously transfered my CDs to FLAC which are now stored on an external SSD.
My service provider (Orange here in France) has disabled the USB socket on its router apparently for security reasons (related to microsoft simba?).
Can anyone advise me how I might make my FLAC files visible across my network ?
Thanks (Baldrick)

2

Ethernet?

3

I can think of three ways.

  1. You can purchase streamers which will connect to your DAC via ethernet, and which allow you to add external hard drives to them. I have not done this, but I know there are people on the forum who have; hopefully they will jump in and advise you.

  2. You could attach the drive to a computer, perhaps a small, old one that you don’t use for other things. You would have to leave the computer on whenever you wanted to listen to music. You could access it wirelessly from a tablet if it’s not in your listening room (ideally not).

  3. You could purchase a NAS and (if you don’t already have one) a network switch. You would transfer the files from your current drive to the internal drive on the NAS. This is what I do. I have a server, called.MinimServer, installed on the NAS and I control it from my iPad. I bought the NAS for music, but I also find it very convenient to store my other files. I have two computers and an iPad; no matter which one I’m working on, I can always access my documents.

If you let us know which of these options appeals to you most, we can help you more. You probably already know this, but it’s hard to overstate the importance— whatever method you end up with, you must keep your music files backed up.

1 Like
4

Hello magister,

This is very helpful and helps me clear up my thinking on the subject.

I have a raspberry pi type streamer with an LMS server software pre-installed. I have not tried the server part yet, so all of this is new.

  1. From what I see around the net it appears that sound quality may be impacted by plugging a noisy hard drive into my streamer - so I am focussing on your suggestions 2 & 3.

  2. My initial approach will be to start with your suggestion no 2.
    I will use this as an experiment to see how things work out with the LMS server and my PC-hard drive combo. I will plug my external Hard Drive into my PC and take it from there, fingers crossed.

  3. I think this is what I will ultimately go for, so, a NAS connected by ethernet cable to my router.

You mention a network switch. Is this a prerequisite for the NAS to communicate to the router, or is it intended to help with the sound in some way.

Again thank you very much for your time.
Baldrick :slight_smile:

5

Baldrick,

I have never used LMS, but some people here have. So feel free to ask questions if you need to.

  1. I’ve read that solid state drives are better (less noisy) than spinning platters, but have not experimented with this myself..

  2. You may not need a PC. What ports does your Raspberry Pi have? If you can connect the hard disc to it and connect it (probably via ethernet) to your DAC, that should work – but you will need control software on the Pi (LMS should work) and a DLNA compatible controller on an iPad or a mobile phone. I personally find the screens on phones too small for this, but some don’t; or you could get things working on a phone and, once you’re satisfied that you like the setup, get a tablet.

  3. It’s fine to experiment with what you’ve got and move up to a NAS later.

About the network switch: routers in the US typically have only one or two local network ports. Unless yours has more, you will need a switch. For example, I have a cable from my router (upstairs) into my music room, feeding a switch. The switch has four ports: one for the NAS, one for my streamer, one for a computer that I use (rarely – normallly kept turned off) for recording vinyl, and one for my PSA P12. But if you can plug in everything you need without it, a switch is not required.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!