Most WiFi internet routers have a USB port on the back, along with the wired ports. People often overlook this, but it’s a very useful feature. By inserting a pen drive or hard disk into this USB port, you can share your data across your home network, making it your personal network drive. Furthermore, if your main broadband or Wi-Fi goes down, you can also use it as a backup internet connection by plugging in a mobile 4G/5G dongle.
Essentially, a router is like a small computer, with its own processor and memory. With the fast USB 3.0 port in newer routers, you can perform all these tasks quickly and easily without any hassle. Let’s explore the useful uses of a Wi-Fi router’s port.
Another common use for your WiFi router’s USB port is printer sharing. If you have an older or cheaper printer that doesn’t have Wi-Fi, you can still print wirelessly without having to connect it to a separate computer. However, this also depends on the compatibility between your router and printer.
Some routers allow you to connect a 4G or 5G dongle to the USB port. However, this feature isn’t available on every router, as it requires the correct software. If your router supports it, you can use the dongle as your primary internet connection. Or, you can keep it as a backup so that if your main Wi-Fi goes down, it automatically restarts automatically, preventing your work from being interrupted. This is called dual WAN failover or multi-WAN.
You’ll need to make some adjustments before turning your router into a storage server. Many older models only support USB 2.0 speeds, which are 480Mbps or 60Mbps, meaning it will take hours to transfer large amounts of data.