How to Share USB Hard Drives on a Network: The Definitive Guide

It can be quite challenging to connect external hard drives remotely. Especially when it is needed to access the files from several computers on the network. That is when it calls for you to share an external drive - either with the Windows built-in tools or with the help of advanced USB over Network software for USB drive sharing.

So the question is how to share external hard drives on a network? Read on to find the best way to share an external hard drive over a network.

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Share external hard drive over network - software method

That’s it! You now have all the functionality that you would have with a direct connection to the USB device.

Check out the video guide with the detailed steps on how to share hard drive over the network

Why is it the most versatile way of sharing hard drives over the network

• Connect remote USB drives even if they are located in different networks;
• Ideal for virtual machines and remote desktop connections;
• Works with other USB devices as well;
• Share USB drives on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android;
• No additional hardware required.

How to connect an external hard drive to WiFi router

A variety of routers nowadays have a USB port that can be used for connecting USB drives to share with other machines on your network. Once you’ve located the USB port on your router, go ahead and attach your USB external hard drive. Then, you can share an external hard drive by mapping it as a network drive over a WiFi network.

Step-by-step instructions to connect hard drive to the router:

1. You first need to find it in the router’s settings. Use a web browser on the WiFi network and type in the IP address of the router. Often it is 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.
   
   
2. Log in to the router interface and navigate to Settings. Open the ‘Drive storage’ tab. Right-Click on the desired drive and select the ‘Map network drive’ menu option.
3. It’s advisable to give your drive a meaningful name for reference and then check the ‘Reconnect at sign-in’ option.
4. Click ‘Finish’ when the setup is complete. Your computer may need to be restarted to see the USB drive.

Pros: There are no additional hardware components or cables required to implement this method of sharing a hard drive over a network.

Cons: It is limited, however, by the range of the WiFi signal so will not provide remote access over great distances.

How to share a network drive in Windows 10

There are many situations where it’s helpful to share a drive on Windows 10 computers. You might want to share a collection of images, videos, or music files with your friends and colleagues. Many times, a large external hard drive that is physically attached to a computer requires access by other network-connected machines.

Here are the steps to follow if you want to share a hard drive over the network with Windows 10 systems. The Windows account sharing the device is required to be an admin account. One issue that needs to be addressed before you start is to password protect the drive that you intend to share. When connecting the drive over the network you will be prompted to enter a password and a blank is not acceptable. Your best strategy is to secure your drive with a password.

On the computer attached to the drive:

1. Share the drive with Windows Advanced Sharing by right-clicking on the drive and selecting Give access to -> Advanced Sharing
2. Enter the name you will use to identify the drive to network users.
3. Choose Permissions and check to Allow Full Control if you want to read and write to the drive from remote computers.

On the remote machine that will access the shared drive:

1. Select the Map network drive.
2. Choose the drive letter you want to give the shared drive and enter the IP address of the sharing computer and drive name you defined earlier in this format: \\IP_address\drive_name.
3. Select the Reconnect at sign-in and Connect using different credentials options.
4. You will be prompted for login credentials from the computer sharing the drive in the format IP_address\username where the IP address is the same used above and the username is the login on the sharing computer.

Add an exception to Windows Internet options to eliminate warning messages when moving data.

1. Go to the Control Panel and Internet Options
2. Navigate to the Security tab and choose Sites.
3. Select Advanced and Add with the IP address used to map the drive.

Windows 11 - How to Share Folders & Drives Between Computers Over a Network

Sharing folders over a protected network in Windows 11 can help streamline collaboration and data accessibility between multiple computers. And in today’s interconnected world, this is a necessity.

To this end, this article provides a step-by-step guide to walk you through the processes of setting up folder sharing, ensuring network visibility, and establishing access permissions. Follow the instructions below to share files across your networks seamlessly.

1. Name Your Computer and Adjust the Network Settings
   
   
   • First, right-click on your computer’s Start button and select System.
   • Navigate to Advanced system settings, then select Computer Name.
   • Confirm if your computer's full name is user-friendly. If it isn’t, click Change to rename it.
   • Also, ensure the workgroup name matches across all computers on the network.
   • Finally, restart your computer to apply changes.
2. Adjust Your Network Profile and Settings
   
   
   • Right-click on the Start button and select Settings.
   • Navigate to Network and Internet and select your connection type. Your connection type could be Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
   • Proceed to change the network profile to Private Network for better network functionality.
   • Then, close the settings window.
3. Configure Your Sharing Settings
   
   
   • Click Start on your computer, type Control, then select the Control Panel from the results.
   • Ensure the View by Small Icons is selected, then navigate to Network and Sharing Center.
   • Proceed to confirm your private network, then click on Change Advanced sharing settings.
   • Enable network discovery, file, and printer sharing under the current profile.
   • Also, turn off public folder sharing and password-protected sharing for easier access.
   • Adjust encryption settings if necessary.
   • Close the sharing settings window.
4. Enable Sharing With Older Computers (Optional)
   
   
   • Open the Control Panel and navigate to Programs and Features.
   • Click on Turn Windows features on or off and enable SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support.
   
   • Then, restart your computer to apply changes.
5. Adjust Sleep Mode
   
   
   • Go to the Control Panel and select Power Options.
   • Choose your power plan and click on Change plan settings.
   • Set the sleep option to Never to ensure your computer stays on to allow continuous access to shared files.
6. Share a Folder
   
   
   • Right-click on the Start button and select File Explorer.
   • Choose the folder you want to share (e.g., Documents).
   • Right-click on the folder, select Properties and go to the Sharing tab.
   • Click on Advanced Sharing and check Share this folder.
   • Proceed to adjust the permissions as needed, ensuring Everyone has complete control.
   • Navigate to the Security tab and add Everyone with full control.
   • Click on Edit, then Add, then click on Everyone to add to the full control list.
   • Click through any error prompts and close the window.
7. Access the Shared Folder from Another Computer
   
   
   • On the other computer, ensure it's connected to the same private network as the initial computer.
   • Open your File Explorer and enter the network path of the shared folder (e.g., \\win11_a).
   • If prompted, enter the username and password of the sharing computer.
   • Access the shared folder, create files, and verify accessibility.
8. Map the Network Drive
   
   
   • Right-click on This PC and select Map network drive.
   • Proceed to choose a drive letter and paste the network path.
   • Then, check Reconnect at sign-in and click Finish.
   • Rename the mapped drive for easier identification.

And there you have it! Just remember to ensure both computers remain on during the entire process.

Share storage through a high-speed USB cable

We will also show you how to use a high-speed USB cable to share storage between computers. The solution is compliant with both USB 1.1 and 2.0. specifications. USB 2.0 is a good solution for sharing USB drives. You are, however, limited by the length of the cable which does not make this a viable solution for sharing devices with remote users.

The USB 2.0 protocol enables you to:

• Use a USB port to implement communication between two computers.
• Transfer data in both directions using a dual buffer at speeds over 15 Mbps.
• Use a single-chip ASIC Hi-Speed USB host to provide bus-powered communication from a USB port.
• Work in both Mobile PC and SOHO environments.