Basic USB connection help, R7000

[Morels]

Hello, I have read through a ton of USB-related posts, I'm a slightly computer literate user and cannot find answers in the PDF manual nor in many, many threads RE USB connection issues.

So I ask, after I plug a USB device into the front (USB3) port on my R7000WIFI router, and watch the little white light fire up showing that it is recognized by the R7000, what happens next?  Is my windows 10 supposed to find the drive, like a plug and play device?

Or do I have to seek out the share name through the router interface, copy/paste it into a run box, and find it that way?

That works for me, I have connection, and then I can map the network drive which allows me to re-connect if I plug the drive in again.

I have been testing with a thumb drive.  Several thumb drives.  They all work, contrary to problems that I have discovered in numerous threads, on different forums.

I wonder if some people are simply unaware that you must direct windows to the drive in some way, like typing the share name into a run box.

I have not seen that basic instruction in many places, and it took me nearly a day to figure it out.

I think this thread might serve as instructions to other semi-literate users who are simply unclear on the issue; the USB ports on your Nighthawk router just might not be plugandplay.

Thanks for any help.

[schumaku · Accepted solution]

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@Morels wrote:

I do not have SMBv1 enabled on my windows 10 machine, (ver 1809, build 17763.615) and I have no problem connecting to the R7000. 

Wthout the SMB 1.0/CIFS Client feature, there is no NetBIOS name resolution and no NetBIOS based discovery. Netgear has still not implemented WS-Discovery which would substitute this requirement.

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@Morels wrote:

But if I try to network an old XP machine, I get an error meassage that specifies the SMBv1 issue.

No idea what SMPv1 issue you talk about - show a message, a screenshot, whatever.

XP is - with a few exceptions - for embedded solutions dead and no longer maintained for consumers, updates are not available to the public anymore.

---

@Morels wrote:

Perhaps Netgear has addressed the SMBv1 issue with firmware updates.  I have no idea how to check which SMB version the R7000 is using.

Some routers have got SMB 2.x and SMB 3.0 transport protocol. However nothing that does supersede NetBIOS. Thus \\[IP-address]\ and \\[IP-address]\[sharedfolder] can work, but nothing that requires a name resolution like \\readyshare  or ping readyshare ...

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@Morels wrote:

It all works, clumsy though.  My reason for posting was to find out if it is clumsy by design, which now I see that seems to be the case.  In addition, I hoped to put some info out there for others of my level in network skills, that is, not much.  I had no idea what \\readyshare means, and  I don't think I am alone in that.

\\readyshare does address a host announced on the network (or in business environments \\[servername] it's DNS) named readyshare - or whatever the Nighthawk owner might have configured - accessing it form an application does call for the enumeration of the available shared folders.

There should be no network skills required. It's not a secret that I don't agree with the absent WD-discovery on the Netgear consumer devices (in place e.g. on ReadyNAS OS 6) - making noise almost every week again (if not every day). This is what makes the installation of the Windows 10 SMB 1.0/CIFS feature mandatory - it was removed from existing Windows 10 installations if not used for a certain time, or isn't installed on new scratch installs of current Windows 10 systems  - when you expect the full functionality on your Nightawk router ReadyShare feature for your Windows 10 system(s).

[michaelkenward]

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@Morels wrote:

I have not seen that basic instruction in many places, and it took me nearly a day to figure it out.

Start with the manual and the section Share USB Devices Attached to the Router.

>>>> R7000 | Product | Support | NETGEAR <<<<

[Morels]

Thank you for the reply, michaelkenward

I did try reading the manual, and got stuck on page 65 where it says:

"To access the USB drive from a Windows computer:
1. Select Start > Run.
2. Enter \\readyshare in the dialog box and click the OK button."

After I typed \\readyshare in the run box, I received an error message:

"Windows cannot access readyshare"

Details: 

"error code 80070035

The network path was not found"

For the sake of learning more about this connection question, I moved to the next step, which makes reference to an exe file.  I was then thinking that perhaps there is additional software neccessary:

"To map the USB device to a Windows network drive:
1. Visit (netgear website)
2. In the ReadySHARE USB Storage Access pane, click PC Utility.
The readyshareconnect.exe file is downloaded to your computer.

3. Launch readyshareconnect.exe.
4. Select the drive letter to map to the network folder.
5. (Optional) If you want to connect to the USB drive as a different user, select the Connect
using different credentials check box.
a. Type the user name and password.
b. Click the OK button.
6. Click the Finish button.
The USB drive is mapped to the drive letter that you specified."

I visited the neatgear.com site. 

I could not find the "ReadySHARE USB Storage Access pane."

Nor a "PC Utility."

Not even a "readyshareconnect.exe"

Hmm.  I entered my model number, looked through the available downloads, etc.  I used the search function on the site.  Nothing.

As I explained in my original post, I did eventually discover a way to connect.  I have to find the share name of the USB device through the router interface. That is available through the Basic tab, Home page, click the Readyshare tile and it shows avaiable USB devices.  The first column shows the share name.

Then it is simple to paste it into a run box and access the device.  I am wondering though, is this the intended method for accessing a drive connected via USB to the R7000?  Once I am connected of course, I know that  I can map the drive. 

The instructions in the manual did not help me very much.

[schumaku]

Netgear is still stuck (on the routers, extenders, ...) to NetBIOS device discovery and name resolution, and most of these consumer devices don't support anything but SMB 1.0 transport protocol. Both requires having the SMB 1.0/CIFS Client feature installed on the Windows 10 system. Plus the network location must be set to a private - not public - network. So we're still waiting for current SAMBA sharing file system support, and the addition of WS-Discovery - and htis feature would not be required.

Once done so, the router READYSHARE (or however it was renamed) should show up in the Windows 10 Explorer in Network - from here you can browse to the shared folders, no need to find the configured shared folder names:

Sometimes, it does not show up immediately here, it can take a minute or so after connecting to the network. You can manually enter the \\readyshare (casing does not matter) in the Start menu or direct in the Windows Explorer.

[Morels]

Thank you Schumaku

My R7000 shows an icon in Network folder, not in This PC. 

But clicking the icon only brings up the router login page, and then the control interface, even with a USB dsrive plugged into the router.

Firmware: V1.0.9.88_10.2.88

If there is a USB device plugged in, then it is possible to access using \\R7000, (manual could have said \\router model, would have saved me a lot of time.)  Or I can use the share name of the drive, \\share name.

If there is no drive plugged in, then computer will not connect.

I do not have SMBv1 enabled on my windows 10 machine, (ver 1809, build 17763.615) and I have no problem connecting to the R7000. 

But if I try to network an old XP machine, I get an error meassage that specifies the SMBv1 issue.

Perhaps Netgear has addressed the SMBv1 issue with firmware updates.  I have no idea how to check which SMB version the R7000 is using.

It all works, clumsy though.  My reason for posting was to find out if it is clumsy by design, which now I see that seems to be the case.  In addition, I hoped to put some info out there for others of my level in network skills, that is, not much.  I had no idea what \\readyshare means, and  I don't think I am alone in that.

Thanks again

[michaelkenward]

As you said earlier, you can map a Readyshare drive to a Windows drive.

Usual "right click" way in.

Doesn't that do what you want?

I don't use Windows Explorer. I have a "grown up" alternative (Directory Opus) that lets me create all manner of ways of getting at storage locations.

[Global_Saffer]

You'll want to 'map' the USB drive.  Here is a MS article on how to do that...

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026635/windows-map-a-network-drive

[myersw]

@michaelkenward 

Thanks for the Directory Opus info. Looked it over on their site and it looks like what I have wanted from File Exploder for sometime. 

[IrvSp]

@michaelkenward, @myersw, I use a freebie, Explorer++ (https://explorerplusplus.com/, Although the link to d/l is old, it still works... They have FORUM that has a newer version though with some added features. Right now using V1.3.5.531 64 bit. Check it out. Also have the last one from the Forum, V1.4.0.825 64 bit. Slightly different but I can't really tell the difference?

[schumaku · Accepted solution]

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@Morels wrote:

I do not have SMBv1 enabled on my windows 10 machine, (ver 1809, build 17763.615) and I have no problem connecting to the R7000. 

Wthout the SMB 1.0/CIFS Client feature, there is no NetBIOS name resolution and no NetBIOS based discovery. Netgear has still not implemented WS-Discovery which would substitute this requirement.

---

@Morels wrote:

But if I try to network an old XP machine, I get an error meassage that specifies the SMBv1 issue.

No idea what SMPv1 issue you talk about - show a message, a screenshot, whatever.

XP is - with a few exceptions - for embedded solutions dead and no longer maintained for consumers, updates are not available to the public anymore.

---

@Morels wrote:

Perhaps Netgear has addressed the SMBv1 issue with firmware updates.  I have no idea how to check which SMB version the R7000 is using.

Some routers have got SMB 2.x and SMB 3.0 transport protocol. However nothing that does supersede NetBIOS. Thus \\[IP-address]\ and \\[IP-address]\[sharedfolder] can work, but nothing that requires a name resolution like \\readyshare  or ping readyshare ...

---

@Morels wrote:

It all works, clumsy though.  My reason for posting was to find out if it is clumsy by design, which now I see that seems to be the case.  In addition, I hoped to put some info out there for others of my level in network skills, that is, not much.  I had no idea what \\readyshare means, and  I don't think I am alone in that.

\\readyshare does address a host announced on the network (or in business environments \\[servername] it's DNS) named readyshare - or whatever the Nighthawk owner might have configured - accessing it form an application does call for the enumeration of the available shared folders.

There should be no network skills required. It's not a secret that I don't agree with the absent WD-discovery on the Netgear consumer devices (in place e.g. on ReadyNAS OS 6) - making noise almost every week again (if not every day). This is what makes the installation of the Windows 10 SMB 1.0/CIFS feature mandatory - it was removed from existing Windows 10 installations if not used for a certain time, or isn't installed on new scratch installs of current Windows 10 systems  - when you expect the full functionality on your Nightawk router ReadyShare feature for your Windows 10 system(s).

[myersw]

@IrvSp 

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I tried Explorer++ at some point and decided against it. But that was several years ago and is probably better now. While it costs, Directory Opus seems nice. Still running the 30 day trial so time will tell if I actually pull the trigger. Directory plus sounds expensive until you do the Ausie to US exchange. Then not so bad. I do not mine paying devs for quality software. Have paid more then one of them wanting donations if I liked and used their software.

[IrvSp]

@Morels, first, forget about NG doing ANYTHING about SMB1 or WSD to make Router USB drive sharing easy. I went round and round for almost a year documenting, detailing, teaching support about the problem. Common response back, it is an MS problem. Eventually they came around to understanding the problem. Final answer, they are NOT in the Spec and therefore will not be implemented. Again I proved they were exposing the USB share using NETBIOS and that requires SMB1 which has be 'depricated' by MS as it is a security exposure.

So, with that said, you have to use SMB 1 Client in order to see the share. And it must be on ALL PC's otherwise Computer Browser function will not work.

There are a lot of threads here on this problem, SEARCH SMB 1 USB in the forum. Some you might want to read:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/readyshare-not-recognizing-USB-Storage/m-p/1...

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/R7800-readyshare/m-p/1701601?_ga=2.155653435...

https://community.netgear.com/t5/DSL-Modems-Routers/USB-Drive-connected-to-D7000v2-not-detected-by-W...

Basically you need to enable SMB 1 Client. If you do that and open a CMD prompt and enter NET VIEW you'll see this for the router if you used the DEFAULT Router and Sharename for the USB drive:

==============

C:\>net view
Server Name Remark

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\\IRV8700 Irv's 8700
\\READYSHARE readyshare
The command completed successfully.

==============

If you get an ERROR, you do NOT have SMB 1 Client enabled.

Once you do that you can use NET VIEW \\READYSHARE and you'll see the main folder for the USB drive:

-------------------

C:\>net view \\readyshare
Shared resources at \\readyshare

readyshare

Share name Type Used as Comment

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Movies Disk read:all-no password;write:all-no password
USB_2.0_Storage Disk read:admin;write:admin
The command completed successfully.

----------------------

Lastly can do NET USE to assign a drive letter to \\READYSHARE\SHARENAME where SHARENAME is the Share Name you set, MOVIES or USB_2.0_STORAGE in my case.

[IrvSp]

@myersw, Bill again we drift off topic

I have paid my share too, and some I drop within a short period of time.

I can't tell you how many Explorer replacements I tired and bought? First one was PDExplorer I recall (no longer available I think?). Check these links:

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-windows-file-explorer-replacements/

https://www.online-tech-tips.com/software-reviews/best-windows-explorer-replacements-for-windows-10/

I tried QDir, XYplorer, and others, but always return to Explorer++, works the way I like it (with defaults changed of course).

However sometimes 'paid' is worth it IF the developer keeps current and fixed bugs. Hard to make money on something like this as the basic Windows Explorer works fine for a majority of uses, and there are many free alternatives out there. Have to look at the functions above and beyond the default Windows one provides and if it works as you like it.

[schumaku]

@myersw @IrvSp different from the mobile crap platforms not having any OS/infrastructure support for device discovery/P2P name resolution/SMB file transport, ...and all this has to be implemented as part of the App, all the whatever "Explorers" make use of the system calls - so the limitations and requirements are the very same for all.

[michaelkenward]

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@IrvSp wrote:

However sometimes 'paid' is worth it IF the developer keeps current and fixed bugs.

---

The updates to DOpus are so frequent, at least monthly,  that it can be hard to keep up.

It is relevant to this discussion of network issues because DOpus has ways of working with files, paths and folders that make it easy to work with stuff on networks, even when there are hidden in the depths of \\readyshare.

I tried various alternatives, including some mentioned here, before settling on DOpus.

[IrvSp]

@michaelkenward, never had a problem with the USB share on any 'Explorer'? Before W10 Creator Edition, or after that once SMB 1 Client is enabled.

From the screenshots of DOpus it seems centered on Photo's as it 'main selling feature'. I use another program for that type of 'features'.

Explorer++ had some quirks but I lived with them. Main one was when the C: drive was selected in the folder view pane it didn't 'open', you had to select the > open it up. All other drives it did that automatically. New verions work on the C: drive.

I will keep DOpus in mind though. Might give it a try too.

[michaelkenward]

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@IrvSp wrote:

From the screenshots of DOpus it seems centered on Photo's as it 'main selling feature'. I use another program for that type of 'features'.

By no means. I rarely use DOpus for working photos.

Its biggest feature from my point of view is the ability to write renaming scripts that can mess around with stuff like regex and metadata to rename and move files.

[schumaku]

Everything an average consumer (or business, even IT) person needs is in Windows Explorer 8---)))))) And the good part: It's always available, it's always working, it's always up2date, ... If the operating system can't discover the ReadyShare, if the operating system can't resolve ReadyShare, ... of the OS has strict firewall rules on (e.g in Public network mode) or caused by whatever crazy Internet Security *****, you can try many different substitutions - things will always fail.

[Morels]

Thanks, your replies as well as the others have given me plenty of homework.  I do think the Netgear people could make it easier for a non-technical person to use their routers.  But from my position, it is hard for me to judge their decisions.  Some of you are better positioned to do so, I hope Netgear listens.

As for the SMBv1 issue, that is where my USB questions started.  I was using an old XP machine for storage on my local network.  I started to have connection issues, and it was the SMBv1.  Seems that some releases of windows10 were disabling the protocol.  The laptop wouldn't connect anymore, but the PC would.  Explored the problem online, and I got everything back to working.  But, I learned that maybe I shouldn't enable the SMBv1 anyway.  Which led me to explore the option of connecting some storage to the R7000, something I had never even tried.  Now that I know a bit more, I see it as an option.  It was hard though, and made me think something was wrong with the router.

My initial question has been answered more than well enough.

But you asked me about the SMB error message, so here it is. 

Now that I have disabled SMB1, I can no longer connect to the XP machine, see photo, windows10 doesn't think it is a good idea.

That is the error message.

I am not really sure how dangerous it is, but until I learn more, it remains disabled.  

[IrvSp]

There are a few things tied to SMB 1. Absence can cause a host of problems, for all Windows PC's connected to a LAN.

SMB 1 works with the Master Browser and Computer Browser Service.  Once that is 'broken' with no SMB 1 running, other Window's PC's usually will fail as well. It is actually reliant on what PC was turned on first sometimes even. You can Google these for more info if you wish to know more. Some to look at:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/3101aeef-115f-4b6e-94c1-c3d0f575b116/master-browse...

This one is even better:

http://woshub.com/network-computers-not-showing-windows-10/

However, that REQUIRES WSD to be running as the SHARE discovery method. Look at my Screen Capture on the upper left of this post. It is looking at my network and the discovery methods. Note the PC's use WSD (both are W10 with SMB 1 enabled.

As for SMB 1, WannaCry virus attacked the SMB Server. Also today most if not all Security suites protect against that too, but for safety only the SMB 1 Client should be enabled. Still, SMB 1 is considered a risk to run. However even MS said if you need it, enable it, for Network useability.

See https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Storage-at-Microsoft/Stop-using-SMB1/ba-p/425858, and from it:

=============

Explorer Network Browsing

The Computer Browser service relies on SMB1 in order to populate the Windows Explorer Network (aka "Network Neighborhood"). This legacy protocol is long deprecated, doesn't route, and has limited security. Because it cannot function without SMB1, it is removed at the same time.

However, some customers still use the Explorer Network in home and small business workgroup environments to locate Windows computers. To continue using Explorer Network, you can perform the following steps on your Windows computers that no longer use SMB1:

=====================