4 issues you are able to do with the USB ports in your Wi-Fi router

Whether or not you personal your personal Wi-Fi router (which I extremely advocate) or hire one out of your web supplier, there’s in all probability not less than one USB port on it. It is easy to disregard — the entire level of a router is to attach units wirelessly, in any case. Within the case of my Eero Pro 6E, there’s not even a lot to say about it, for the reason that solely level of the port is to hook up an influence adapter.

Many routers do have free USB ports, although, which raises the query of what to do with them. You actually haven’t got to attach something, which is why routers like mine exist. But they will doubtlessly add loads of flexibility to your Wi-Fi community, or come to the rescue in dire conditions. The chances are restricted primarily by the pace of these ports and the way a lot energy they will provide. For this checklist, I will observe particular restrictions as I am going alongside.

4

Community-attached storage

A lifesaver, or not less than a comfort

Native (on-device) storage tends to be quicker, and cloud storage is your greatest prevention in opposition to catastrophe, however in between is network-attached storage, or NAS for brief. This makes it potential for any gadget in your Wi-Fi community to seize or share information, no matter which different units are on. It is even potential to arrange an offline video library this manner, though you may nonetheless desire a Mac or Home windows PC for that process if any transcoding is concerned. Even {many professional} NAS methods aren’t highly effective sufficient to transcode 4K video right into a format your TV can deal with.

For less complicated file sharing, nearly any exterior SSD will do. Port speeds are vital right here, nonetheless — USB 2.0 tops out at 480Mbps, which is sweet sufficient for small information, however is perhaps completely maddening in case you’re making an attempt to stream a film or copy your total music library. At 5Gbps or greater, USB 3.x is much extra environment friendly, to the purpose that your router and/or Ethernet cables could turn out to be the actual bottleneck. NAS expertise is without doubt one of the stronger arguments for Wi-FI 7.

One of many higher makes use of for NAS expertise is automated backups, even when it is simply syncing a couple of key folders every day. Many free instruments for this exist, together with Time Machine in case you’re utilizing macOS. Extra superior customers would possibly contemplate a RAID setup, though at that time you may need an ultra-fast Ethernet connection as an alternative of USB.

3

Printer sharing

The expertise that refuses to die

If you may get away with it, I might truly advocate banishing paper printers from your house. Past the environmental affect, fewer paperwork must be bodily signed, and printer makers nonetheless cannot work out easy methods to make their merchandise work reliably or cheaply. Inkjet cartridges are so costly that in some circumstances, it is truly extra inexpensive to purchase a brand new printer, regardless of that its starter cartridges will not final many periods.

When proudly owning a printer is unavoidable, hooking it as much as your router enables you to print from any appropriate gadget on the identical community. That is extra of a bonus than you would possibly suppose — organising a printer’s native Wi-Fi is cumbersome at greatest, and in bigger homes, your printer can fall out of vary. A network-attached printer is on the market anyplace your router can contact.

2

A backup web connection

Anticipate to pay for the privilege

Some Wi-Fi routers allow you to insert a USB dongle with a 4G or 5G mobile modem in case your major web connection goes down. To be clear, that is overkill normally. When you do not earn a living from home, you may in all probability be tremendous together with your telephone till your connection comes again. When you work remotely like I do, it is nonetheless faster and cheaper to tether a pc to your telephone’s private hotspot — a USB dongle could require its personal knowledge plan.

A backup modem is generally helpful in businessesand , significantly those who depend on sensible safety methods. With out web entry, some automations could not set off, and you will not get sensor or digital camera alerts whenever you’re away. With a mobile modem as backup, all the things ought to hold buzzing 24/7 as long as your constructing nonetheless has energy.

Test router compatibility earlier than investing in any of this. Typically mobile failover (a.ok.a. WAN backup) is restricted to dearer router fashions, and you may must dip into settings to change issues on. Do not count on modem assist on an inexpensive entry-level product.

1

System charging

Unusual however true

Whereas data-only connections had been a factor at one level, any latest USB port ought to present not less than a token quantity of energy. Equipment like thumb drives can be inconceivable with out it, by no means thoughts exterior SSDs, or wired mice and keyboards. You will get USB-powered followers and vacuums in your desktop.

In a pinch, you could possibly use your router’s USB port(s) to cost your telephone or different small units. Do not count on miracles, although. USB 2.0 is often restricted to 2.5W, and even many USB 3.x ports are capped at 4.5W — at these speeds, you’d have to depart your telephone linked to a router for hours to get it from 10% to full. For comparability, contemplate that my iPhone 16 Professional permits 25W charging by way of MagSafe, and a few Chinese language telephones assist wired charging upwards of 100W.

It is extremely unlikely you may discover a router that helps greater than 7.5W for something however its personal provide. Ethernet-connected sensible residence hubs like those offered by Philips Hue require a separate AC adapter. That mentioned, a slim variety of routers assist USB Energy Supply equal to your telephone’s wall charger, so do not quit hope.