Best way to make wireless file server with spare RT-AC68U?

[crawfish]

I have two RT-AC68U routers, one of which is my broadband router, while the other is sitting unplugged in a closet. (The latter's broadband port was killed by a lightning strike, and while I eventually figured out how to repurpose another port for broadband, I'd since purchased a replacement, which BTW is a different version with a significantly faster UI. Except for the broadband port, the damaged router works fine.) I'd like to use the idle one to make a wireless file server. I can use either USB attached storage or connect it to a PC, and I'd like the option to do both. I have no experience with either so would appreciate some guidance. I know nothing about AIMesh, access points, etc.

 

[Greg72]

I have mine setup with a 120gb SSD for Time Machine. The radios are disabled and connected as in AP mode to my Comcast/Xfinity xb6 eMTA. This also gives me four more Ethernet Ports at the Gateway.

As for the lightning strike. This can help for better protection next time. http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lhm/IEEE_Guide.pdf

I am currently in the process of updating the Earth Grounding and bonding for gas/water piping for my fiancé’s house. You can get the Gas Discharge protectors for $3.00 USD from partsexpress .com. The protection that goes at the electrical meter needs a good Earth Ground to no less than two ground rods using number 4 solid copper wiring.

 

[dosborne]

While technically possible (just plug in a drive and enable sharing), I would strongly vote against it unless you plan on very minimal usage (ie don't expect to be able to get much throughput).

First, if you do go wireless, then that is certainly a limiting factor. Second, the CPU is not designed for hardcore usage of this type. Third, you are limited by usb speeds......

Given these and many other reasons I wouldn't feel comfortable advising anyone to use this particular functionality as a backup solution. The router would serve a better purpose sitting unused in the box ready to be used as a spare.

However, a somewhat more reasonable option may be to use it as an AP to improve coverage, should that be an issue for you.

Here is one of many similar topics
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/is-using-a-usb-stick-a-bad-idea.59248/page-3#post-526242

 

[crawfish]

Thanks. I tried putting the spare one in bridge mode, and that was the most frustrating experience. It would connect, and I'd be able to ping Yahoo and whatnot from the tools page, but the PC I cabled to it to test it, which had been cabled to my existing network, couldn't maintain a connection more than a second or two. When I ran the Windows troubleshooter, it gave me missing gateway errors. After reading some posts here about bridge mode dropping connections, albeit after a longer period of time than mine, I tried downgrading the firmware, but the only thing that helped was to make the Web UI much, much snappier. I knew the thing wasn't always as damn slow as it became at some point during the few years I've owned it. As I mentioned in my first post, the new 68u is a different hardware version and much faster in the UI, but it's still not as fast as the old router with the 3.80 firmware. Anyone know what they did?

Anyway, I tried an old Linksys E4200 running Tomato in bridge mode, and it worked right away and perfectly. I can't use it long term because it will forever be susceptible to KRACK. If I decide to go through with this plan, it'll be with a cheap NAS, like the Synology DS218j and a new router I'll use as a bridge, maybe a Netgear R6700.

About the lightning damaged router, it would be weird if bridge mode was screwed up, but it still functioned perfectly as a wired/wireless broadband router minus the fried broadband port. Also, the slow UI with firmware > 3.80 predates the damage, and the damage didn't prevent the UI from speeding up hugely with 3.80. I have no explanation why the bridge mode experiment was such a failure.

 

[Grisu]

did you test with Merlin's 380.66_4 firmware: https://sourceforge.net/projects/as...-AC68U/Release/RT-AC68U_380.66_4.zip/download

 

[crawfish]

I've only ever used the Asus firmware. (Not going to try this again. It just plain didn't work, and I wasted several hours on it. I'll buy a new router instead of messing with this more.)

 

[Grisu]

but this version is known to run bridge mode very well and stable (factory reset needed anyway).