can i plug a usb harddrive into my airport express?

[lucface]

will i be able to use a harddrive wirelessly via the usb port?

 

[WildCowboy]

No. The new AirPort Extreme base station can do it, but the AirPort Express can not.

 

[lucface]

what about the older extreem? how old? i have one. i think its about a year or maybe 2 old.

can i plug an eithernet drive into either?

 

[WildCowboy]

As far as I know, the answer is no...it's a new feature with the latest AirPort Extremes.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

what about the older extreem? how old? i have one. i think its about a year or maybe 2 old.

can i plug an eithernet drive into either?

The only one that supports USB drives is the not-even-out-yet flat square 802.11n-compatible AirPort Extreme. If you have one of the older 'UFO' AirPort Extremes, or an AirPort Express, it does not support a USB drive, only a USB printer.

But an Ethernet drive will work just fine. (On an older AirPort Extreme, you would plug it into the 'LAN' port, on an AirPort Express, you would plug it into the only ethernet port. Hopefully you don't need to plug your internet connection in to an Express, though. )

 

[lucface]

But an Ethernet drive will work just fine. (On an older AirPort Extreme, you would plug it into the 'LAN' port, on an AirPort Express, you would plug it into the only ethernet port. Hopefully you don't need to plug your internet connection in to an Express, though. )

sweet! thank you. i dont. i just use my express for printing, itunes, and wds.
i wonder how it would work. do you think it would just work? would it be like a volume? i wonder if you would have to make a network with it. hmm.
i supose ill just buy one and figure it out, but im curious

 

[Anonymous Freak]

sweet! thank you. i dont. i just use my express for printing, itunes, and wds.
i wonder how it would work. do you think it would just work? would it be like a volume? i wonder if you would have to make a network with it. hmm.
i supose ill just buy one and figure it out, but im curious

It depends on the exact net disk. Most you mount like you are connecting to a server. A good one will support AppleShare or NFS, but you can always fall back to CIFS/SMB (Windows' sharing method, supported by pretty much every net disk out there.)

But as for working on the Express, yeah, it's just plug it in, and follow the net disk's instructions. I have one networked printer connected to the LAN port of my AirPort Extreme, and another networked printer connected to the network port of my AirPort Express (which, like you, is using WDS.) This is in addition to two USB printers, one on each base station. Don't have any net disks, though. (I used to, but I had it plugged into my wired switch, and it died before I got my AirPort Express.)

 

[lucface]

bum, but thanx for the feedback.
i cant wate to have a wireless 500 gb harddrive, put all my movies and itunes on it. im going to get a lacie refurb and just stick it behind my tv and not have to have 5 plugs going to my laptop. i have a usb 80gb rite now and it has to be pluged into two ports and a firewire 300gb gets one and my speaker for other sounds,like preview and w/e gets one, and power. but if i can be free of storage then i wont plug anything else in either untill nesisary. this will make my powerbook portable again!