New RAVPower FileHub model - Review

[sparksd]

I just got the RAVPower WD07 FileHub as an update replacement for my FileHub WD03. The WD07 is advertised as a performance improvement over the WD03, adding a 5GHz transmit capability. Aside from that, the new device is really functionally the same as the older and offers really great capabilities. Since there has been a lot of discussion regarding the earlier model, I'll focus on whether this new model is an improvement.

I ran tests with both devices, copying the same files from an SD card to a hard drive (both connected to the FileHub) and from the SD card to an iPad Pro. These tests indicate that the WD07 is significantly slower at transferring data than the WD03. I’ve had the WD03 for a couple of years now and also owned the earlier FileHub devices so I have years of experience with them. I am also a retired S/W Systems Engineer with 47 years’ experience so I try to be careful with my testing.

Files on SD card: 165 Canon RAW image files 2,041,391,621 bytes

Devices Used:

WD07 FileHub with latest firmware - V2.0.038
WD03 FileHub with latest firmware - V2.000.066
10.5” iPad Pro running iOS 11.4.1 with latest FileHub application – V2.0.48
Sandisk Extreme Pro 32GB SD card
Western Digital 4TB USB3.0 My Passport Ultra Portable Hard Drive

WD07Transfer Rates Measured:

SD card -> HDD (using Copy command in FileHub app): 216 secs. (9,450,887 bytes/sec 9.01 MB/sec)

SD card -> iPad Pro (5GHz FileHub network, using FileHub Copy command from SD card to FileHub Documents folder on iPad): 648 secs (3,150,295 bytes/sec 3.004 MB/sec)

SD card -> iPad Pro (2.4GHz FileHub network, using FileHub Copy command from SD card to FileHub Documents folder): 756 secs (2,700,253 bytes/sec 2.575 MB/sec)

WD03 Transfer Rates Measured:

SD card -> HDD (using Copy command in FileHub app): 156 secs (12.48 MB/sec)

SD card -> iPad Pro (FileHub network, using FileHub Copy command from SD card to FileHub Documents folder): 486 secs (4.00 MB/sec)

Other observations –

• The WD07 got significantly warmer than the WD03 during these tests. When I removed the SD card from the WD07, it was very warm, a concern given the effects of heat on memory devices.

• The WD03 has a larger battery (6000 mAh) than the WD07 (5200 mAh).

• When connected to the WD07’s 5GHz network, bridging to other local networks is not possible as the FileHub does not show any external networks as available; bridging only works with the FileHub’s 2.4GHz network. On both devices, the bridged Internet connection runs at approx. 60% of the speed of the original connection (checked with Speedtest).

• When used in bridge mode, the WD07 cannot see external 5GHz networks (similar to the WD03); it sees and can only bridge to 2.4GHz external networks.

• Both devices provided solid connections, both with the FileHubs network alone and with bridged Internet connects; no drops seen.

• Using an SMB connection to the FileHub, you can access the attached storage using other file management apps like FileBrowser and FileExplorer (unchanged functionality).

• Physically, the WD07 is larger than the compact WD03 – about ½” longer, ¾” wider, but slightly smaller in depth. Weight is not noticeably different.

• The USB port on both devices is USB2.0. I was hoping a newer model would be USB3.0.

• The WD07 has a USB-C charge port while the WD03 uses micro USB. The WD07 may charge faster but I didn’t measure as that has never been an issue for me with the older device. A short USB-A (3.0) to USB-C is provided; for me, it just means one more cable to carry along so I don’t see this as a positive.

Conclusion – based on the above, the current incarnation of the FileHub does not appear to be an improvement over the earlier version (which is $10 cheaper on Amazon). In fact, is seems to be a step back. I'll be returning the WD07 for a refund and will continue using the WD03.

Links –

WD07: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BW3JYJR/
WD03: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T5XQE3U/

 

[Fatyank]

That is a great review. I have a WD03 I purchased in April this year. It worked fine until about a week ago when it stopped connecting with my iPad Pro 12.9 2nd Gen device. It shows up as a WiFi connection and will connect. When I open the app and tap on documents it asks for me to sign in. I use my password but get a popup that says (device time out, check connection ". I've tried troubleshot everything that shows on the RavPower website and emailed their tech support. They got back to me the next day with some suggestions but they didn't work. When I open the app I don't have the symbol in the lower left corner showing me connected to a drive or SD card. When I tap on photos or videos (home page of app) it opens up my iPad. The Filehub symbol is greyed out. If I tap on "Files or Documents" on app homepage it takes me to login which is where everything stops. Just a note, I use this with my iPhone 7 Plus and get exact same issue so it must be something with the WD03 itself. I also tried opening 10.10.10.254 but I can't connect, just get a timeout. I have been on that site before.
Any ideas? I am totally baffled

 

[sparksd]

That is a great review. I have a WD03 I purchased in April this year. It worked fine until about a week ago when it stopped connecting with my iPad Pro 12.9 2nd Gen device. It shows up as a WiFi connection and will connect. When I open the app and tap on documents it asks for me to sign in. I use my password but get a popup that says (device time out, check connection ". I've tried troubleshot everything that shows on the RavPower website and emailed their tech support. They got back to me the next day with some suggestions but they didn't work. When I open the app I don't have the symbol in the lower left corner showing me connected to a drive or SD card. When I tap on photos or videos (home page of app) it opens up my iPad. The Filehub symbol is greyed out. If I tap on "Files or Documents" on app homepage it takes me to login which is where everything stops. Just a note, I use this with my iPhone 7 Plus and get exact same issue so it must be something with the WD03 itself. I also tried opening 10.10.10.254 but I can't connect, just get a timeout. I have been on that site before.
Any ideas? I am totally baffled

I was disappointed that the new version did not offer real performance improvements, much less backsliding. But for this kind of functionality, nothing else matches it. I have a similar Kingston device but performance is no better and it is limited to 2TB or less on the HDD (I have multiple 4TB drives i use).

For your WD03, you might try the brute force approach - reset the FileHub (little pinhole on the side). You'll have to input all your settings if you connect but it's worth a shot. Also, they have a new firmware for it -

https://www.ravpower.com/rp-wd03-fi...MFAEhCXj9p6A1DwCsYDnIzmR-K-4-CQhoCULQQAvD_BwE

 

[Fatyank]

I followed the link and for firmware update but their instruction say to go to 10.10.10.254 to complete update. I am unable to connect to 10.10.10.254. I've done the 15 second reset and the 30-30-30 second reset. Reset my iPad more times than I can remember. I use Lookout mobile security and I completely removed it but get same results. One odd thing is when the app requests my login I use Admin (Username),(Admin) as password per tech support instructions but when it tells me wrong username or password the "remember password" box is checked (I don't check it) and the password shows 9 characters but I only typed in 5.
I've emailed Ravpower again with updated info. Waiting to hear back from them.

 

[sparksd]

I followed the link and for firmware update but their instruction say to go to 10.10.10.254 to complete update. I am unable to connect to 10.10.10.254. I've done the 15 second reset and the 30-30-30 second reset. Reset my iPad more times than I can remember. I use Lookout mobile security and I completely removed it but get same results. One odd thing is when the app requests my login I use Admin (Username),(Admin) as password per tech support instructions but when it tells me wrong username or password the "remember password" box is checked (I don't check it) and the password shows 9 characters but I only typed in 5.
I've emailed Ravpower again with updated info. Waiting to hear back from them.

Isn't the default password 8 1's?

 

[Fatyank]

Yes, sorry I forgot to mention I've tried that also. Are you able to open 10.10.10.254?

 

[sparksd]

Yes, sorry I forgot to mention I've tried that also. Are you able to open 10.10.10.254?

Yes, I can. I'm actually actively using mine right now as a bridge - the hotel I'm in has wonky unsecured WiFi. Have my iPad, laptop, and phone connected through it.

 

[Fatyank]

I don't know why I can't connect to that site. I'm using Safari or Google Chrome. This is what I keep getting but only from that site.

 

[Fatyank]

I found the problem with 10.10.10.254 site. I use Lookout Mobile Security app. I'm a beta tester. Part of it is "Safe Browsing" mode. I had that selected which for some reason was blocking that website. Turned off Safe Browsing and site opened up. Now it won't accept any passwords but I'm closer! I saw that setting in Lookout a dozen times but it never clicked that might be my problem. I'll get this figured out.
There's an old saying I heard many years ago "You can eat a whole elephant but you do it one bite at a time ".
Thanks for your help.

 

[sparksd]

View attachment 772923 I don't know why I can't connect to that site. I'm using Safari or Google Chrome. This is what I keep getting but only from that site.

Looking at the User Guide on pp.18-19, when logging in to 10.10.10.254 for the first time, the user ID is admin and the password is empty ("Log in with default user name: admin, password: (leave it empty)"). So the default admin password is null - maybe that's why it's not connecting - wrong password.

 

[Fatyank]

You're right again. I'm eating that last big bite of elephant. Got logged in, redid my settings. I'm now going to see if there is a firmware update. Also able to read my external hard drive and SD cards.
Again, thank you

 

[sparksd]

You're right again. I'm eating that last big bite of elephant. Got logged in, redid my settings. I'm now going to see if there is a firmware update. Also able to read my external hard drive and SD cards.
Again, thank you

I only remembered to go back and check the manual because I recently did the firmware update and that resets everything to default (really irritating - I wish they had a Save Settings option).

 

[sparksd]

Since I posted my review on Amazon, the vendor has raised the price of the earlier model by $5.00 and lowered the price of the newer model by $10.00.

 

[Fatyank]

Gotta love economics and free trade!
I found the firmware update but Ravpower notes that if you're not having issues, it's not necessary to do update. Since I got my Filehub back to operating properly I'm going to skip the update for now.

 

[melita]

View attachment 772923 I don't know why I can't connect to that site. I'm using Safari or Google Chrome. This is what I keep getting but only from that site.

 

[Synergie]

I have had two separate RavPower FileHub Plus now... WD03 And somehow I killed both of them in less than a week!

I have been using them always on, as a pass through for my WiFi connection at home, allowing us to access NAS all the time. After about 1 week, the device powers itself off, and nothing will get it to reboot. If you hold the power button, it will try to come on, then flashes fast and turns back off. I have tried leaving it charge over night and resetting it with the reset button and that doesn’t work. The device is just... dead. Twice. Two different units!

I’m now leery of trying the WD07.

I am using a MediaShair2 right now and it has been plugged in and turned on continually for 3 weeks and still going strong.

 

[sparksd]

I have had two separate RavPower FileHub Plus now... WD03 And somehow I killed both of them in less than a week!

I have been using them always on, as a pass through for my WiFi connection at home, allowing us to access NAS all the time. After about 1 week, the device powers itself off, and nothing will get it to reboot. If you hold the power button, it will try to come on, then flashes fast and turns back off. I have tried leaving it charge over night and resetting it with the reset button and that doesn’t work. The device is just... dead. Twice. Two different units!

I’m now leery of trying the WD07.

I am using a MediaShair2 right now and it has been plugged in and turned on continually for 3 weeks and still going strong.

Interesting. I've had my WD03 for 3 years now and have run it non-stop for up tor 3 weeks at a time (plugged in to a charger when used like that) and it still works great. If I had to replace it, I'd probably go with another WD03, not the WD07.

Side note - all of their documentation specifically does not mention exFAT as a supported format on the FileHubs but I've recently been using an exFAT 4TB HDD with mine, no issues. I emailed them on that and they said they'd have to check it out.

 

[melita]

I have had two separate RavPower FileHub Plus now... WD03 And somehow I killed both of them in less than a week!

I have been using them always on, as a pass through for my WiFi connection at home, allowing us to access NAS all the time. After about 1 week, the device powers itself off, and nothing will get it to reboot. If you hold the power button, it will try to come on, then flashes fast and turns back off. I have tried leaving it charge over night and resetting it with the reset button and that doesn’t work. The device is just... dead. Twice. Two different units!

I’m now leery of trying the WD07.

I am using a MediaShair2 right now and it has been plugged in and turned on continually for 3 weeks and still going strong.

It's abnormal for this condition.
They have 18 month warranty，You may contact their customer service to get support.
You will get respond in 24 hours usually.

 

[Synergie]

It's abnormal for this condition.
They have 18 month warranty，You may contact their customer service to get support.
You will get respond in 24 hours usually.

That’s how I got the second unit...It was replacement for the first one that died. Both did the same thing. If I try to boot them up, even plugged in, it acts like there is no power. It tries.... it lights up all 4 lights in sequence but then just flashes fast for a few seconds and then turns off again.

 

[sparksd]

I just noticed that both the WD03 and WD07 are listed as Currently Unavailable on Amazon. This is a very recent change.

 

[DA23Gam]

I just got the RAVPower WD07 FileHub as an update replacement for my FileHub WD03. The WD07 is advertised as a performance improvement over the WD03, adding a 5GHz transmit capability. Aside from that, the new device is really functionally the same as the older and offers really great capabilities. Since there has been a lot of discussion regarding the earlier model, I'll focus on whether this new model is an improvement....

Have you tried to charge other devices?
I just purchased a WD03 & it refuses to charge my ipad 2017.
It'll charge phones OK but at the power indicator at the top right of the ipad screen it says 'not charging'.
Any thoughts?

 

[sparksd]

Have you tried to charge other devices?
I just purchased a WD03 & it refuses to charge my ipad 2017.
It'll charge phones OK but at the power indicator at the top right of the ipad screen it says 'not charging'.
Any thoughts?

I just tried charging my iPP 10.5 with both the WD03 and the WD07 and neither would charge - apparently the iPad has too large a power draw for these. I'd never tried charging the iPad with them. I'm going to update my review of the WD07 on Amazon with this info.

 

[DA23Gam]

I just tried charging my iPP 10.5 with both the WD03 and the WD07 and neither would charge - apparently the iPad has too large a power draw for these. I'd never tried charging the iPad with them. I'm going to update my review of the WD07 on Amazon with this info.

[doublepost=1537912616][/doublepost]Same problem with iphones - won't charge. I think the manufacturers should mention this important point.

 

[sparksd]

[doublepost=1537912616][/doublepost]Same problem with iphones - won't charge. I think the manufacturers should mention this important point.

I agree. I never use these to charge other devices - I prefer to keep the battery dedicated to powering the FileHub and I have a 20800mAh external battery pack. And the iPP 10.5 is the only Apple device I own.

 

[Synergie]

Just wondering as an alternative to these, I also was looking at the WiFi enabled 2.5” hard drive enclosures. They also have USB ports and SD card slots, and WiFi pass through... as well as a wired Ethernet port.

I was thinking of maybe grabbing a really good high capacity SSD to put in one of these... then its only 1 device instead of carrying a separate hard drive. I’m not sure as far as setup though and iOS configuration apps.

I just grabbed a D Link shareport to compare to the MediaShair2. I like that it stand upright, and the USB slot is on top. I want to try a 2 Tb USB stick in it.... that would also save space and I trust flash memory / SSD more than a HDD with moveable parts.