Will the AEBS support 2 USB Hard drives through a 4-port USB hub?

[IrishDomer08]

I am wondering if I can plug my 2 external USB hard drives into a Airport Extreme Base Station at once using a 4-port USB hub. I'd like to use this configuration for Time Machine. One hard drive for each of my computers (ibook and iMac). Anyone have any experience doing this? If so, will the USB hub considerably slow down the data transfer?

Thanks!

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I am wondering if I can plug my 2 external USB hard drives into a Airport Extreme Base Station at once using a 4-port USB hub.

Yes, no problem...

I'd like to use this configuration for Time Machine. One hard drive for each of my computers (ibook and iMac).

I currently use one of them as Time Machine disk, the other just for "space". Don't see any problems with setting up the iBook and iMac to use different disks in their respective TM preferences... that first backup is painfully slow, though...

If so, will the USB hub considerably slow down the data transfer?

...but the hub itself shouldn't be a problem...


Having an old MacBook with G-capable wifi only, I even started up that initial backup wirelessly, quit, connected the disk using USB and finished it over USB, then reconnected the disk to the USB hub connected to my...even that was painfully slow...

 

[dborja]

Agree with Mitthrawnuruodo. I'm set up similarly: a 4-port USB hub to the AEBS with two external drives and a printer. No problems accessing all three devices. I use one of the hard drives as a common data area that I can reach from my laptops and the other one as an archive drive. For Time Machine, I have a third external drive which is connected to my iMac via Firewire; my laptops each have their own portable drives for Time Machine.

 

[IrishDomer08]

Thanks for the responses.

I think I'll get the AEBS and use my existing external drives instead of Time Capsule. Save a little $$.

 

[Gentile]

What about using a mobile usb hard drive that has no external power supply? Would the base station have enough power for 1 or 2 external drives? I think this would be a nice setup with few wires.

 

[ahaley1986]

is it possible to connect a HDD and a dvd drive through a usb hub using airport extreme????

 

[Bambeezer]

What about using a mobile usb hard drive that has no external power supply? Would the base station have enough power for 1 or 2 external drives? I think this would be a nice setup with few wires.

I use 1 portable Seagate free agent drive through a non powered hub and it works fine. I don't know about more than that though.

 

[DoFoT9]

What about using a mobile usb hard drive that has no external power supply? Would the base station have enough power for 1 or 2 external drives? I think this would be a nice setup with few wires.

most mobile hard drives only need one single cable to both power and transfer data, which is pretty cool.

is it possible to connect a HDD and a dvd drive through a usb hub using airport extreme????

i dont think that would be possible. it would only be possible on a 'n; network anyway because i know from sharing a dvd over a network completely bogged it down and froze up every 10seconds or so. quite annoying.

but yea i dont think you could share the dvd, unless...???