Zyxel NR5103E USB Drive Folder Sharing not available

[Anvil_Iron]

When a USB drive is connected to the USB port, the web-based config (Network Setting > USB Service) doesn't display options to share folders. The page shows Volume as /dev/sda, Capacity and Used space are shown for the drive so it's recognised by the router. File Sharing Services is enabled and applied. I'm expecting a File Sharing / Add new share option but this isn't available. Firmware is V1.00(ACBJ.0)b12 which is currently the latest.

I looked at a screen shot for a Zyxel EX5501 which has a similar interface and Share Directory List option is available when File Sharing Services is enabled but the volume is usb1_sda1.

I have tried a factory reset, different drives (HDD/flash), usb2/3 drives, ntfs/fat32 formats but none helped. Does anyone know if this is a firmware issue? Has someone tried using the USB3 port for folder/file sharing?

[Mike20490420]

Yup. Works in Windows too. 

In file explorer Rh click 'this pc', select map network drive, enter \\[your router's IP address]\USB_SHARE

I was then prompted for my userid and pw

Bingo! 😁

[Anvil_Iron]

Hi, Can you provide a screenshot of the USB Service page from within the router web-config? Thanks.

[Mike20490420]

 Here you go. 

The same information is displayed if I log in with my laptop. 

[Anvil_Iron]

Although we are now able to access the USB drive for sharing, I think there's still a problem with the USB Service page as it says, "You may Start from deciding which folders in the USB disks to share..." and we can't do that. So either they have decided to implement the way we are accessing the drive at the moment (\\191.168.1.1\usb_share) and haven't updated the instructions or they haven't properly implemented the feature/function to share folders. Hmmm.

[Mike20490420]

Yes, that does seem strange. 

[Anvil_Iron]

Thanks. I've tried it again with FC on my android mobile and the scan found the usb_share, then I mapped it in windows and there it was. Strange, scanning in File Explorer didn't find it but entering manually did. Thanks for your solution. The router is up running 100% now.

[Mike20490420 · Accepted solution]

I thought I had the same issue but I've just managed to get it working on Android. I noticed when I scanned the ports on the router, port 445 was open. This stopped showing after some time. I restarted the router and it appeared again. 

On Android, I used File Commander to acces network drive. FC scanned, found the drive and USB folder but access was denied. I added my username and password in FC and it now works fine. Now I'm going to try and map the drive in Windows. 

[Anvil_Iron]

The volume entry /dev/sda shouldn't exist when no storage device is plugged into the USB port like below for another Zyxel router. 

[crypt0ninja]

This was recently tested by someone over at ISPReview forums and seemed to work fine for them.

Haven't tried it myself but ill test it tomorrow.