Problem connecting external hard drive to Airport extreme via USB hub

nards10 · nards10 #1 (**permalink**)

08-26-2011, 06:18 PM

No one has been able to solve this mystery, thought I would give the forum a shot.

I have an OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro external HD which I am trying to connect to my wireless network with an Airport extreme (5th gen) via a 2.0 USB hub. The USB hub works with my printer which is fed through the A/P extreme. The HD is formatted for mac and can be seen when connected DIRECTLY to the A/P extreme and my iMac. However, the airport extreme flashes amber (disk error) when I plug the external HD into it via the USB hub. The disk utility or A/P utility doesn't see it in that configuration either. Both the external HD and USB hub are connected to their own power cord. Everything seems to work separately, but not together. Thoughts to get this config up and working? Thanks!

osxx · osxx #2 (**permalink**)

08-26-2011, 07:22 PM

Is file sharing enabled in disks in Airport Utility for the Extreme ?
Click on Finder > Shared and it should show up after the above sharing is enabled.

nards10 · nards10 #3 (**permalink**)

08-26-2011, 07:57 PM

Yes, file sharing is on. Everything works perfectly when the external HD is directly connected to the airport extreme. Just having problems when going through the USB hub. The hub is not faulty though because it works with the printer.

osxx · osxx #4 (**permalink**)

08-26-2011, 08:08 PM

Does it show up in Finder under Shared under Extreme and if it does did you click it
and does it show connect as ?

nards10 · nards10 #5 (**permalink**)

08-26-2011, 08:12 PM

When connected directly to A/P extreme, yes, the HD shows up in finder, is shared, and connected as. When connected through the USB hub, however, I get nothing, just a flashing amber on the extreme.

osxx · osxx #6 (**permalink**)

08-26-2011, 09:43 PM

Had a Belkin powered hub do this to me years ago everything worked fine plugged directly into the AEBS but only the printer and thumb drives would work on the hub.
My solution after several returns was a networking printer and a direct to AEBS hard drive via USB. Maybe some other forum members can post a brand hub that works with your combo.

nards10 · nards10 #7 (**permalink**)

08-29-2011, 04:59 PM

Looks like it may just have been the hub. I'm surprised! I first tried a Belkin F5U403, which was giving me the flashing amber on the A/P extreme and was not connecting. I swapped that Belkin with a NewerTech 7 port Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hub which seems to work. The printer, A/P extreme and OWC Elite-AL Pro external hard drive are all connected via USB and are working.

bwohlgemuth · bwohlgemuth #8 (**permalink**)

08-31-2011, 10:25 PM

Funny thing is I had the exact opposite problem. My Iomega 2TB drive would not show up at all for anything I did with the AE. However, it will appear with a cheap USB hub thrown into the mix. Since the hub will now allow multiple devices, I'm going to throw in a spare 500GB drive to use as "uber backup" for the backup. Maybe I should back up the backup backup drive....

ernie_2 · ernie_2 #9 (**permalink**)

03-25-2012, 04:34 PM

My USB HD works perfect when connected directly to the AEBS. When connected through a powered (Trust) hub it does show up and reading files seems to work well. But when trying to write files to the HD, the connection stalls. After that, the airport utility cannot access the setup anymore (error -6722) until a power reset (the WLAN continues functioning).
So it seems the AEBS is kind of sensitive for the hub you use??

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Problem connecting external hard drive to Airport extreme via USB hub

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nards10 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 26, 2011 Posts: 4	08-26-2011, 06:18 PM No one has been able to solve this mystery, thought I would give the forum a shot. I have an OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro external HD which I am trying to connect to my wireless network with an Airport extreme (5th gen) via a 2.0 USB hub. The USB hub works with my printer which is fed through the A/P extreme. The HD is formatted for mac and can be seen when connected DIRECTLY to the A/P extreme and my iMac. However, the airport extreme flashes amber (disk error) when I plug the external HD into it via the USB hub. The disk utility or A/P utility doesn't see it in that configuration either. Both the external HD and USB hub are connected to their own power cord. Everything seems to work separately, but not together. Thoughts to get this config up and working? Thanks!
	QUOTE Thanks

osxx #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 19, 2008 Location: houston texas Posts: 3,933 Mac Specs: 15 MacBook Pro 2009 32GB iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 Apple TV 3 AEBS/AE	08-26-2011, 07:22 PM Is file sharing enabled in disks in Airport Utility for the Extreme ? Click on Finder > Shared and it should show up after the above sharing is enabled.
	QUOTE Thanks

osxx #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 19, 2008 Location: houston texas Posts: 3,933 Mac Specs: 15 MacBook Pro 2009 32GB iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 Apple TV 3 AEBS/AE	08-26-2011, 08:08 PM Does it show up in Finder under Shared under Extreme and if it does did you click it and does it show connect as ?
	QUOTE Thanks

nards10 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 26, 2011 Posts: 4	08-26-2011, 08:12 PM When connected directly to A/P extreme, yes, the HD shows up in finder, is shared, and connected as. When connected through the USB hub, however, I get nothing, just a flashing amber on the extreme.
	QUOTE Thanks

osxx #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 19, 2008 Location: houston texas Posts: 3,933 Mac Specs: 15 MacBook Pro 2009 32GB iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 Apple TV 3 AEBS/AE	08-26-2011, 09:43 PM Had a Belkin powered hub do this to me years ago everything worked fine plugged directly into the AEBS but only the printer and thumb drives would work on the hub. My solution after several returns was a networking printer and a direct to AEBS hard drive via USB. Maybe some other forum members can post a brand hub that works with your combo.
	QUOTE Thanks

nards10 #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 26, 2011 Posts: 4	08-29-2011, 04:59 PM Looks like it may just have been the hub. I'm surprised! I first tried a Belkin F5U403, which was giving me the flashing amber on the A/P extreme and was not connecting. I swapped that Belkin with a NewerTech 7 port Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hub which seems to work. The printer, A/P extreme and OWC Elite-AL Pro external hard drive are all connected via USB and are working.
	QUOTE Thanks

bwohlgemuth #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 31, 2011 Posts: 1	08-31-2011, 10:25 PM Funny thing is I had the exact opposite problem. My Iomega 2TB drive would not show up at all for anything I did with the AE. However, it will appear with a cheap USB hub thrown into the mix. Since the hub will now allow multiple devices, I'm going to throw in a spare 500GB drive to use as "uber backup" for the backup. Maybe I should back up the backup backup drive....
	QUOTE Thanks

ernie_2 #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 25, 2012 Posts: 3	03-25-2012, 04:34 PM My USB HD works perfect when connected directly to the AEBS. When connected through a powered (Trust) hub it does show up and reading files seems to work well. But when trying to write files to the HD, the connection stalls. After that, the airport utility cannot access the setup anymore (error -6722) until a power reset (the WLAN continues functioning). So it seems the AEBS is kind of sensitive for the hub you use??
	QUOTE Thanks

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