External HDD as network?

Question

Iron

it is clear that there are special NAS solutions for this, but still,
is it possible to make a regular external hard drive a network one?
task: use files from different laptops, preferably via wi-fi

Answer 1

The simplest (and cheapest) is to plug it into a router with a USB port.

Answer 2

Of course you can. Connect via usb to the router that distributes your Internet.
The most important feature is that in this case, the speed of access to this hard disk will be very slow. You don't even want to download torrents there. This is a feature of a number of problems: lack of router resources to work with a hard drive, crooked drivers for working with usb on Linux routers, etc. If you want to watch movies from an external drive and transfer files quickly enough, you will have to buy a NAS.

Answer 3

Right now I'm transferring files from a laptop via Wi-Fi to a 3.5" disk connected to a router. Copy speed is 50 Mbps.
TP-link MR3220 router; OpenWRT firmware; disk is formatted in ext4 and connected via SAMBA protocol to a home network. The load on the CPC of the router is 80% (50% is eaten by the smbd process and the rest is trifles)

Answer 4

maybe - you can connect via Wireless USB - expensive, but fashionable :)
but seriously, it's better to use
1) a router as a bridge (if there is a USB port)
2) RaspPI model B (USB for disk + Ethernet for network) - the most budget
3) build a NAS yourself (from $300 x86, from $125 ARM)