# USB Network Print Server + USB Drive = Fileserver?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-network-print-server-usb-drive-fileserver/239162>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 9, 2004, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-network-print-server-usb-drive-fileserver/239162 "2004-04-09T12:24:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-network-print-server-usb-drive-fileserver/239162/1 "2004-04-09T12:24:14Z")

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I have hardwired ethernet, and have a print server with a USB port on it. I also have a USB external hard drive. Can these act as network attached storage?

I don’t see how, immediately, because I expect any drive to be on a PC, and this print server doesn’t appear as a PC as far as I know. But - is there any way to do this?

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**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-network-print-server-usb-drive-fileserver/239162/2 "2004-04-09T12:40:28Z")

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> [@Napier](#):
>
> I have hardwired ethernet, and have a print server with a USB port on it. I also have a USB external hard drive. Can these act as network attached storage?
> 
> I don’t see how, immediately, because I expect any drive to be on a PC, and this print server doesn’t appear as a PC as far as I know. But - is there any way to do this?

Probably not, unless the thing runs linux and you are a linux hacker capable of writing new firmware for it.

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-network-print-server-usb-drive-fileserver/239162/3 "2004-04-09T12:41:56Z")

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Wouldn’t think so, you would need some weird drivers to reconize it.