Legacy Network Products

[Mikewm]

I have a 500Gb Maxtor Shared Storage II drive and it works fine on my home network.  However, I now wish to take the drive, which I use to store music and movie files and use it off-network, attached to a Western Digital Media player so that I can watch the movies on my new LCD TV.  The TV is not close to my network and wireless connection is not suitable for playing movies.  Is there anyway that I can take the MSS off the network and use it as a conventional portable hard drive?

[everrest · Accepted solution]

The Maxtor connects to a network using the Ethernet connector not through the USB port so the answer is NO. The WDMedia player from media connect to the USB port.  I would recommend you copy the shows to a freeAgent drive or a USB Memory stick to play.  If your TV has a usb port you might not need the Media player.

[Mikewm]

Thanks for the quick response.  I suspected that would be the answer.  Guess I will have to go and purchase another portable hard drive.  Maybe I will get a 2Tb drive and store my collection of 350 DVDs on it (after ripping of course!).  Will save some bookcase space too!

Thanks again

[EasyUser]

How do you connect your media player to your MSSII?  If it is through network, then you only need a crossover network work cable to connect your player directly to your MSSII.

[everrest]

MSSII uses UPnP to share Media. I think you will need a router to get it to work.  If you use a crossover cable you will have to set Static IP's on both devices. The USB port is for connecting an external HD or printer. There is a big tread in this forum about the trial and tribulations on the Media sharing "abilities" of the Central Axis.

I personally Disable UPnP on my router for Virus/ Malware protection.(paranoid)

I'm more of a netcast Twit!