I am writing this post to let everyone who uses a Fritzbox from AVM* know that the USB port integrated into most models can be used for very useful things.
My recommendation is to set it up as a kind of “slow, simple NAS” – that is, connecting a USB data storage device to a USB port on the router and then configuring it via the fritz.box administration interface.
The result greatly facilitates data exchange between different end devices, especially when there are multiple users on the same network. If no other network drive exists (e.g., a “real” NAS), the benefit is even greater.
Prerequisites
All you really need is a data storage device with a USB connection that is as energy-efficient as possible. USB sticks with a storage capacity of 128 GB* or more are ideal. Portable SSDs* would also be a good choice. Another major advantage of flash memory is that it has no start-up time, meaning that the system responds immediately when accessed, unlike hard drives.
It should be noted that the transfer rates will not be particularly high, especially with older Fritzboxes, as they simply lack CPU power. However, 10-15 MB/s should be possible. With newer models, 30 MB/s+ is also feasible.
Depending on the model, Fritzboxes have more or less internal flash memory, but in my opinion, this should not be used excessively because nothing can be replaced in the event of a defect and the Fritzbox itself already reads and writes enough data there.
Uses
Despite the fact that we operate “several” network storage devices and servers, we also use an additional network drive via our Fritzbox 7590. This serves as a general exchange folder and, more importantly, to store our KeePass database. This is very convenient as there are hardly any delays in access because the router is always in operation and Flash has very low latency. This means that it can be accessed from any device at any time and no hard drive has to be started up for 20 KB of data.
Tutorial
The instructions provided by the manufacturer AVM are brief and really good: