Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 19:45 Post subject: Tips to use second device (R7000) as dedicated NAS?
A bunch of background, TL;DR below:
I recently retired my Netgear R7000 after many years of solid use because eventually no matter what build I ran or settings I used I started getting unstable Wifi (huge ping spikes up to 2000ms on all my 2.4GHz devices every 5-10 minutes and even random drops every so often).
I grabbed a R9000 and threw Kong & BS's build of DD-WRT on it and it has been absolutely flawless for my needs...until I switched my ISP to one that required PPPoE- that feature doesn't seem to be working correctly on any of the DD-WRT builds for the R9000 that I can find.
I swapped back to the Stock Firmware on the R9000 and then ran into the original reason I started using DD-WRT in the first place years ago: the stock firmware disconnects my HDD after about 45 minutes of inactivity.
I use one of these encrypted enclosures that has a keypad on it. Partially for security, partially for "proof of concept" and partially so I can pretend to be a secret agent when I punch in the code:
https://www.apricorn.com/homepage-comparison/aegis-padlock-dt
If it's disconnected from the USB port or is ejected by the OS (or my guess is slept by the OS) it locks itself until you punch in the code. I've been back and forth with Netgear support FOR YEARS on this issue with the R7000, tried NTFS/EXT3/EXT4, USB2/USB3, 500GB/1TB/2/TB HDDS, "NDA" Fimrwares and they eventually would always come to the "conclusion" that "the hardware is just incompatible with that HDD try another". Aka total bull**** as I used the Padlock HDD for years with DD-WRT and never had any problem with it erroneously disconnecting. As it appears the same issue happens on the R9000 as well (but, again, only when running their stock firmware) it presents even more evidence that the hardware can easily handle the HDD it's just their crappy software that can't.
TL;DR:
Since my R7000 has Wifi issues anyways I thought: why not just connect it to the R9000 and let it handle NAS functions of DD-WRT.
I read through this guide to setup a second Router as a switch and that seems like a great place to start:
https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Switch
Aside from those steps...any advanced tips to lessen the CPU load on the R7000 so it can be optimized for dedicated NAS function?
I typically use a 4GB USB stick for jffs to cache DLNA data at Kong's suggestion- is this adding CPU overhead?
I've never had a small enough CPU load to get USB 3 working for larger than about 100MB data transfers on the R7000 in all my years of use- so I as hoping to get ideas from the community. I know some builds let you Overclock while others let you Overclock but didn't actually do anything.
That or ideas on how to keep the Stock Firmware from letting the drive sleep/disconnect.
Last edited by MTMTE on Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:18; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 142 Location: Spring Hill, Fl
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:52 Post subject:
im no way an expert but open an ssh instance type in 'top' initiate a transfer and see what the cpu maxes out at for that service. If it isnt maxed just follow that link you posted and i would think thats enuf _________________ modem: arris tm1602
router: r7800 voxel 1.0.2.77sf w/ kamoj 5.3b12 addon
ap: wrt1900ac v1 bs 43136,dir-825 b1 bs41117
NAS: Iomega ix2-200 CE 4tb, Seagate 1tb usb drive
Wash your hands and DONT TOUCH YOUR FACE!!!
Joined: 18 Mar 2014 Posts: 12881 Location: Netherlands
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:11 Post subject:
The problem is not only the CPU, I think. I am using a R6400 as a NAS (MiniDLNA is broken on the latest build, but you can use entware). I use a 32 GB USB stick this works well but the problem is the USB, which maxes out at 35 MB/s, the R7000 should be able to get 50 MB/s (especially if you are not using it for anything else).
If that suits your need you are fine _________________ Routers:Netgear R7000, R6400v1, R6400v2, EA6900 (XvortexCFE), E2000, E1200v1, WRT54GS v1.
Install guide R6400v2, R6700v3,XR300:https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=316399 Install guide R7800/XR500:https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=320614 Forum Guide Lines (important read):https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=324087
im no way an expert but open an ssh instance type in 'top' initiate a transfer and see what the cpu maxes out at for that service.
Why didn't I think of that.
egc wrote:
The problem is not only the CPU, I think. I am using a R6400 as a NAS (MiniDLNA is broken on the latest build, but you can use entware). I use a 32 GB USB stick this works well but the problem is the USB, which maxes out at 35 MB/s, the R7000 should be able to get 50 MB/s (especially if you are not using it for anything else).
If that suits your need you are fine
When using the Keypad HDD that I linked above via USB2 I can only seem to get max 25MBps read/write to/from the SSD in my desktop via Gigabit Ethernet. I don't recall what it did with stock Netgear firmware.
(For reference the R9000 running the stock Netgear firmware copies the same data from the same keypad HDD via USB3 between 95MBps-111MBps and doesn't even break a sweat...but it disconnects the drive after 45 mins inactivity. Since DD-WRT couldn't do PPPoE I rolled it back to stock Netgear before seeing if maybe it could handle that drive via USB3.)
I might roll back the R7000 to the stock Netgear to test what the data transfer is like via USB3 and then reload DD-WRT. But to be honest MiniDLNA and 25MBps data transfer is probably fine. I do backups of PCs to the HDD (hence the need for encryption) and those are gonna be time consuming regardless.
