How to Access a USB Storage Device on a Deco from Windows or macOS

Note: If you fail to access the USB drive, please refer to the FAQ: Can't access my USB drive plugged into TP-Link router

This article instructs you on how to access the USB storage device connected to a Deco system on a Windows and macOS computer via Samba, or FTP (locally and remotely).

Configure USB Sharing on Your Deco Network

1. Plug the USB storage device into the USB port of the Deco unit that supports the USB sharing feature.

2. Go to Deco APP > More > Advanced > USB Sharing. If your Deco recognizes the USB Storage Device, it will appear as shown below, with an option for settings and an overview of the available storage:

3. For safety, we suggest you enable the “Access Authentication” option to prevent others from accessing the data on your USB Drive. After enabling “Access Authentication,” you will be asked to provide a username and password that will be used to access the USB Storage Drive over the network.

How to Access the USB drive on Windows and macOS

There are two methods that may be used to access the data on the USB Drive. Before attempting to access the USB drive, please ensure that the following settings are enabled for “Network Neighborhood” and “FTP(Local)”:

Option 1: Access the USB Drive Locally While Connected to Your Deco Network

Windows - SMB (Samba):

Open the Windows File Explorer and Type \\tplinkdeco.net or \\192.168.68.1 into the Address Bar

You will be prompted for the username and password you provided during the Access Authentication setup.

Windows – FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Access:

Open File explorer, type ftp://tplinkdeco.net or ftp://192.168.68.1. (Take Note of the ftp:// preceding the address) You will be prompted for the username and password you provided during the Access Authentication setup.

Please Note: 192.168.68.1 is the LAN IP of the Main Deco Node, If you have changed the LAN IP, please use the current LAN IP of the Deco.

MacOS – FTP and SMB (Samba)

Open Finder, select “Go”, then click “Connect to Server...”

Please Enter the address for Your Chosen Method in the Dialog Box that appears.

You will be prompted for the username and password you provided during the Access Authentication setup.

Option 1: Access the USB Drive Remotely While Away from Your Deco Network

Please note that only FTP is supported to access the USB drive remotely. On the USB Settings Screen, Please Also Check “Internet FTP”, then click save to enable the Internet FTP service. This will allow you to access the FTP server using the IP address located in the highlighted box in your Deco App – This should be your public IP address.

1) Windows – Remote FTP Access

Open the Windows File explorer. Type ftp://YOUR_WAN_IP_HERE into the Address Bar

Reminder: The IP address 192.168.112.215 in this example is the WAN IP of your Deco.

(Find the WAN IP via More >- Internet Connection Type)

MacOS – Remote FTP Access

Open Finder, select “Go”, then click “Connect to Server...”. Type in ftp://YOUR_WAN_IP_HERE to access the USB drive remotely.

You will be prompted for the username and password you provided during the Access Authentication setup.

If you need to access a USB storage device from and Android or iOS Smart Phone, please refer to this FAQ:

How to access my USB storage device on the TP-Link Routers from my Android and IOS phone?

Tip: Mapping USB Drives in Windows for Quick Access (Windows 10)

Windows 11 Users: This Menu is Not Available in Windows 11, Please Right Click Either the “This PC” or “Network” Option in the Sidebar to find the option for “Map Network Drive”

1. Open the Windows File Explorer.

2. From the Top Ribbon Click Computer. Click Map Network Drive.

3. Type \\192.168.68.1\ in the address bar. Then click Browse...

Select the folder you want to share. Click OK. Then click Finish.

Note:192.168.68.1 is the LAN IP of the Deco. If you have changed it, please use the current LAN IP of your Deco.

4. After finishing, you can see the mapped drive in Windows explorer.