Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

External drive vs. network drive

Dec 10, 2010 10:17PM PST

What is the difference between an external drive and a network drive? Also, is it better to buy a pogoplug to convert an external drive I already have, or to buy a network drive? I have two computers, one running Vista and another running Windows XP that I want to have the ability to store files on the external drive via my home network.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Let me make it simple.
Dec 11, 2010 7:17AM PST

Almost every network drive I've used runs much slower than some attached USB drive.

And since we can share this drive on the network, I don't have to put it on some network and suffer the slow speed on my machine.
Bob

- Collapse -
How do you connect the USB drive?
Dec 11, 2010 9:36AM PST

Bob,
I don't understand. You say you can share the USB drive on the network, but you don't have to put it on some network and suffer the slow speed. What do you do? Connect it via a USB port to whichever computer you are using? Sounds rather awkward? Dwight

- Collapse -
Two different setups.
Dec 11, 2010 9:49AM PST

YOUR CHOICE.

1. Put the drive on your machine and share it.

2. Put the drive on some network adapter.

Not awkward at all.
Bob

- Collapse -
The Difference...
Dec 11, 2010 10:45PM PST

The difference between the networked drive and the USB external drive is that the networked drive is "shared" over the LAN network and the external is a HDD on the end of a serial bus. I prefer to use networked drives, it's much easier than having to pull out hardware all the time when I move it from machine to machine.