I am trying to set up Drobo 5D as part of my network. I connected the formated device to my Mac router via the usb cable, but it is not being recognized by the Dashboard. How do I set up this device as part of my network with its on IP address?
hi. if it’s a 5D, it might be better to plug it into a computer which is already on the network, and then to also share it that way.
there is a 5N model, which is specifically for networking though.
First off, the Dashboard will only look for a direct-attached Drobo (like the 5D)… directly attached. It will only look for networked units (like the 5N) on the network. There’s no way for it to see the Drobo 5D when it’s behind a router. Anyhow, putting a 5D behind a router would be kind of a waste - it’s what the 5N is for, and the 5N is cheaper and supports DroboApps to boot. Finally, no USB device hooked up to a router gets its own IP address - you connect to the router’s internal IP and it’s up to it to share out the attached drives.
Think it’s time to take a step back and find out what problem you’re trying to solve…
If you want to share your Drobo on the network, as Paul and diamondsw have said, the Drobo 5N is the more-appropriate solution.
This is especially true because USB storage sharing on routers is usually an afterthought and not as fast or versatile as a true NAS.
If simultaneous access by more than one user is not necessary, and getting a 5N is not an option, then you could kludge it with a Silex USB Device Server. The USB Device Server gives the computer a virtual USB connection, routing the data over the network rather than a direct USB cable. Note that the current model is only USB 2.0, so you’re going to be limited to 480 Mbps max throughput (assuming you have a Gigabit network).
I can’t speak for Mac OS, but it works very well on Windows both 32-bit and 64-bit, and their support is quite responsive as well.
Thanks to all of you, you have been most helpful. Anybody want to buy the 5D? I really wanted the 5N for a networked service.