You probably already know how a router hosts a home network and delivers Wi-Fi to multiple devices at a time. But there are also “router NAS” options where a USB-enabled Wi-Fi broadcaster can work as a mini NAS (Network Attached Storage) server. All you need is an external drive.
So, if you want to dabble into network-attached storage, using a good Wi-Fi router is the best way to start. I detailed the process in this post on how to get the most out of a Wi-Fi router’s USB port.
In this piece, you’ll find a list of the current 13 best candidates for the job. I’ll update it as I review more.
Dong’s note: I first published this post on October 29, 2020, and last updated it on July 9, 2021, to add more options and relevant information.
Contents
Popular Wi-Fi router NAS options in numbers
Almost all Wi-Fi routers with a USB port can work as a mini NAS server, at least for simple file sharing.
What decides if one is good at this job, however, is the performance of this port. In other words, when it comes to network storage, the throughput speed is the king.
That said, below is the chart of NAS performance of (almost) all of those I’ve tested. They are popular USB-enabled routers, in alphabetical order — you might find yours here.
Note: This chart is updated each time I review a new USB-enabled Wi-Fi broadcaster. It includes router NAS options that don’t make it to the top list below.
I tested each broadcaster using a wired Gigabit connection. With those that feature a multi-gig port, I tried that out, too.
As for storage devices, I’ve always used SSD-based portable drives for testing. The actual drive used for each router might vary, but they all are much faster than the router’s wired network port.
Note that the scores on the chart are in megabytes per second (MB/s), which is eight times the megabit per second (Mbps) measurement generally used for network connection speed.
Best Wi-Fi router NAS solutions: The list
Again, any routers on the chart above will work as a mini NAS server. But you’re on the market for a new USB-enabled router; find my recommendations below.
These are routers that deliver the best performance or have a great feature set when hosting external storage or both. I’ve personally used them all.
This list is sorted based on the NAS read performance using the fastest wired connection each router supports. In my opinion, the read throughput is more most important than the write one when it comes to network-attached storage.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see how their NAS numbers stack against one another’s.
1. Asus RT-AX89X
The RT-AX89X is the top-tier dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router from Asus, and it’s the first router on the market with two 10Gbps network ports. That plus two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports means it can deliver ultra-high-speed router NAS performance.
Like all Asus routers, including the GT-AXE1100, RT-AX86U, GT-AX11000, and RT-AX68U below, the RT-AX89X can deliver all storage-related applications you can consider, including local and cloud-based data sharing, PC-less download app, Time Machine backup, and a lot more.
By the way, the storage-based feature set is the same across all Asus routers released in the past few years. And that also applies to other Asus routers on this list.
Asus RT-AX89X's Rating
Pros
Excellent Wi-Fi performance
Uniquely cool design with two 10Gbps network ports
Eight Gigabit network ports with Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation
Super-fast network-attached storage speed when coupled with an external drive
Tons of useful features, including free-for-life real-time online protection, and AiMesh
Cons
A bit buggy at launch, relatively expensive
Smart Connect setting not available at launch
Tweaking required to deliver top Wi-Fi 6 speeds
Bulky physical size with an internal fan
Web interface needs work
Not wall-mountable, no universal backup restoration
2. Linksys MX8500
The Linksys MX8500 is an interesting case. It’s part of the MXE8400 Wi-Fi 6E mesh system.
As a standalone router, the MX8500 doesn’t have a Multi-Gig LAN port. However, when working as a satellite in a mesh setup, its 5Gbps WAN now functions as a LAN. That plus the super-fast 6GHz band means you can get excellent NAS speed out of it.
And like the case of any Velop mesh set, you can use one external drive per MX8500 uint, meaning you can host more storage in a mesh setup.
Out of the box, Linksys doesn’t officially support Time Machine backup, but you might be able to make it work with a bit of tweaking.
Linksys AXE8400 Atlas Max's Rating
Pros
Wi-Fi 6E-ready
Reliable performance, extensive coverage
5Gbps WAN port
Excellent NAS performance when hosting external storage device(s)
Separate SSID for each band
Cons
Expensive
Comparatively slow mesh Wi-Fi speeds in homes with walls
Limited Wi-Fi settings and features, mobile app coercion
No Multi-Gig LAN port (main router), Dual-WAN or Link Aggregation
No setting backup and restore
3. Netgear Nighthawk RAX120
This router is the latest from Netgear and has the fastest network storage speed, by far, thanks to its 5Gbps port. But even when you use its regular Gigabit connection, the NAS performance is still outstanding.
Like most Netgear routers, the RAX120 is all about sharing that storage space in as many ways as possible when hosting an external drive.
You can share that locally or via the Internet using Netgear’s ReadyShare software. The router also supports local backup for Windows and Mac’s Time Machine.
Netgear Nighthawk RAX120's Rating
Pros
Powerful hardware, fast performance
Beautiful design
Multi-Gig network port (5Gbps)
Well organized web user interface
Ultra-fast network storage performance
Cons
Expensive
No online protection, gaming, or mesh features
A bit bulky
4. Asus GT-AXE11000
Like the case of the Linksys MX8500 above, the GT-AXE1100 is also a Wi-Fi 6E machine.
In terms of storage support, though, it’s similar to other Asus routers, and especially the GT-AX11000 below. It has two USB 3.0 ports and a 2.5Gbps LAN to deliver excellent NAS speed when hosting an external drive.
Asus GT-AXE11000's Rating
Pros
Tri-band with Wi-Fi 6E support
Excellent 5GHz and 2.4GHz performance
Excellent set of game-related, online protection and monitoring features, full support for AiMesh 2.0
2.5Gbps LAN/WAN port, Dual-WAN, and LAN/WAN Link Aggregations
Cons
Expensive
Wi-Fi 6E is not fully available
Only one 2.5Gbps port, no 10Gbps port
Bulky design, not wall-mountable, buggy firmware (at launch)
5. Netgear Nighthawk RAX200
The RAX200 is a tri-band router that shares the same storage feature set as the dual-band RAX120 above. It also has a multi-gig network port, but it caps at just 2.5 Gbps, so it’s not as fast as its cousin, but still, it’s speedy.
Netgear Nighthawk RAX200's Rating
Pros
Reliable and fast performance
Eye-catching design
Helpful mobile app, robust web UI
Multi-Gig support (2.5Gbps)
Cons
Comparatively super-expensive with nothing extra
Shallow Wi-Fi customization, spartan feature set
Comparatively low CPU clock speed
No 5Gbps or 10Gbps LAN port, not wall-mountable
6. Asus RT-AX86U
The Asus RT-AX86U is currently the best Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 router on the market. This router has many things of note, and the stellar NAS performance when hosting a portable drive helps elevate it to this status.
As for features, like other Asus routers, it delivers all you can ask for in terms of what you want to do with the USB ports.
ASUS RT-AX86's Rating
Pros
Fast performance, excellent range, reliable
Tons of helpful networking features and settings
Useful settings for online gaming
Robust web UI, well-designed mobile app
Multi-gig, WAN/LAN Link Aggregation support
Excellent NAS performance and features when hosting a storage device
Comparatively affordable
Cons
No support for WTFast Gamer VPN
Not wall-mountable
Gaming features turn Adaptive QoS off
The single Multi-gig port caps at 2.5 Gbps
7. Asus GT-AX11000
The GT-AX11000 is the first tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router from Asus. It’s also a powerful router, and like its cousins above, it has everything when it comes to network storage.
Again, like other Asus routers, its USB ports can host printers, storage devices, or cellular modems and deliver a ton of storage-based features. On top of that, it also has a 2.5Gbps network connection to deliver fast NAS performance.
Asus GT-AX11000's Rating
Pros
Fast and reliable Wi-Fi performance with an excellent range
Lots of useful features for home users
Unique and effective settings for online gaming
Multi-Gig network port, Dual-WAN, Link Aggregation
Mesh ready
Cons
Expensive
Bulky design, loose antennas, non-wall-mountable
Fewer LAN ports than the previous model
Long boot-up time, buggy (at launch), fluctuating Wi-Fi throughputs
8. Netgear RAXE500
The Netgear RAX500 is the third Wi-Fi 6E on this list. Other than that, it’s almost identical to the RAX200 above.
Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500's Rating
Pros
Wi-Fi 6E-ready
Collectively excellent Wi-Fi speeds and range
2.5Gbps LAN/WAN port, Dual-WAN, and LAN/WAN Link Aggregations
Robust web interface, helpful (optional) mobile app
Beautiful design
Fast network-attached storage when hosting a storage device
Cons
Expensive
Wi-Fi 6E is still in the early stage
No 10Gbps port, only one 2.5Gbps port
Limited Wi-Fi settings, no built-in QoS or Parental Controls
Online protection requires a subscription
Internal fan, a bit buggy (at launch)
9. Asus RT-AX68U
The Asus RT-AX68U is the last entry-level Wi-Fi 6 router and shares similar NAS features as its older cousins mentioned above. However, it’s noticeably more affordable.
Without a multi-gig port, this router is not the fastest in any way, but its router NAS function virtually maxed out the speed of a Gigabit connection in my testing.
The RT-AX68U deserves a spot on this list for a nice combo of excellent features, fast performance, and friendly pricing.
Asus RT-AX68U's Rating
Pros
Fast performance, excellent range, reliable
Tons of helpful networking features and settings, including AiMesh 2.0
Robust web UI, well-designed mobile app
Excellent NAS performance and features when hosting a storage device
Comparatively affordable
Cons
No Multi-Gig ports or 160MHz channel width support
Not wall-mountable
10. TP-Link Archer C5400X
This massive and ostentatious Wi-Fi router is quite impressive in terms of USB-based NAS performance. Despite having no multi-gig network port, it delivers fast NAS performance via its regular Gigabit ports.
The router supports sharing storage locally as well as over the Internet. It can also work as a media server, casting content to network streamers and an Apple Time Capsule alternative.
TP-Link Archer C5400X's Rating
Pros
Fast and reliable Wi-Fi performance
Solid design with responsive and well-organized interface
Useful HomeCare features
Extra LAN ports with Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation
Fast NAS performance when coupled with an external hard drive
Cons
Expensive
No advanced gaming-specific features
Bulky physical size
2.4GHz Wi-Fi speed could be better
11. Linksys MX5 Velop AX
The Linksys MX5 is the latest Wi-Fi router of the Linksys Velop mesh family. It’s part of the Linksys MX10 mesh system, but you can also get it as a standalone router.
Unlike some other Wi-Fi 6 routers below, the MX5 doesn’t have a multi-gig port, so its NAS performs caps at 1Gbps. And that was almost the speed it delivered in my testing.
The router’s USB port doesn’t offer anything more than local storage sharing — there’s no personal cloud streaming features. Like the MX8500’s case above, the MX5 can host an external drive when working as a route or a mesh satellite, and its support for Time Machine backup might require some teaks.
Linksys MX10 Velop AX's Rating
Pros
Reliable and relatively fast Wi-Fi performance
Helpful mobile app, full web interface
Effective backhaul that delivers Wi-Fi 6 throughout in a mesh setup
Fast NAS speeds when hosting an external drive
Cons
Expensive with comparatively low Wi-Fi specs
No support for 160MHz channel bandwidth
Mobile app and login account required for initial setup
Spartan Wi-Fi settings, modest feature set
No multi-gig network ports, Dual-WAN or Link Aggregation
USB port awkwardly place, not mountable
12. Synology MR2200ac
The MR2200ac‘s NAS feature isn’t exactly fast, as you can see on the chart above. However, thanks to the advanced firmware, it has, by far, the best NAS feature set, similar to that of a Synology server.
Hopefully, Synology will release a more powerful Wi-Fi router in the future with similar storage functions. For now, the RT2600ac also offers the same NAS feature set. Other than storage, you can also use the MR2200ac’s USB port to host a cellular modem.
Synology MR2200ac's Rating
Pros
Fast and reliable Wi-Fi performance
Powerful mesh system when two or more units are used together
Sophisticated yet easy-to-use firmware
Lots of useful and effective features with accompanying mobile apps
Ability to import settings from other Synology routers
Cons
Only one LAN port
Not wall-mountable
13. TP-Link Archer AX11000
The TP-Link Archer AX11000 is the Wi-Fi 6 of the C5400X above. It’s a newer and much better router overall. But in terms of NAS performance, it’s behind its older cousin. The two share the same storage feature set, however.
Despite other advanced networking features of a Wi-Fi router, the comparatively slow read NAS speed when hosting a storage device lands it at the bottom in this post.
TP-Link Archer AX11000's Rating
Pros
Fast and reliable Wi-Fi performance
2.5 Gbps WAN port with eight Gigabit LAN ports
160 MHz channel bandwidth support
Excellent, Antivirus, QoS, and Parental Control features
Robust full web user interface, helpful mobile app
Eye-catching and convenient hardware design
USB-C ready, wall-mountable
Cons
Misleading gaming veneer, no actual gaming-specific features
No multi-gig LAN port, bulky design
Not mesh-ready
Artificial "Game" items make the interface unnecessarily confusing
Mobile app requires a login account
Best Wi-Fi routers with built-in NAS features: The performance
Find below the NAS performance charts of my recommended routers above. Again, I test them all using a weird Gigabit connection. And for those with a multi-gig port, I also tried them using a 10Gbps adapter.
It’s important to note that I performed the tests with just one client connected to the Wi-Fi router. When multiple clients write or read from the router’s connected storage, the speed will reduce accordingly. But that’s the case with all NAS servers.
Hi Dong,
I am experiencing a connection loss from my router to my Arris/Comcast modem a few to a dozen hours after plugging in a USB drive. This happens with both n Asus RT-AC86U and a Netgear RAX78 and using either a 1.5 TB Seagate GoFlex Drive or a 6 TB Seagate Backup Plus, though faster with the 6TB. There is no drive activity when the drops happen, affecting wired and wireless connections, and it requires the router to be rebooted.
Is there anything I can do to prevent this, like use USB 2.0 mode or just use a flash drive? I only need a lightweight NAS for security cams and video transfers. Both routers are new and I can still return them if something else would work.
Thanks,
Brandon
You should go with a portable SSD, Brandon. The hard-drive-based portable drive can use a lot of power and that might affect the router’s stability. Or get a drive with its own power adapter. More in this post.
Hi Dong,
I have a ASUS RT-AX86U that I am using for NAS server. Asus shows the USB ports as USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 2 which (if I understand) can run at 10 Gbps using 2 lanes. Have you done this or do you know how to do it ? Might require USB-C cable??? Seems this would be great for fast SSD (ext USB) drives. I am planning to upgrade PC to 2.5G Enet as well.
Thanks for any help!
John
No, John. It’s a 5Gbps USB. Also, the speed would be limited by the network port anyway. It won’t help in your case since the router has no Multi-Gig port. Read the review.
Thanks Dong.
USB is a bit confusing, and I appreciate your article “Device Connections Explained: Thunderbolt or Not, It’s All about USB-C” that helped me a lot.
Some references to USB 3.2 Gen 1 X 2 (Link removed) indicate 10Gbps over USB-C (dual lane) . Seems the key is the cable with dual lanes.
Asus site specs show the RT-AX86U has USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 2 which probably refers to quantity 2 ports. They are not USB-C connectors, just standard type A.
The RT-AX86U does have one configurable (LAN/WAN) 2.5Gbps ethernet port though, which might help the NAS speed a bit. I’ll let you know if I see any difference after I install 2.5G PCIe card in my I7-8700K.
I’m very pleased with NAS performance on this router now, but “more is better” ! 🙂
As I mentioned in that post, the naming of USB 3.2 is a mess — by the way, there’s no such thing as USB 3.1 Gen 1×2. Also, USB-C has nothing to do with speed. So, no need to add more references. That only makes things more confusing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, though, John.
Took a few minutes to write up the prices, sorted up – down. Looks like the offering from Synology is the best in terms of price/speed of file transfer. The prices are enormous for the rest :O
Though even 130 for the Synology would be a hard bargain. Still better than having to get a proper NAS for a single drive.
Netgear RAX200 599
Asus GT-AX11000 422.99
Netgear RAX120 412.41
Asus RT-AX89X 411.77
Linksys MX5 399
TP-Link Archer AX11000 365 Ebay
TP-Link Archer C5400X 249.99
Asus RT-AX86U 249.99 limited avail
Asus RT-AX68U 199.99
Synology MR2200ac 130.99
Thanks, Andrew. I left out the pricing since that changes frequently.
What’s interesting is that even though they are all very expensive – they aren’t that widely available. Nor are they discontinued, which would be a good reason if they were.
Any thoughts on why?
Dong,
Thanks for the great article. Very helpful as I have been desperately trying to figure out how to setup some NAS without buying an actual NAS server.
Quick question after reviewing all of the routers on your list and a much smaller set of requirements.
Reqs:
– no mesh
– no gaming
– small environment (750 sq ft)
– streaming/playback of mp4 h.264 video via VLS over 5Ghz wifi
What unit would you lean toward for requirements like this that are not as high?
This depends on how many devices you have, John. But I’d recommend the Synology MR2200ac, the Asus RT-AX86U, or the Asus RT-AX92U. For such a small space, you can turn off the 2.4GHz band or use it as a separate network in case you have devices hat require it.
Hi Dong, came across a few of your articles that really helped me decide on my next router. So I went from this…
– “Ok” Frontier Fios Arris Wireless with a older Netgear AC1750 for NAS set up. I couldn’t use the AC1750 directly since it produced horrible speeds no matter what tweak I did. Then an Airi 2.4/5Ghz in AP mode + a switch.
To this…
– AX82U only, eliminating the Frontier router, the Airi & switch. For the life of me, couldn’t find the AX86U anywhere for the life of me.
However, I really hate how Asus do their USB storage set up. With my old Netgear, I could plug in 5 external HDs via plugging in a USB hub into the router’s USB 3.0. Then when I accessed “readyshare” via any comp or my Android TV, I’m able to see all HDs separately and enjoy easily accessing anything from any drive. On the other hand, my new AX82U simply combines everything into a single location……. thousands of directories and files.
So the question is, do you know if Asus have this same ability? To distinguish between drives and keep them as separate views (drives)?
No, Drew. ReadyShare is a different technology entirely, available only in Netgear products. If you go with Asus, you need to get rid of that ReadyShare mentality. Also, it’s generally a terrible idea to use that many drives with a router’s USB port. Get a real NAS server :). I’d recommend a Synology.
Thanks for your awesome feedback! Unfortunately, I was afraid that you’d hammer home what I already speculated lol.
Ya, each drive is how I keep my media categorized and organized. I’ve looked into something like the Synology before but I’m unwilling to take the leap…. since after all, I feel I have “perfectly good” external drives with “ok” networking streaming abilities… notice all the quotation marks 😉
Thanks! I look forward to following your articles.
Sure, Drew. You’re the perfect candidate for a Synology NAS. I mean it. Get one, you can start with an older model year (2013 or newer). You can get one used or refurbished for relatively cheap. You’ll love it.
Great review Dong! I decided to keep my Amplifi Alien and use a $54 Raspberry Pi as my NAS. It is on my 1 Gb LAN and is fast enough for every day use.
Cool, Marshall. That actually works better than using a router-based NAS.
Are you sure about the RT-AC86U numbers? I have seen reviews claiming it has around the same performance as RT-AX86U.
That’s what o got at the time I tested it, Sam. Things can change via firmware updates.
Hi Dong,
So I finally upgraded my RT-N66U with a RT-AX86U. Everything seems to be working great except for my portable hard drive I plug into the back of the router and use SMB within Kodi to play them. I have both H264 and H265 MKV files that played fine with my old N66U router. However, I’m finding that only the H265 files are constantly skipping/buffering now with the AX86U router which I don’t understand since it’s a way more powerful router. Are there any settings that I need to look at or change within the router that could be causing playback issues? During initial setup of new router I updated it, then reset it as suggested. Even though I don’t have any AX products, I chose the 802.11AX/Wi-Fi 6 Mode that was recommended settings when first setting up the router. Should I not use that option or will that not make a difference? Also, I already completely reset Kodi a few times and started from scratch for SMB, then tried some settings within, but still got the stutter/buffering although sound worked great and picture was crystal clear. Note: Same thing happening on 2 separate Amazon Fire TV boxes that had no problems before. I did try a Raspberry Pi 4 with Openmediavault to host the portable hard drive and added that to Kodi, but that skipped video too. Everything is hooked directly by ethernet too in case you need to know that.
Sorry for the long message, just trying to get this fixed since my old router worked fine on these same files. Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give to try.
Try playing the movie file straight on your computer using VLC player, via regular SMB file sharing. If it still skips then it’s the connection issue. If not then it’s Kodi’s fault. That’s as far as I can suggest. I’ve never tried Kodi with routers before.