These days most people have few devices for media entertainment such handphone, tablet, laptop, computer, and even the TV itself. Except for streaming from the internet, another way would be to setup your own media server so that all devices can stream from it. Some would go with dedicated NAS or DIY NAS using PC parts while some just use their PC or laptops as the server and other device stream from it. What if there is another way where you can use your existing hardware and it is relatively easy to set up? And it uses less electricity too.
The answer is your router. Any router that have USB port and can be setup to be media server can do this. It uses less electricity than NAS or PC and usually your router is running all the time, so this mean your media server too.
On this guide I’ll be using my Asus router, but other router should have similar setting for you to enable it. First you need to have external HDD or thumb drive connected to the router, depending on router you might need to setup or initialize before can use the storage. Best if using USB 3.0 port as it can give faster read speed.
External HDD can give you few hundreds gigabytes or even few terabytes of data, should be enough for hundreds of videos. If you need more storage space you can get 4 or 5 bays drive enclosure such as this:
![user posted image]()
USB 3.0 5 bay 3.5-inch SATA Hard Drive Enclosure
Some enclosure also has RAID function, it is useful if you want to protect the data from HDD failure. I highly recommend to get enclosure with RAID function as HDD failure is a very common occurrence. Like really really common. So always backup your important data and at least have a copy of your not so important data. There’s also 2 bays 2.5” drive enclosure with RAID-1 function for about RM60 if you have very tight budget for your setup, like this:
![user posted image]()
2 Bay 2.5 inch SATA HDD USB Raid Enclosure Storage
Now onto the router. On the router setting page, choose USB Application > Media Services and Servers (Setup the UPnP, iTunes, FTP and Network Place (Samba)) (for Asus router, if yours is other brand you might need to do some digging where the setting is)
![user posted image]()
Enable the UPnP Media Server (your router UPnP should also be enabled). Choose to add specific folders if you only want some folders content to be visible in the media server. My Asus router also can do iTunes server, useful for those that using Apple devices. You should also enable Network Place (Samba) Share so that you can access the HDD from computer or devices that support Samba protocol, essentially turning your storage into NAS on the network so you can copy or delete files from it. Asus router also have Download Master which you can use it for downloading file using http or ftp or even torrent/magnet protocol. So now your router can be the download manager, then act as NAS, and also media server. No wonder PC are dying.![tongue.gif]()
That’s it! Your media server should have started and you can now stream from any device that support it. Usually those media player box support playback from DLNA / Media Server device. Windows also support DLNA/Windows Media Connect, but if you're using Windows might as well use SAMBA as you also can manage the file inside it. Android phone I believe there is player app that support DLNA. For myself I’m streaming from my TVs that's connected to Wi-Fi and use the TV built in player. For video codec support it will depend on the player/device, my 4 years old TV only support up to H.264 codec while my 1 year old TV even support H.265 codec.
Another thing I should mention is if you need subtitle with your video, it is kind of mixed bags. Especially those separate subtitle file. First of all, your player/device must support it. Subtitle support also depends on the device's media server support. My 1 year old TV support .srt, .ass, .ssa but on my router it can only stream the external subtitle together with the video if it’s .srt file, no other format. With my old NAS --which the manufacturer stops giving new firmware like 8 years ago-- even external .srt can’t be streamed together. So, if your router doesn’t have new firmware for quiet some years then it might lack support for even .srt file. If the subtitle is embedded in the video container then my TV can display the subtitle, except for PGS and VOBSUB which my TV doesn’t support it. Another issue that I noticed is my TV will have problem playback video that have too many embedded subtitles, I have one video which got like 20 subtitles embedded in the .mkv video, the video will keep stuttering and artifacts. After using MKVToolNix to remove unneeded subtitles the video can be playback smoothly.
So there you go, cheap and cheerful way to have your mini NAS and media server. No more the need to copy files into thumb drive or external drive then plug into your player, or limiting your video playback on your PC, or wasting electricity by setting your PC to be media server, or using Plex where your PC or NAS need to re-encode the video before streaming it to the player. Now it's simple and just works.
The answer is your router. Any router that have USB port and can be setup to be media server can do this. It uses less electricity than NAS or PC and usually your router is running all the time, so this mean your media server too.
On this guide I’ll be using my Asus router, but other router should have similar setting for you to enable it. First you need to have external HDD or thumb drive connected to the router, depending on router you might need to setup or initialize before can use the storage. Best if using USB 3.0 port as it can give faster read speed.
External HDD can give you few hundreds gigabytes or even few terabytes of data, should be enough for hundreds of videos. If you need more storage space you can get 4 or 5 bays drive enclosure such as this:
USB 3.0 5 bay 3.5-inch SATA Hard Drive Enclosure
Some enclosure also has RAID function, it is useful if you want to protect the data from HDD failure. I highly recommend to get enclosure with RAID function as HDD failure is a very common occurrence. Like really really common. So always backup your important data and at least have a copy of your not so important data. There’s also 2 bays 2.5” drive enclosure with RAID-1 function for about RM60 if you have very tight budget for your setup, like this:
2 Bay 2.5 inch SATA HDD USB Raid Enclosure Storage
Now onto the router. On the router setting page, choose USB Application > Media Services and Servers (Setup the UPnP, iTunes, FTP and Network Place (Samba)) (for Asus router, if yours is other brand you might need to do some digging where the setting is)
Enable the UPnP Media Server (your router UPnP should also be enabled). Choose to add specific folders if you only want some folders content to be visible in the media server. My Asus router also can do iTunes server, useful for those that using Apple devices. You should also enable Network Place (Samba) Share so that you can access the HDD from computer or devices that support Samba protocol, essentially turning your storage into NAS on the network so you can copy or delete files from it. Asus router also have Download Master which you can use it for downloading file using http or ftp or even torrent/magnet protocol. So now your router can be the download manager, then act as NAS, and also media server. No wonder PC are dying.
That’s it! Your media server should have started and you can now stream from any device that support it. Usually those media player box support playback from DLNA / Media Server device. Windows also support DLNA/Windows Media Connect, but if you're using Windows might as well use SAMBA as you also can manage the file inside it. Android phone I believe there is player app that support DLNA. For myself I’m streaming from my TVs that's connected to Wi-Fi and use the TV built in player. For video codec support it will depend on the player/device, my 4 years old TV only support up to H.264 codec while my 1 year old TV even support H.265 codec.
Another thing I should mention is if you need subtitle with your video, it is kind of mixed bags. Especially those separate subtitle file. First of all, your player/device must support it. Subtitle support also depends on the device's media server support. My 1 year old TV support .srt, .ass, .ssa but on my router it can only stream the external subtitle together with the video if it’s .srt file, no other format. With my old NAS --which the manufacturer stops giving new firmware like 8 years ago-- even external .srt can’t be streamed together. So, if your router doesn’t have new firmware for quiet some years then it might lack support for even .srt file. If the subtitle is embedded in the video container then my TV can display the subtitle, except for PGS and VOBSUB which my TV doesn’t support it. Another issue that I noticed is my TV will have problem playback video that have too many embedded subtitles, I have one video which got like 20 subtitles embedded in the .mkv video, the video will keep stuttering and artifacts. After using MKVToolNix to remove unneeded subtitles the video can be playback smoothly.
So there you go, cheap and cheerful way to have your mini NAS and media server. No more the need to copy files into thumb drive or external drive then plug into your player, or limiting your video playback on your PC, or wasting electricity by setting your PC to be media server, or using Plex where your PC or NAS need to re-encode the video before streaming it to the player. Now it's simple and just works.