Features, settings & updates

Get troubleshooting tips to configure your Roku settings. The community forum has tips for screen mirroring, Guest Mode, software updates, audio, and more.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
jackavram
Reel Rookie

Add external USB storage to Roku 4K Stick?

Jump to solution

Is it possible to add an external USB storage to the Roku Streaming 4K Sticks with an "OTG adapter with power" ?  There are adapters that work well for other devices like Amazon Firestick to add external USB drive storage but I can't find any that support Roku Streaming 4K Sticks.  All the OTG adapters I'm finding say they don't support Roku. 

0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
AvsGunnar
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Add external USB storage to Roku 4K Stick?

Jump to solution

@jackavram 

Users have reported that the Smays brand work.  Basically you need to look for 10/100 ethernet adapters (not 10/100/100, although other users have reportedly gotten some of these to work as well).  Also needs to support/include AX8877X or SMSC95XX chipsets.

https://support.roku.com/article/360058027813

-----

From Amazon, these two have reportedly worked. (Also, make sure it has its own power adapter as these two devices).

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Replacement-Streaming-External-Internet/dp/B09BFPQ3V5?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Adapter-Compatible-Chromecast-Internet/dp/B078MNW25Q/ref=sr_1_2?crid...

-----

You can also the explore the possibility of just adding a drive (USB thumb drive, hard drive, etc) directly to your router's USB port if your router has a DNLA server and then access your files that way.  Normally just have to enable a UPnP or a USB NAS setting from within the router so as to share files across a network.  Then access them using the Roku Media Player (RMP).  

 

Roku Community Streaming Expert
Just another Roku user... I am not a Roku employee.
Insignia RokuTV, Ultra 4660, Premiere+ 3921, Express 4k+ 3941, Streambar 9102

View solution in original post

5 REPLIES 5
AvsGunnar
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Add external USB storage to Roku 4K Stick?

Jump to solution

@jackavram 

Users have reported that the Smays brand work.  Basically you need to look for 10/100 ethernet adapters (not 10/100/100, although other users have reportedly gotten some of these to work as well).  Also needs to support/include AX8877X or SMSC95XX chipsets.

https://support.roku.com/article/360058027813

-----

From Amazon, these two have reportedly worked. (Also, make sure it has its own power adapter as these two devices).

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Replacement-Streaming-External-Internet/dp/B09BFPQ3V5?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Adapter-Compatible-Chromecast-Internet/dp/B078MNW25Q/ref=sr_1_2?crid...

-----

You can also the explore the possibility of just adding a drive (USB thumb drive, hard drive, etc) directly to your router's USB port if your router has a DNLA server and then access your files that way.  Normally just have to enable a UPnP or a USB NAS setting from within the router so as to share files across a network.  Then access them using the Roku Media Player (RMP).  

 

Roku Community Streaming Expert
Just another Roku user... I am not a Roku employee.
Insignia RokuTV, Ultra 4660, Premiere+ 3921, Express 4k+ 3941, Streambar 9102

atc98092
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Add external USB storage to Roku 4K Stick?

Jump to solution

Also to clarify a point. When you connect a USB drive to a Roku device, it doesn't add any storage to the device itself. The only thing you can do with a connected drive is stream media from it, such as music, video or pictures. You can't store anything from the Roku on it (although it does permit pausing live TV on a Roku TV, but will not function as a DVR). It won't improve the performance or allow installing more channels. 

Dan

Roku Community Streaming Expert

Help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
If you appreciate my answer, maybe give me a Kudo.

I am not a Roku employee, just another user.
jackavram
Reel Rookie

Re: Add external USB storage to Roku 4K Stick?

Jump to solution

@AvsGunnar Fantastic! This is exactly what I needed.  

@atc98092 Good to know!  Perhaps someday Roku will allow storing apps on the external storage as well like the Firestick. Yes, I'm just curious to add external USB storage for videos, music, photos playback.  I assume it supports at-least FAT32 formatted USBs but NTFS would be awesome too for 4K quality videos (4GB filesize limit on FAT32).   

0 Kudos
atc98092
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Add external USB storage to Roku 4K Stick?

Jump to solution

Per a Roku support page:

Roku devices support USB drives that are formatted with the FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, EXT2, EXT3, and HFS+ file systems.

https://support.roku.com/article/230160368

Dan

Roku Community Streaming Expert

Help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
If you appreciate my answer, maybe give me a Kudo.

I am not a Roku employee, just another user.
AvsGunnar
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Add external USB storage to Roku 4K Stick?

Jump to solution

@jackavram 

From Roku's Support article (How to use Roku Media Player to play your videos, music and photos),  https://support.roku.com/article/208754908...

"Roku Media Player supports drives that are formatted with the FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, EXT2, EXT3, and HFS+ file systems."

----

As long as you format your drive in one of the above formats, you should be good to go.

Roku Community Streaming Expert
Just another Roku user... I am not a Roku employee.
Insignia RokuTV, Ultra 4660, Premiere+ 3921, Express 4k+ 3941, Streambar 9102

0 Kudos
Need Assistance?
Welcome to the Roku Community! Feel free to search our Community for answers or post your question to get help.

Become a Roku Streaming Expert!

Share your expertise, help fellow streamers, and unlock exclusive rewards as part of the Roku Community. Learn more.