5 cool tricks for your router

March 23, 2025

By Kim Komando

You never hear anyone say, “This router is amazing. It changed my life!” It’s sad because that little guy controls your entire home’s internet. If yours has a USB port (check the back!), you can unlock some surprisingly useful features. You’re gonna love this.

Set up central storage

Want extra space for photos, music or important files? Plug in a USB flash drive or an external hard drive, and boom, you’ve got network-wide storage. Anyone on your Wi-Fi can access the files, making it super handy for sharing family photos or documents.

• Not all routers support this, so check your model’s specs.
• A simple WD 2TB Elements USB drive ($75) is a great option.

Power a device

A lot of smart home gadgets, like security cameras and night-lights, can run off USB power. Instead of hogging an outlet, plug them into your router’s USB port.

• A USB night-light makes it easier to see when you have to reset the router at 2 a.m. (been there).

Have a backup

Hard drive crashes happen. If you plug an external USB drive into your router, you can automatically back up your computer’s files.

• Windows users: Search for Windows Backup in the taskbar.
• Mac users: Open Time Machine under General > System Settings.

Charge your devices

Need an extra charging spot? Your router’s USB port can charge your phone, tablet or even some laptops. It won’t be super fast, but it’ll free up a valuable outlet.

Share a printer

Tired of fighting with your printer? Plug it into your router, and anyone on your Wi-Fi can print. No messy cables needed.

• Many modern printers support this automatically through an app.
• Some even let you send print jobs remotely over the internet.

Try out one of these tricks and put that little port to good use!

⛪️ Speaking of and since it’s Sunday … God said to set up a router and provide free Wi-Fi in the tabernacle. Turns out, Moses is having a little trouble finding the promised LAN.

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