Thread: How do I connect an iPad wirelessly to the router modem USB?

Assuming the router is DLNA compatible:

Make sure that the content you want to share is ticked 'share over home network' (or however the 'Share this with DLNA' option gets turned on in your router.)

Then use a media player such as VLC to access your shared content. VLC supports a range of OSes - I know it works on Android, because that's what I use to do what you describe, but I'm at a loss as to what OS the various iDevices use!

And have a look at Online Computer Store for external hard drives - you might save yourself $30 odd.

I use a NAS (Network Attached Storage) 1Tb drive which plugs direct in to a network port on the router and is then seen the same as any other computer on the network, it also acts as a print server, ie my printer plugs in to a USB port on the NAS and I can print from any device on the network, including my Android Tablet.

Mine came from Aldi and cost me $119 (priced down from $149).

You can also buy multiple HDD bay NAS boxes if you need more storage.

An update.

Using FileBrowser, I have managed to get the iPad to recognise and read the contents of the thumbdrive in the modem-router. However it will not load a movie on the iPad. A screen comes up, the movie is "running" (the time is showing), but nothing on the screen. It must be a problem matching file types. However the files on the thumbdrive are .avi and these should be working - yes?

My preferred movie player on the MacBook Pro is VLC, and this has no difficulty with these files. The Mac-default video player will not play them either. I do have VLC Streamer on the iPad, however this only streams and does not link to a NAS. (Further, I am getting a picture with VLC but no sound - ?). I also have Playable on the iPad, which is similar to VLC, but essentially downloads a movie from a PC (via cable), that is, does not appear to be programmable for wireless use. So, I am searching for a way to link wirelessly to the NAS on the iPad.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Have a look at 8player in the App Store. Should do what you want.

ajw

Not all .avi files are created equal. AVI is just a 'wrapper' and content can be made with a number of different codecs but stored in the AVI wrapping; you're still dependent on having the correct codec on your system to fully decode the AVI - partial rendering (sound but not video or vice-versa) can indicate a lack of proper codec.

Originally Posted by ajw

Have a look at 8player in the App Store. Should do what you want.

ajw

And indeed it is what I want! This app worked first time. There are some files that it does not (as yet) recognise, but what a difference! I can either stream from my laptop or the NAS to the iPad.

Many thanks.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Strange, I have found that iPad only runs mp4 movies ( H264) format. To watch movies on long flights, I use software that converts a DVD to this format, and use iTunes to load the movie on the iPad for later viewing.
Are you able to view any type of video file on your iPad now, Derek?
Are you able to read .mkv + .srt files on the iPad?

Hi Dengy

I have run one .mkv file. That ran perfectly.

Curiously, some .avi files run while others do not.

Regards from Perth

Derek