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--- nas-usb [2023/06/04 21:23] – [USB Support] hogwild
+++ nas-usb [2023/06/04 23:38] – [USB Support] -formatting hogwild
@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 The USB Support menu is divided into sections, including USB Support and Attached Devices. These sections include settings to enable or disable USB port support, configure USB-related printers and configure settings for USB-attached storage. There are also settings to support 3G/4G/5G USB modems.
 ===== USB Support =====
- The USB Support menu contains settings and controls for:
+**Core USB Support:** Checking this enables the USB driver/services for USB-equipped hardware. When enabled, a series of specific options appear for configuration. These will depend on your router hardware.
-  * General support of USB
-  * USB printer support
-  * USB-based storage
-  * 3G/4G/5G USB modem support.
-\\ **Core USB Support:** Checking this enables the FreshTomato USB driver/services for USB-equipped hardware. When enabled, a series of specific options become appear for configuration. These will depend on your router hardware.
   * USB 3.0 Support - Checking this enables support for USB 3.x (xHCI) operation on USB 3.0 (or higher) ports. (Default: )
   * USB 2.0 Support - Checking this enables support for USB 2.0 (EHCI) operation. (Default: )
-  * USB 1.1 Support: Checking either option enables support for that mode of USB 1.1 operation.
+  * USB 1.1 Support: Checking either option enables support for the that mode of USB 1.1 operation. (Default: Disabled).
     * (OHCI) -enables operation on USB 1.x (or higher) USB ports.
     * (UHCI) - enables operation on USB 2.x (or higher) USB ports.
@@ Line 25: / Line 17: @@
 [[https://wiki.freshtomato.org/lib/exe/detail.php?id=usb_support&media=7ec16a101496a89e5a6b6daf8b385888.png|{{:7ec16a101496a89e5a6b6daf8b385888.png?772}}]]
- \\   \\
+ \\   \\ **USB Printer Support**: Checking this loads the driver for USB printing support. (Default: ).
-(Default: Disabled).
+  * Bidirectional copying:  This enables bidirectional communications on the USB printer connection. \\ \\ Modern USB printers can communicate in two directions: The printer receives a print job/metadata from the PC/client \\ and the printer transmits status messages back to the print driver about job status, ink or toner levels.\\ Disabling Bidirectional copying may make some printers work better when connected to a FreshTomato device.  \\ (Default: Enabled).
-**USB Printer Support**: Checking this loads the driver for USB printing support. (Default: ).
+**USB Storage Support:**  Checking this enables driver/service support for USB storage. (Default: ).
-  * **Bidirectional copying**: Checking this enables bidirectional communications on your USB printer connection. Modern USB printers can communicate in two directions: receiving the print job and related data from the PC/network client and; transmitting status messages back to the printer driver about job status, ink or toner levels, etcetera. Disabling Bidirectional copying may make some printers work better when connected to a FreshTomato router. (Default: Enabled).
+  * File Systems Support: Checking any option loads drivers/support for the corresponding filesystem: \\ \\
+    * Ext2 / Ext3 - Enabling this loads support for accessing media with Ext2 and Ext3 filesystems.  \\ These partitions are usually created in Linux/Unix/BSD and similar operating systems. (Default: ). \\ \\
+    * NTFS - Enabling this loads support for media formatted with Microsoft's NTFS filesystem. \\ Generally, this provides compatibility with media formatted within Windows (since NT/2000).  (Default: ). \\ \\
+    * FAT - Checking this enables support for the FAT filesystem, mostly for compatibility with flash drives. \\ This filesystem is also used on SD, CompactFlash, MMC and other flash memory cards.   \\ FAT doesn't support symbolic links and limits your ability to use programs like Entware or TTB. \\ It should not not be your first choice. (Default: ). \\ \\
+    * Automount - This makes FreshTomato automatically mount partitions detected when a USB drive is inserted \\ or during bootup to mount points in subdirectories of "/mnt".  (Default: Enabled). \\ \\
+    * Run after mounting - Here, enter a script/series of shell commands to run when a USB storage device is mounted. \\ \\
+    * Run before unmounting - Here, enter a script/series of commands to run before a USB storage device is unmounted. \\ \\
-**USB Storage Support:**  Checking this enables driver/service support for USB storage. (Default: ).
+**Hotplug script:**  Here, enter shell commands to execute when a USB device is attached or removed.
-  * **Ext2 / Ext3 File System Support**: Enabling this loads the filesystem drivers to access media formatted with the Ext2 and Ext3 filesystems. These partitions are usually created in Linux/Unix/BSD and similar operating systems. (Default: ).
+**HDD Spindown:**  Enabling this makes FreshTomato spin down mechanical drives when idle. There's no need for this \\ on solid state drives, such as SSDs or flash drives, as they have no moving parts. (Default: Enabled).
-  * **NTFS Support:**  Enabling this loads the filesystem drivers to access media formatted with Microsoft's NTFS filesystem. Generally, this provides compatiblity with partitions formatted within Windows (since Windows NT/2000). (Default: ).
-  * **FAT File System Support**: Checking this enables filesystem drivers for the FAT filesystem. This is largely for providing compatibility with USB flash drives. This filesystem is also used on many SD/CompactFlash/MMC flash memory cards, and other older storage media. Please note that FAT doesn't support symbolic links and this will limit your capability to use programs such as Entware or TTB. FAT should not be your primary option. (Default: ).
-  * **Automount**: Enabling this makes FreshTomato automatically mount all partitions detected when a USB drive is inserted or during bootup to mount points in subdirectories in /mnt. (Default: Mount).
-  * **Run after mounting**: Here, you can enter a script or series of shell commands to be executed when a USB storage device is mounted.
-  * **Run before unmounting**: Here you can enter a script of series of shell commands to be executed just before a USB storage device is unmounted/removed.
-  * **Hotplug script**: Here, you can specify Linux shell commands that will be executed when a USB device is attached or removed.
-  * **HDD Spindown:**  Checking this box makes FreshTomato spin down mechanical hard drives when they are idle. There is no need to use this on solid state drives, such as SSDs or USB flash drives, as they have no motor/moving parts. (Default: Enabled).
-**3G/4G Modem Support: **Checking this enables FreshTomato's support for 3G/4G USB modem dongles. This allows you to use a cellular provider as an Internet source. For more details on 3G/4G modem settings, see the WAN Settings section on the [[:network|Network]] page.
+**3G/4G/(5G) Modem Support:  **Checking this enables support for 3G/4G/(5G) USB modem dongles. \\ This allows you to use a cellular carrier as an Internet provider. For more details on 3G/4G modem settings, see the WAN Settings \\ section on the [[:network|Network]] page. Supported USB modems are listed in the [[https://wiki.freshtomato.org/doku.php/dongle_compatibility|4G/5G compatibility]] page.
 ===== Attached Devices =====
-The Attached Devices section includes a table listing devices FreshTomato detects as attached to its USB ports. The table includes columns describing the device's Type, and the Host controller number on which the device was detected. The column headings also include a plain English Description of the media found and the media's status as mounted or unmounted.
+The Attached Devices section contains a table of devices FreshTomato detects are attached to its USB ports.
+The table has columns describing the device //Type// and the //Host// controller number where the device was detected.  There is also a column heading with a plain English //Description// of the media found and its status of mounted or unmounted.
+ \\ [[https://wiki.freshtomato.org/lib/exe/detail.php?id=usb_support&media=fb88c16672392011a95d1f46fa6bdffe.png|{{:fb88c16672392011a95d1f46fa6bdffe.png?771}}]]
+ \\
-If a drive is not mounted, clicking on the [Mount] option beside it will mount the drive, to a mountpoint as described earlier.
+If a drive is not mounted, clicking the [Mount] option beside it mounts the drive to a mount point.
-If a drive is mounted, clicking on the [Unmount] button will unmount the drive, leaving it ready to remove/disconnect.
+If a drive is mounted, clicking the [Unmount] button will unmount the drive, so it's ready to remove/disconnect.
-[[https://wiki.freshtomato.org/lib/exe/detail.php?id=usb_support&media=fb88c16672392011a95d1f46fa6bdffe.png|{{:fb88c16672392011a95d1f46fa6bdffe.png}}]]
 ===== USB Support Notes =====
-Changing USB storage settings which require loading/reloading of the USB storage drivers may affect the content in your syslog (system log) file. For example, enabling or disabling filesystems, or unmounting the drive where the syslog file is stored may cause storage errors and possibly loss of some syslog content.
+Some USB storage settings require unloading/reloading of the USB storage drivers. Changing those settings may affect the contents of your system log (syslog) file. For example, enabling or disabling filesystems, or unmounting the drive where the system log is stored may cause storage errors and possibly loss of log content.
-For this reason, it is recommended that if you want to change any USB filesystem settings, you first reconfigure syslog to be stored in RAM. Only then should you adjust filesystem settings and/or unmount the drive. After that, you can safely configure syslog to be safely stored on USB storage once again, where it should not be interrupted.
+Therefore, before changing any USB filesystem settings, you should first reconfigure syslog to be stored (temporarily) in RAM. Only then should you adjust filesystem settings or unmount the drive. Afterwards, you can configure syslog to again be permanently stored on USB storage, where it shouldn't be interrupted.
-**USB filesystem corruption is one of the most common causes of system instability.** Keep this in mind when troubleshooting router issues. You could experience a VPN connectivity issue, WiFi instability or any other sort of random problem which might be directly or indirectly caused by USB filesystem issues. Make sure to add USB filesystem checks to your troubleshooting checklist.
+**USB filesystem corruption is a very common cause of system instability.** You could experience a VPN connectivity issue, WiFi instability or any other seemingly "random" problem directly or indirectly caused by USB filesystem issues. Remember this when troubleshooting router issues. It is advised that you add USB filesystem checks to your troubleshooting checklist.

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