Garmin GPS as Network Attached Storage via Apple AirPort

[+user13371]

Apple's wireless routers have a USB port for connecting printers, hubs, external drives, etc.

 

I plugged my eTrex 20 into that port this evening and it powered up immediately as a shared disk on the network. By itself, that's a little bit useful. When I'm home can leave it plugged in all the time and copy PQs to it directly, saving a few seconds of connecting and powering up. No big deal. But if I can find a file manager app that lets my iPhone copy files to or from a shared disk on the network, I can see it being MUCH more useful. It might even let me ditch one one of more computer(s) around here that I'm only keeping for their USB ports.

 

It looks like FileApp Pro (or maybe even the free, lower-featured FileApp) would let me download and unzip PQ files directly on my phone and copy them to the Garmin. Anyone else already tried this?

Edited April 21, 2012 by Portland Cyclist

[+Walts Hunting]

Without jailbreaking you will never be able to do windows type file manipulation on any iOS device. You have to use email or iTunes.

[+user13371]

Walt, you're wrong. Again.

 

I don't know why you keep repeating that canard about having to jailbreak or use itunes or email to exchange files with an iPhone. I've mentioned a few of these apps before, and mentioned one at the start of this thread.

 

And here's another one relevant to this thread: I just found this: FileBrowser ... looks like it will do what I want* ... I type this, my eTrex is sitting connected to the router in the next room, my iPhone on the table next to me browsing the GPS's file folders. Have figured out at least one way in FB to copy files between iPhone and the GPS.

 

---

* Edit to add: After playing with FB for a little while, it's ironic: The folks who make it actually advertise it as exactly what Walt said required a jailbreak: -- "like having Windows Explorer on your iPad / iPhone" -- but while it lets me do copy pocket queries from my iPhone to the GPS, in some ways it's clunkier as using Windows. It's always something.

Edited April 21, 2012 by Portland Cyclist

[+user13371]

ANYHOW... apart from that little iDevice detour, just putting the GPS onto a network as shared storage struck me as a neat idea. I can leave it there whenever I'm not using it, makes it easy to copy maps or GPS files to it from any of the computers in the house without having to plug anything else in. I know Apple's Airport routers aren't the only ones that have a USB port and support shared storage... anyone doing this trick with a different router/NAS device?