Avoid Your Router’s USB Port – Expert Recommends NAS & Cloud Storage Alternatives

January 26, 2026 Rachel Kim – Technology Editor Technology

Okay, here’s a breakdown of the facts from the provided text, focusing on ‍recommendations and key points:

Best NAS (Network Attached Storage) Devices:

* Top Advice (High-End): terramaster F8 SSD Plus – Quiet, ⁣good performance, compact. Cost: Over ‍$800

* Budget-Friendly Recommendation: QNAP TS-233-US 2-Bay

Cloud ‍Storage Alternatives:

* Free Options:

* Google: ⁣15GB
* apple iCloud: 5GB
* Microsoft OneDrive: 5GB
* Paid Subscriptions: All three (Google, Apple, ‍Microsoft) offer paid ⁤plans⁤ to⁤ increase storage capacity.
* ⁤ Warning: Be cautious of‍ lesser-known cloud‍ storage providers offering unusually large amounts of free storage (e.g., 1TB). ⁢There are concerns about legitimacy and security.

Using Router USB Ports‍ (If you must):

* Important Precautions:

⁢ * ⁢Only use ⁣for non-critical files.
‍ * ⁣ Do‍ not transfer sensitive data.
* ⁢ Stick to low-risk ⁣content.

Related Article:

* A link is provided to a ZDNet article comparing cloud storage services: “Which cloud storage service should you buy in 2025? I compared the best options, and here’s my pick“