Powered USB 3.0 HDD with RPI3 B+ for recording/file-sharing - connect via USB2.0 or via USB3.0 port on Router?

[RedSnowDonkey]

Hi,

I've set up an RPI 3B+ as a TVHeadEnd Server and I've currently got a Seagate USB3.0 HDD attached via the USB2.0 ports, then sharing anything on it over my local network.

I'm wondering if it might give me faster file access (read/write from the RPI and by other network devices) if I connect the HDD to my TPLink Router, which has a USB3.0 port (and gigabit LAN connectivity) and mount the drive to the RPI from there instead.

I know the 3B+ has a faster Ethernet port so I'm wondering if that route would be a faster connection, to the USB HDD, than the USB2.0 ports provide.

Any ideas? Does anyone know?

Thanks!

[RedSnowDonkey]

...or the alternative is to just share some space on my existing (relatively low spec) Synology NAS...

But without trying each one out, I'm not sure how well they all compare.

Any help or pointers appreciated!

[DougieLawson]

Your Synology NAS will do NFS so that makes it easy to get a share mounted on your Raspberry.

[RedSnowDonkey]

It sure was easy, yes - thanks - but I'm still not sure if I'm getting the best speeds I can.

Is a USB 3.0 HDD on USB 2.0 direct to the Pi better than a NAS over NFS in any way?

I'm worried I may be mullering my network connection with data in and data out on the same line... but perhaps I'm worrying about nothing?