Connecting a UPS to BOTH my PC and F4-424 Pro at once?

[Enquiries]

Hi there, Robbie/Eddie!

Is there a way I could connect a CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD to BOTH my PC and my F4-424 Pro at the same time?

I recently got my NAS up and running, and it has options to detect a connected UPS and power itself down, but my UPS only has the one USB cable that's connected to my PC already. Is there such a thing as a USB-B to 2x USB-A cable that I could buy to connect both devices to my UPS at once, or do I need to use the convoluted NUT solutions I'm seeing online if TOS 6.0 even supports such a thing?

The only other plausible solution I can think of would be to move the NAS to my sister's PC in another room and connect it to the separate UPS she has while networking everything together.

[ed]

Great question! The CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD is an excellent UPS for protecting your devices. Here's how you can connect it to both your PC and F4-424 Pro:

Direct USB Connection
Unfortunately, USB-B to dual USB-A splitters aren’t an option, as UPS communication over USB doesn’t support multiple simultaneous connections. Each device would need its own dedicated communication channel to the UPS.

Using Network UPS Tools (NUT)
The best solution is to use Network UPS Tools (NUT). Here’s how it works:

Connect the UPS to the PC via USB: Keep the direct connection to your PC.
Set up NUT on the PC: Configure the PC as a NUT server to monitor the UPS and share its status over your network.
Configure the NAS as a NUT Client: On your F4-424 Pro, enable the NUT client (check if TOS 6.0 supports it), and point it to the IP address of your PC.
This setup allows both the PC and NAS to gracefully shut down during a power outage.
Alternative Solutions
Dedicated UPS for NAS: If managing NUT seems too complicated or TOS doesn’t support it, consider investing in a second, smaller UPS specifically for the NAS.
APC Network Management Card: If you’re open to upgrading your UPS, some higher-end models (or add-ons for CyberPower) come with a network management card, allowing multiple devices to monitor and respond to the UPS over the network.
Moving to Another Room
Relocating the NAS to your sister’s PC and UPS is a viable solution, but it introduces potential network latency and other inconveniences. Stick to either NUT or a second UPS for a smoother setup.