Is it possible to stop power to USB port?

GL AR 300M, OpenWrt 18.06.1 r7258-5eb055306f / LuCI openwrt-18.06 branch (git-18.196.56128-9112198)

3.024 version.

Even though I power my extetnal HDDs using a powered USB hub, drives are not recognised.

I would like USB HDDs to use external power only. They shd not draw any power from router in conflicting to external power. Is there a way to stop power to USB but just use that port for data only?

I don’t quite understand your issue.

To my knowledge the USB standard always requires power on the port to work, meaning, if you cut the power, devices will be disconnected regardless of their own power supply.

If the USB hub delivers sufficient power for the HDD, there will not be any power drawn from the port.

So it seems there is a different reason that HDD are not recognized.

Are none of the to the USB hub connected devices accessible? How many devices are attached to the USB hub?

Only one is detected always, either connected directly to router or thru hub.

If second HDD is connected, both dont show up.
Lsblk
Block info

And if you just connect the second one directly or via hub (without the first being attached) it also doesn’t show up?

Do you have a thumb drive to check if the connection with the hub is working in general with multiple devices (connecting only the working disk and a “known working” thumb drive)?

if I connect 2nd one, both disappears. I am assuming power issues.

I will try with thumb drive and see.

Btw is there a latest stable version than what I am using (3.024)?

According to this page GL.iNet download center that is the most current release, but there is a testing firmware 3.100 which also may be found at above link.

Issue looks like to be that router doesn’t have any drivers for that External HDD.
lsusb -t shows there are no drivers for the disk, though I have installed all possible kmod-usb- xxx drivers. Its WD old laptop’s hard disk, trying to use it with a USB connector as a external disk.