I am about to buy a NAS unit for home use. Mostly storage, but also streaming movies and music. Some remote access and definitely sharing photos and such with family.
I was read through some of the manual to understand it a little. After reading some of the posts here, I have even more questions. Questions are numbered just to make it easy to keep them straight.
Does the unit require going through the the WD website for access? Page 89 mentions WDMyCloud.com site for access.
1a) Am I right in understanding access isn’t straight to the unit?
By going through WD, they are aware of/privy to all traffic to any specific unit? Even if it is just the acknowledgement that the unit was accessed by xyz?
2a )WD(servers or what have you) must be operating to access the WD unit?
Is there an option in the unit software to skip WD playing a middleman?
If I can skip using the WD website, how will it affect the unit, prefomance and feature-wise?
Do the apps for access require contact with the WD site after install?
Is it wasy for others to access the unit? I don’t want alot of overhead for some older friends and family to be able to access photos and such.
Is it possible to run other mainstream apps on the unit? Or rather use other mainstream apps to access the unit? I guess what I’m getting at is is this going to require a WD app to remotely access photos and such? Or is the photo or movie streaming app that is used with Synology, Qnap, etc units usable with this? It would **bleep** to tell friends they have to install WD software and apps on top of the things they already have.
What about regular old broweser access?
8a) I thought that was an option I saw in the manual, with a user having a login name/password.
8b) If using browser access, does the unit limit a user unneedingly?
What is with the generated code thing? Say I give a code out. Manual says it is good for 48hrs and can be used only once. Does that mean 1 session, however long the connection lasts? Or is it like a verification code that activates the account, kinda like the email verification sent to users when registering on the forum?
All the posts about lockups and freezing. Is this a very common thing or mostly user error?
I really like the ex4 and ex2 as they are promoted. Really nice bundled package. I don’t have to figure out twonky, donkey, and bonky to stream music and movies. Really nice looking. Decent speeds.
Does the unit require going through the the WD website for access? Page 89 mentions WDMyCloud.com site for access.
1a) Am I right in understanding access isn’t straight to the unit?
-No. It can be accessed throught the applications you can download
-The bridge provides direct access to the data stores on the unit VIA the apps
3) Is there an option in the unit software to skip WD playing a middleman?
-Not that I am aware of. It provides the bridge between cloud/local access VIA the applications
4) If I can skip using the WD website, how will it affect the unit, prefomance and feature-wise?
-To my knowledge the website is used to download the apps and link the unit to user accounts. You can log into the unit directly with the IP Address and Web interface confiugure it that way.
9) What is with the generated code thing? Say I give a code out. Manual says it is good for 48hrs and can be used only once. Does that mean 1 session, however long the connection lasts? Or is it like a verification code that activates the account, kinda like the email verification sent to users when registering on the forum?
-The code is used to authenticate the user with the unit. It is only needed once. Once the device or app is paired with the unit it is no needed again. Similar to a WEP authentication key.You dont need to enter it each time you access your shares
Your answer for #4…Does that mean I can access the unit without having to go through WD sites? After getting the app, I can access the unit directly without needing WD sites to be operating?
—And if I can access it directly, do off-the-shelf apps work for access?
If anyone can help with the other questions, please do. I really like what this unit advertises. I’m just not sure if it is what it is being advertised as yet. Maybe it’s just wasn’t ready for roll-out yet. ANYWAYS, I want to buy a fully functional unit and willing to spend the money for it.
I don’t want it to remind me of owning a boat…the happiest time is the day you buy it and the day you sell it. And in-between it spends most of its time looking good, but not doing what it was built for.
I don’t know for sure about the rest of your questions, but actually you can just map a share folder. In that way, you don’t need to use any of the software that comes with the drive to use the drive. I’ve provided a link for how to do that below.
Thanks. I do plan to map to the personal parts ot the drive. I also plan to use the iSCSI feature…that is a big + with me.
This doesn’t help with shared remote access. Well, I guess it could, but not worth it. Can you imagine talking grandparents through the process of mapping drives? Their biggest crisis is the 1995 $5 DVD “1001 Solitare Games” locking up their computer, not understanding why all 1001 icons on the desktop and 600mb of shareware/freeware/trailware is not good.
I should have been more specific with the questions since they mostly concern remote access…by me and by others with limited access.
I want it to be easy for family and a few close friends to view photos and videos. I’m past having a g00gle account and emailing photos to it and having everyone check the account. I can’t control access the way I want.
