WD NAS drive user-level confusion

esuhl

I'm trying to set up a new "WD My Cloud Home" NAS device for a friend. I've run the "WD Discovery" setup program on his Windows 7 PC, but I can't work out how to set up user-level access across the network.

The setup program has added a device called MYCLOUD-XSKHV9 to the Network section of Windows Explorer. This contains a shared folder named "Public". I can create sub-folders inside Public, but not in the device root.

A mapped network drive X: has also been created. This contains a folder named "Family", which is (apparently) a public folder that cannot be renamed or deleted. I can create other folders on X: but when I look at those folders' properties, there are no Share or Security tabs to set user permissions.

I've browsed the WD support site, but it's not very clear (to me)...

There are all sorts of apps to access the drive via phone apps, synchronise to (internet-based) cloud, etc., but we don't want any of that. We just want the drive on the LAN, so a user logged in to Windows as "michael" can access the "michael folder", but no one else can.

Surely that should be easy enough...? Any ideas...?

esuhl

I've just plugged in a second "WD My Cloud Home" NAS, and it doesn't appear as a mapped drive, nor is it recognised by the "WD discovery" app.

It does appear as a device named MYCLOUD-JYZL64 in the Network section of Windows Explorer, but again it only contains a Public folder, and I can't create any other folders in the root of the device...

:-/

Chino

esuhl wrote: »

but I can't work out how to set up user-level access across the network.

I have no personal experience of this device, but section 7 Invite or Remove a User of this manual implies that the device owner needs to use the My Cloud Home mobile app to invite a user to create an account on the device. Section 3 Backup, Sync & Add Content of the manual has a section Add Content – Drag-and-Drop that explains how users can add content to their account on the device.

But there may well be easier ways to do this!

datostar

These kind of devices often have a built-in web interface accessible via their IP address which will be on your internal network as (probably) 192.168.0.xxx which allows setting up public and private folders, DLNA Server, passwords etc. Worth a try if you find out the IP address it's using - check your Router settings if you don't know it as it should be listed with connected devices. Worth giving it a static IP address so you can always access with an unchanging address.
They do have their own built-in Operating System software, generally a Linux variant so using Windows Explorer and the like for anything other than moving files in and out is pretty well limited to just that.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

If you go to the root of the drive, there is a webpage. Best set the router to give it a static IP Adress such as 192:168:n:nnn

victor2

I have a WD MYCloud drive connected to my router for backups and sharing data.
You cannot allocate directories to Windows users like you would with a locally connected drive. I suspect it is because the drive runs its own operating system and just doesn't support such operations.
I had grand ideas of giving other family members their own areas, but it just isn't configured to do such a thing.

emptybox

I've got the previous generation of WD MyCloud, and I was certainly able to make folders in the root of the drive, but I think I had to do it through the web interface right enough.

It came with 3 folders by default. 'Public', 'Smartware', and 'TimeMachineBackup' and I added one called 'Backup' for all my backups.
I've mapped that folder and the Public folder (into which I put all my media) and just ignored the other two.

Not sure about the different user thing, as there's only me that accesses it.

ifstar

Chino wrote: »

I have no personal experience of this device, but section 7 Invite or Remove a User of this manual implies that the device owner needs to use the My Cloud Home mobile app to invite a user to create an account on the device. Section 3 Backup, Sync & Add Content of the manual has a section Add Content – Drag-and-Drop that explains how users can add content to their account on the device.

But there may well be easier ways to do this!

This is correct. I've got one of these devices and you need to set us users using the app as opposed to trying to do it through windows directly.

esuhl

Sorry for the delay in responding. I did finally figure out how it works and it's literally INSANE.

The device has no web-interface built-in. You can't go to 192.178.x.y; you have to set it up by signing up for an account at mycloud.com.

All you see in Windows Explorer is a network drive containing a Public folder. No other root folders can be created; no user-permissions can be modified. Everyone on the LAN has full control of any files you put there.

You can create users by getting them to sign up to the website. Each user has full read/write permission to his/her own private folder. And no one can access anyone else's folder. The drive also has a Family folder that all users have full read/write access to.

READ-ONLY PERMISSIONS DON'T EXIST!

USERS EITHER HAVE FULL READ/WRITE ACCESS TO ALL YOUR FILES OR NONE AT ALL!

If you want to share a directory with someone, you have to hand over your password and tell them to log in as you, giving them full read/write access to ALL your files until you change your password.

You can't access your own files at the same time as another user's.

:eek:

There IS a desktop app that will mount your share as a drive letter, so you don't have to use the website to access your files... But it's 64-bit Mac/Windows only.

And it still only allows access to your private files. You can't map your own shares. You can't even choose which drive letter the share is mounted as!!!

On 32-bit and non-Windows/Mac systems, you're stuck with the clunky web-interface. If you don't have internet access, or the site disappears, you can't access your files.

:eek:

WHY DOES THIS DEVICE EVEN EXIST?! ARGH!

:rotfl::mad::rotfl::mad:

ifstar

O

esuhl wrote: »

Sorry for the delay in responding. I did finally figure out how it works and it's literally INSANE.

The device has no web-interface built-in. You can't go to 192.178.x.y; you have to set it up by signing up for an account at mycloud.com.

All you see in Windows Explorer is a network drive containing a Public folder. No other root folders can be created; no user-permissions can be modified. Everyone on the LAN has full control of any files you put there.

You can create users by getting them to sign up to the website. Each user has full read/write permission to his/her own private folder. And no one can access anyone else's folder. The drive also has a Family folder that all users have full read/write access to.

READ-ONLY PERMISSIONS DON'T EXIST!

USERS EITHER HAVE FULL READ/WRITE ACCESS TO ALL YOUR FILES OR NONE AT ALL!

If you want to share a directory with someone, you have to hand over your password and tell them to log in as you, giving them full read/write access to ALL your files until you change your password.

You can't access your own files at the same time as another user's.

:eek:

There IS a desktop app that will mount your share as a drive letter, so you don't have to use the website to access your files... But it's 64-bit Mac/Windows only.

And it still only allows access to your private files. You can't map your own shares. You can't even choose which drive letter the share is mounted as!!!

On 32-bit and non-Windows/Mac systems, you're stuck with the clunky web-interface. If you don't have internet access, or the site disappears, you can't access your files.

:eek:

WHY DOES THIS DEVICE EVEN EXIST?! ARGH!

:rotfl::mad::rotfl::mad:

For sharing a folder, you sure that's right? The manual doesn't make it sound like that.


1. Through the MyCloud.com web app, navigate to and select the file or folder
that you choose to share.
2. Press the Share Link icon.
a. Note: When using a browser with Microsoft Windows or macOS, the Share
Link icon can be accessed through the icon-menu in the upper right-hand
corner of the browser window, or by Right-Clicking the folder or file.
b. Note: When using a browser with Android or iOS, the Share Link icon is
accessed by Selecting the three-dot menu to the right of the file or folder.
3. This will open the Share Link dialog box. Press the Copy icon.
4. If the option to share was performed, a small box will briefly appear in the
lower left-hand corner of the browser window confirming the link was copied
to your Operating System Clipboard.
5. Go to your email client and paste the link into the body of an email.
6. Send the email to the user with whom you will share the item. Instructions for
using your email client are not part of the MyCloud.com web app.


You can add users through the mobile app by inviting them.

Maybe have a shot on that and see if that's any better for you.

victor2

esuhl wrote: »

...
On 32-bit and non-Windows/Mac systems, you're stuck with the clunky web-interface. If you don't have internet access, or the site disappears, you can't access your files.

:eek:

WHY DOES THIS DEVICE EVEN EXIST?! ARGH!

:rotfl::mad::rotfl::mad:

It's a relatively cheap way to get a good central file storage area for all your devices. It is not a true NAS box as we might expect/hope.
For example, I backup my desktop to it daily and have ripped DVDs onto it from my PC so that my smart TV can play those videos. I put videos and photos onto it from my smartphone, and the TV can then display them.

It does not work as a "file server" for multiple users, there will be better solutions if that is what you want to achieve.