How to setup VPN to PR2100 at remote site

My Cloud OS 5 My Cloud PR
1

I have a WD PR2100 that is currently on my home network. I want to relocate it to my parent’s house and put it on their network. What are the best VPN solutions to be able to still access it like I do now (network drive) and still be able to backup my pc to it? Or are their other solutions that would work? I want it to be like it’s on my network.

Thank you.

2

Hi @bucky99,

Have you checked our knowledge base articles?
(Support for Western Digital Hard Drives | Western Digital)

Have you opened a Support Case?
If not, contact Western Digital Technical Support for assistance.
[Contact Us | Western Digital]

3

This is far beyond a WD issue.

What you are essentially trying to do is to log a remote computer onto a home network.

This is not for faint of heart. . . but when it works, its great.

BASICALLY, you have to run a VPN Server on the network you want to connect to. THEN you run a VPN Client on a PC that is making the connection.

  1. A number of routers will actually run VPN Server software. Check the router manual (or website). Asus routers have tended to have OpenVPN Server built-in.

  2. If not, you might run OpenVPN or a competitor like TailScale or Wireguard on another device. . .like a PC or a Rasberry Pi device. If you are not running on a router, you probably have to do some Port Forwarding on the Router so that you can “navigate” through the router to your VPN Server.

  3. Once you have a VPN Server running, you need to link it to a VPN Client software. Usually there is a Cert or Encryption Key that you will have to download from the VPN Server to the VPN CLient.

  4. You probably want to get a DDNS assignment for your home network router. That way you can address it by name on your VPN Software rather than WAN IP address (which can change on a whim). Some routers vendors will provide this function as a service through a manufacturer website (so I use ASUS, and in the VPN Software, I am entering something like "Mystuff.asus.com:port# or somesuch)

  5. When you log into your home network via a VPN client, you will be assigned an IP address outside your normal home IP Network address. That’s normal. It also means that accessing devices on your network by name (as opposed to IP address) might be flakey. Your milage may vary.

  6. Speed is always an issue. I find the VPN connection quite slow at times (because my ISP is 100down/10 up. . .but I think they are lying about the 10 up). So simple files are easy. Copying big videos I find a tad infuriating. I did have a win recently with my VPN software, when I was on the road and was able to dial in and print some stuff on the home printer via vpn.