I have a 3tb mycloud device I have been using for 8 years. Like a lot of people I am forced to upgrade and don’t want the mycloud home device. Right now I am considering either the 12tb my book connected to my asus ax6600, or the ex2 ultra. The my book would be cheaper. Not sure if the ex2 ultra would give me anything the other connected via usb to my router would not. I mostly use the device for data storage and stream movies stored on it to my tv over kodi. Not currently using plex. I also have a iPhone back up and iTunes library saved on it. Thanks for the help.
How are you being forced to upgrade? Your My Cloud will continue to work for local network access just as it does now.
Q: Will my device stop working if I can’t upgrade to My Cloud OS 5? Will I lose access to my data?
A: Once the services have been shut down, you will still be able to access the device on a local network. However, access through the My Cloud OS 3 mobile app or web app will not be possible. Email notifications also won’t be delivered. Devices that have auto-update enabled will receive a final firmware update to disable remote access and outbound traffic to cloud services. Then, support will end and you’ll have to use the local network to access the device.
As is often suggested every time threads like this are posted since WD announced the termination of OS3 support. Don’t limit yourself to just WD. If you want a network attached storage device (NAS), look at other manufactures including Synology and QNAP. Make an informed decision and choice by looking at all the options.
The My Book typically is an external USB hard drive, not a NAS. The My Cloud EX2 Ultra while popular, relies on the OS5 firmware. Read through the OS5 subforums, in particular the EX2 subforum (https://community.wd.com/c/os5/my-cloud-ex-series/255) to gain a better understanding of the various issues others are having with OS5 firmware on their EX2 Ultra’s.
If you haven’t done so already, use the forum search feature (magnifying glass icon upper right) to read through the past threads asking about My Cloud replacement options in the wake of the termination of OS3 Support.
Thanks… I have had a rep from WD holding a gun to my head for the past week saying I am forced to buy another WD product…
I have used the search, and google too, none of the other posts I have found are looking at doing what I want to do. Most are home vs duo, or ex2 ultra vs home ect. I know I don’t want the home option. I know when I am home the mycloud should still work, looks like maybe the iPhone app won’t. I use the app a lot and I access the drive a lot from outside my home network. I understand there are other options besides WD. My question was about 2 specific products because those 2 are the main ones I am considering after looking at the others. I have looked at the specs of each, just not sure if I am really going to gain anything by using the ex2 ultra over the mybook connected via usb to the router. I know the ex2 has more capabilities for plex ect… but I don’t think I need that. I am not sure is the app on iPhone will work though with the mybook connected to the router. I am guessing no.
If the My Cloud apps don’t work for local network access when WD ends support in April, one can use any number of third party file manager apps for iOS or Android to access their local network My Cloud. There are options for one to setup their own methods of remote access (VPN for example) that should give one remote access to their My Cloud. Some consumer routers (like Asus) include a VPN server one can enable to allow access to their local network while in a remote location.
The EX2 Ultra have more features and options than just Plex.
hahahahaha
Ok - there are layers to this.
First. . . I take it you are not a power user
Second. . . I take it you are not one of those privacy nuts.
With that combination. . . the EX2 is your choice. Why? Remote access. The OS/5 web app and iphone app will yield the security you need to access your “stuff”.
The mybook on the router option. . . technically can work. . . .but I would sooner run OS/3 on a the router before. doing that.
(OS/3 will run fine on home network. . .you just want to BLOCK access from the router. If those words are greek to you. . .then go buy the OS/5 EX2. It’s a fine device.)
Speaking as a privacy nut. . . . .I would also block the OS/5 NAS from the internet as well. But I have 5 different tin foil hats for various occassions.
If remote access is important to you. . .bear in mind that the OS/5 system is more limited and restrictive than the OS/3 stuff. If you want more complete access; then your options are limited to either access via VPN (which I would encourage. . .and can work quite, quite well) or buying a Synology/Qnap NAS
Thanks for the advice. I would say you are correct. I am not a power user, though I probably would have been classed as such at one time. I also wouldn’t classify myself as a privacy nut. Blocking access on with my router is no issue. I have a fairly robust firewall set up. I really do want to keep remote access, as while at work I sometimes need files from my home drive. I also find myself wanting to do things on my Iphone that apple doesn’t directly support, but using the mycloud app and drive I am able to work around some of that. I currently Use a good VPN service and should have no issue there. I got used to that when I was in my kind of shady internet phase doing things I shouldn’t. now I don’t have time or a desire to mess with the type of things I used to. I just want disk drive to work and be accessible, and it is a huge plus if my wife can use it too. most of the time she can use the mycloud app, when she remembers… sounds like you might be correct and the EX2 is what I should go with if I stay with WD. I was thinking I can probably make the mybook work so why not save $150 and gain a lot more space. I don’t really want to buy both though.
apparently I can not type today…
By VPN, I mean a direct VPN connection to your network using OpenVpn or some such. (I use a router as a VPN server; and my laptop VPN Client connects to that server over the internet). At that point, one can access anything on the network you can access when at home (There are some nuances)
I hear you on the remote file access.
Been interested in that for years. . . .did a lot of international travel in pre-covid days.
Final went to putting all my data on a small 1tb ssd. . .and take it with me EVERYWHERE.
Media. . . on a 4TB HDD. . . but frankly not that critical in the days of Netflix and Amazon prime
In terms of devices. . . I have a 12TB MyBook for dead storage (backup) of media.
I have an EX2 Ultra or two. . .fine devices. . . . .
If I had to buy a NAS today. . .probably would go with a DS220+… … because it’s a bit more flexible; a bit better supported; more powerful overall.
Avoid anything from the MyCloud Home line . . . trust me.
Thanks sorry I misunderstood your VPN. makes since when I went back and read it again. I use a VPN when I work from home to access the office, so no big deal there either. I don’t currently have a VPN set up at home though. I did before I upgraded to this new router. I just have not had the time to set everything back up. I looked at that DS220+, have it saved in my wishlist on amazon. I think I originally ruled it out because of that whole discount WD was going to send out. which for me was only good for the home version or the mybook version…
No question the DS220+ costs more; even without discounts. But it is more capable. And the software is better from what I hear.
A more comparable device to the EX2 Ultra would be the DS218play. It’s little more expensive than the EX2 Ultra but far more capable and more than adequate for your stated needs.
Awesome thanks for the help. I will probably end up with one of those 2 devices and keep the mycloud for home use.
