Well if I can log in to wd2go and then select the drive, then enter the required password for the drive, then java starts and shows me the list of shares I have access to (public and private) I would assume that the configuration of the user is more than enough…
But still from that list of shares I can only open the public ones, the private ones do not work. Trying the wd my cloud desktop app works, I can access the shares, but that application is not helping me in any way to download/upload folders, if I have to zip/unzip all the time and upload/download manually all files.
So, in the end after 2 days of having the cloud, here is my feedback:
When I first set up the unit, I receive right away warnings and messages saying that java is not secure, then uncertified certificates warnings and so on, this is not really encouraging for the person who tries to use the device as a personal cloud because of security concerns when storing files on other compaies drives. This is a complete no for me.
The ports setup is confusing even for me, who works in IT and linux stuff, I managed to configure it but the way the process is being executed is confusing and not well documented/explained.
Then there is the issue that the service even after installing the unsecure java application with the unsecure certificate the thing still does not work, giving the errors presented in my first post. Not the machine I am testing is a fresh install of Windows 7 with Office installed and Java as requested by the wd2go site. If on this machine the WD My Cloud is not able to work without any issue, I do not trust them that it will work on the people’s PC’s I intend to share the cloud with when I have to.
Other issue is that despite the unit being powered by Linux, there is no way to browse through the files from a Linux machine (for example Ubuntu) without allowing remote SSH (even worse, unsecured FTP) to the whole internet which I do not intend to giving that my personal data is on that machine.
Then there is the issue of the latest firmware not allowing us to execute our favorite applications through SSH on the machine. I understand that it can compromise the way the unit works but with little guidance I think it would be possible to have best of both worlds: WD having the firmware/unit maintained and functional and us having some access to put our applications on it. Killing all our processes executed on the machine is not, especially when a user buys a NAS for being able to do a little more than just a dummy usb drive or a network one with some fancy buttons and LAN services.
In the end, and after all this, I had to return the unit back, I did not came here to say how bad the unit is (despite giving me some headakes after just 2 days of using it). I just wanted to say that unfortunately I had to return the unit because given the price the hardware provided is just fantastic, I mean you get a red drive with a usb3 and gigabit ethernet machine!
The big let down for me were all the above points which are all related to the way WD markets the unit and manages the applications running inside it.
So in the end my remote access on private shares is solved by returning the machine and getting another one which despite not having usb3/gigabit ethernet for around the same price, it will allow me flexibility to use the applications I want on the machine and allow me to use the remote shares on any remote client more or less the way Dropbox works.
