Surviving the end of MyCloud O3 support

Continuing the discussion from Support For My Cloud Changing:

As I understand it, once this kicks in, I should be able, using my iPad, to see stuff I have loaded on to my MyCloud device, and load and edit fresh stuff, whenI am at home, but I won’t be able to take the iPad down to the pub and do that. If that’s all it’s a nuisance, but not too big a deal, since I rarely do that (even before Covid), and my favoured pub has lousy WiFi anyway.

But I’ve found that every now and again my iPad shows that the MyCloud app has a massive amount of Documents and Data - 19.8 GB today. I’ve no idea what that is - anything I load is supposed to go to the device on my desk, not clog up the iPad, with its limited storage capacity. But I’ve found that I can sort that by deleting the MyCloud app, and reinstalling it - that 19.8GB came down to 50.8MB.

But downloading the MyCloud .involves my signing in to MyCloud. But surely that won’t be possible after the axe comes down. So has anyone any idea what happens to reinstalling the MyCloud app, without which access to my device through WiFi is surely impossible?

Right from WD:

My Cloud OS3 End of Service - Support for your My Cloud and WD Cloud device is changing
https://www.westerndigital.com/mycloudupdates

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.

The general assumption appears to be that any WD OS3 mobile app that use, or connects to, WD servers (for example for app username/password verification) and then connects to the OS3 My Cloud will stop functioning next April when WD terminates OS3 support.

Currently it appears one is free to setup their own method(s) of remote access, like insecure FTP or VPN, that do not involve WD servers to regain some My Cloud remote access capabilities that are lost when WD terminates OS3 support next April. These alternate methods may involve additional knowledge and skill by the end user to properly implement. Some consumer routers include a VPN Server feature/option. Or one can use other devices (SoC devices, Raspberry Pi, etc.) to host a VPN Server. One can enable insecure FTP through the My Cloud Dashboard. Additional configuration of the router to enable port forwarding may also be needed depending on what method of remote access one is setting up.

That sounds very complicated. But establishing “remote access” wouldn’t be what I think I’d much want to do. What I’d want, I think, is to be able to establish local access within my home network, through my wifi. Without the mobile app, which won’t be able to function, i gather, is there any other way to do that?

Depending on the method one sets up themselves for remote access it can be complicated. For example; if using (insecure) FTP it is enabling it in the My Cloud Dashboard, then typically one configures port forwarding for port 21 within the router the My Cloud is connected. If one wants to use VPN, then yes it typically is somewhat more complicated to setup.

One can find general “how to” guides on the internet for either option.

Generally. if your My Cloud is connected to the local network it has already has “established local access” to your home network. This assumes you haven’t configured your home router or local network devices to block or limit local network access to your My Cloud.

As the information from WD posted above indicates, local network access (or what you are calling “establish local access”) to your My Cloud device is not affected. For any device that uses the OS3 WD My Cloud mobile app, one can use a third party file manager app for local network access to their My Cloud rather than the OS3 WD My Cloud app. Windows and Mac computers on the local network would continue to use Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder for local network access as they do now to their OS3 My Cloud…

Thanks for helping. I’ve always used the My Cloud app on the iPad to get to my data. Could you suggest a "third party file manager I could use instead? And would that enable me to do that trick of deleting and reinstalling to get rid of the stuff that is clogging up my iPad?

Hi, I’ve tried using Documents by Readdle which is already on my iPad. While it seems to recognise that MyCloud exists, I couldn’t get it to make any useful contact or get any control over it. Any chance there’s an app out there that would serve as a fair replacement for the WD one? If not there should be a nice little gap in the market for someone.

FE explorer looks like a better option, though not perfect. But if there’s a better alternative I’d be happy to hear of it. Preferably without an annual subscription.

Now what I’m looking for is a way to access the WD mycloud dashboard on an iPad, if such is possible.

For a laugh, here is what The boss of WD wrote in a mass mail out a few years ago: “At WD, our commitment to you is reliable, secure and easily accessible storage for your most valuable content.” The man should go into politics. He’d fit well in Boris’s front bench.

You access the WD My Cloud Dashboard, on the local network, using a web browser. In the case of iOS, that’s Safari. If using the My Cloud name doesn’t work, try it’s local network IP address.

Thanks. I’ve got a little shortcut on my desktop now for http://wdmycloud.local/UI/ which cuts out getting diverted to the sign-up process for the WD account, and. Gives me direct access to the dashboard/interface.

And I’ve realised that the free version of FE explorer gives me what I need, so no need to pay up for the Pro version, which just seems to allow me to do stuff I am never likely to want to do.

The least WD could have done is to explain this kind of stuff in the mass-mail instead of cryptically just mentioning “local access”, so leaving non-techie people like me to flounder about. I suppose the hope is lots of us will take up this 20% deal and splash out on new expensive WD gear totally unnecessarily. Thanks again - we’d be lost without you.

Can i just disable the remote acccess and attach the drive to my PC via a cable?

Theoretically. . .but you may get goofy results if that PC is also connected to a router.

Being totally paranoid; I have a dedicated router for my NAS’s that do not have internet access.
When I was less paranoid, I had my NAS’s blocked from the internet using IP blocking on the router. Worked fine.

If these options don’t sound appealing, I would suggest something in a different product line

Thanks for the response. It’s not what i wanted to hear but what i expected.

Yes. One can connect the My Cloud directly to a computer using the My Cloud networking port and a networking port on the computer. When doing so the My Cloud may not be available to the rest of the local network devices.

How to Access a My Cloud When Connected Directly to a Computer
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16312

You cannot use the USB port on the My Cloud to connect to another computer.

Thanks for this suggestion. Much appreciated.

Yes, but why? If you have the MyCloud attached to a router, just leave it there. Remote access will be disabled via a firmware update from WD in April, or you can just turn off remote access in the dashboard.

Disabling remote access in OS/3 is INSUFFICIENT.

There are open ports and backdoors in the firmware - - > This is what makes the device insecure.

The proper way is to go into the router settings and BLOCK internet access to the device from the router…

quote="NAS_user
Disabling remote access in OS/3 is INSUFFICIENT .
There are open ports and backdoors in the firmware - - > This is what makes the device insecure.

True, but the firmware update in April is supposed to block all this out.

quote="NAS_user
The proper way is to go into the router settings and BLOCK internet access to the device from the router…

Certainly, but most MyCloud users won’t know how to do this.

quote = "dswv42
Buy a Synology, problem solved.

Absolutely!

NO. I have no idea what the April update will do. . . .AT BEST, it will simply push the “turn off cloud services” button.

The fix for all the backdoors, open ports, and security flaws rests with the new Linux kernal used for OS/5. And that will NOT be in the April patch.

The issues here are unstated:

  • Do we trust that OS/5 will be properly maintained since it’s initial release a year ago?

  • OS/5 includes a number of deliberate features that are good from a corporate / advertising point of view; but highly questionable from a user privacy / users security point of view. turning off cloud services in OS/5 is not the same thing as blocking it from the internet

Synology; as my buddy DSVW suggests, is a solution for both issues if you * have a NAS exposed to the internet*

IF and that is a huge IF we are to believe that updated OS3 4.x/2.x firmware will do what WD claims and not introduce any other security vulnerabilities through sloppy coding, or impact any other services running on the My Cloud unit(s) that cannot be updated to OS5/v5.x firmware. .

Personally I don’t trust WD on this one to not frack things up somehow with the firmware given their past history. So I block broadband access to the My Cloud at the router firewall regardless of what WD does with any future v4.x or v2.x firmware to close remote access ports or disabling remote access service(s).

The last firmware update for OS/3 is one well worth AVOIDING.

Bennor’s post is worth repeating.