Netgear NAS

[HarryW]

This is pretty obscure and I suspect only one of the "techie" people may be able to offer a clue:

I've run a Netgear NAS for may years without any problems.   Earlier this year, Netgear announced they were withdrawing ReadyCloud (their remote access utility) but access to the NAS as a plug and play device on a local network would continue.   This was a bit annoying as I liked to be able to access the NAS when away - but Hey Ho!

ReadyCloud was duly retired and at the same time I lost access to the device as a plug and play device.   This has been very annoying as I had several folders mapped as virtual drives.   I can now only use the NAS by accessing it via my browser using it's IP address on my network which is less than ideal.  If I look at my network using File Explorer I can see the NAS but am unable to access it.

I'd really like to get it's full functionality back, so any pointers would be gratefully received.

Harry

[mezentia]

As a NAS user, QNAP in my case, I would not expose my NAS to any outside access whatsoever. I have been caught once and had most of my files encrypted as a result of allowing external access to my NAS. Fortunately, my backups were both uncorrupted and recent. Now I have battened down NAS acces to a specific network and then  to specific addesses within that network. Twenty plus years of research is just too much to lose.

[martin hooper]

Harry

If you can see the NAS in File Explorer, can you find any clues as to what's going on by looking at Properties? Or Device Settings? My instinct is to disconnect it and then reconnect. Presumably you can't even do a backup of what's on there?

Netgear aren't interested I suppose?

Martin

[HarryW]

Harry

If you can see the NAS in File Explorer, can you find any clues as to what's going on by looking at Properties? Or Device Settings? My instinct is to disconnect it and then reconnect. Presumably you can't even do a backup of what's on there?

Netgear aren't interested I suppose?

Martin

Neither Properties or Device Settings are available.   Right Click just gives me a dialogue box asking for my password.   Netgear have basically washed their hands of NAS products

Harry

[mezentia]

It's been a while since I set up my NAS on a Win 10 PC, but let's assume that it is not too disimilar.

I assume your PC and NAS are on the same network, e.g. 192.168.1.x

On you NAS, I assume that you have set up one or more users, each with an access password that you use when you access the NAS with a browser. I further assume that you have set up a number of shared folders. You will, again I assume, be able to grant access rights, read, write, etc.,  to each of those folders to the NAS users.

If you are using Windows 10, you will need to turn on Network Discovery. There are plenty of instructions to do this online, but go to Settings/Network and Internet/Network and Sharing Centre/Advanced Sharing Options/ and make sure the Network Discovery option is selected, together with the Automatic setup of network-connected devices. This is for the current Windows user profile only.  Hopefully, you will then be able to navigate your NAS files with Windows Explorer.

There are then two other ways to access the NAS with windows. First is to create a Network Share, or second to map a network drive. If you open File Explorer to the This PC level, there should be options for both these on the menu bar. If you are asked to provided credentials, then these will be the username and passwords set up on your NAS. Hope this helps.

[Biggles50]

I consigned all my Netgear to the recycling after a product of theirs failed at 13 months and they were not interested

Another make of NAS was also at end of life support so that to ended up going to the recycling centre.

Once you are sorted I would buy another NAS unit and migrate all your files/folders to the new system.

I do hope you have robust backup systems to other hard drives and do not rely on the Netgear Unit itself.

[mezentia]

I would tend to agree with Biggles50 as a longer term solution once you have all the files backed up safely 

[HarryW]

I would tend to agree with Biggles50 as a longer term solution once you have all the files backed up safely 

Yes, backed up to three different locations.  I’m going to have a bit more of a delve tomorrow when I have access and try the suggestions.

Harry

[Biggles50]

Harry

A different suggestion for when away from home.

An M2 SSD of 2Tb in capacity plus an enclosure is £120 so you could easily take neigh on 2Tb of files with you.  The beauty of an enclosure is the ease of changing the M2 drive as and when required.  A straight 2Tb mobile SSD is £100-130 if you do not fancy an M2 which incidentally I have in my new Windows PC, they are lightning fast.

Also, I have a Sandisk 256Gb USB memory stick with inbuilt USB C and A plugs, the C fits my Macbook Air and iPhone so essential files are readily to hand, it is also fast enough to play HD video files.