Can I access WD My Cloud using USB?

Q: How do I access WD My Cloud without the app?

In short you cant. you can mount the public share like a normal network drive but you must log in a guest. The private user space can only be mounted using WD Discovery. The My Cloud Home is not a traditional NAS.

Table of Contents Show

Can I connect my WD My Cloud via USB?
How do I access WD My Cloud files locally?
How do I access WD My Cloud without the app?
Can I access WD My Cloud Home without internet?

Can i use the built-in USB port to access the files writeen in the HD Faster, or the access is only throught network connection ?

asked on December 27, 2013

Showing 1-10 of 17 answers

To answer the first part of the question, no; for the second part, yes.
Access to the drive is only possible via a network connection. The USB port is available only to expand storage: only storage devices are recognised by the USB interface so that they may, as well, be accessed through the network, as an additional share on the system.

The previous answers are wrong. The USB port is for adding additional hard drives only. You can only access the files through the Ethernet connection.

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NO, from the manufacturer: "My Cloud storage devices, as well as other WD NAS devices, cannot be connected to a computer using the built in USB ports."
http://support.wdc.com/KnowledgeBase/answer.aspx?ID=1544

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NO, you cannot connect the "My Cloud" external drives to your computer with USB port access. I had to return TWO of these I had bought for me and my wife due to this STUPID design. The USB port is only to attach another drive like a flash drive or camera internal memory, to PIGGY BACK. If you attach the USB cable to… see more NO, you cannot connect the "My Cloud" external drives to your computer with USB port access. I had to return TWO of these I had bought for me and my wife due to this STUPID design. The USB port is only to attach another drive like a flash drive or camera internal memory, to PIGGY BACK. If you attach the USB cable to your computer, it will NOT be recognized by your computer as a hard drive.
The ONLY way to connect to your computer is via your wi-fi router/switch ethernet connection. You can only see the external hard drive as another device on the network, NEVER physically connected via USB cable to the computer you wish to back up.
I bought two of these and could never see them on my network for my computers. Ironically, my smart TV could see them on the network, but neither of my computers could see them. Boxed them back up, and went to local store and bought two REAL 2TB external hard drives to connect via USB cable.
The person below me said he was able to connect via ethernet cable to his computer, but that also did not work for me. Wasn't worth the hassle to figure out how, when there are plenty of other external USB hard drives that don't have idiotic restrictions. It's nice to have "cloud" (network) feature in addition to basic USB connection, but the USB (physical) connection should also be available. see less NO, you cannot connect the "My Cloud" external drives to your computer with USB port access. I had to return TWO of these I had bought for me and my wife due to this STUPID design. The USB port is only to attach another drive like a flash drive or camera internal memory, to PIGGY BACK. If you attach the USB cable to your computer, it will NOT be recognized by your computer as a hard drive.
The ONLY way to connect to your computer is via your wi-fi router/switch ethernet connection. You can only see the external hard drive as another device on the network, NEVER physically connected via USB cable to the computer you wish to back up.
I bought two of these and could never see them on my network for my computers. Ironically, my smart TV could see them on the network, but neither of my computers could see them. Boxed them back up, and went to local store and bought two REAL 2TB external hard drives to connect via USB cable.
The person below me said he was able to connect via ethernet cable to his computer, but that also did not work for me. Wasn't worth the hassle to figure out how, when there are plenty of other external USB hard drives that don't have idiotic restrictions. It's nice to have "cloud" (network) feature in addition to basic USB connection, but the USB (physical) connection should also be available.

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Eh. The files can be accessed if you have Linux.

Access is only through the network.

To summarize all the debate below: you CAN connect the My Cloud directly to your computer via Ethernet ONLY. You CANNOT use the USB port; the My Cloud is an intelligent network device, not a dumb* USB drive. As an intelligent network device, it can support additional drives of its own.
* that's an IT term, not an i… see more To summarize all the debate below: you CAN connect the My Cloud directly to your computer via Ethernet ONLY. You CANNOT use the USB port; the My Cloud is an intelligent network device, not a dumb* USB drive. As an intelligent network device, it can support additional drives of its own.
* that's an IT term, not an insult... is the device capable of identifying itself and responding to network commands from a variety of sources ('intelligent'), or does it have to be hosted by a PC or something ('dumb'). A My Cloud is seen as its own independent device on the network, just like your laptop/PC, tablets/smartphones, set top boxes, video consoles, etc. see less To summarize all the debate below: you CAN connect the My Cloud directly to your computer via Ethernet ONLY. You CANNOT use the USB port; the My Cloud is an intelligent network device, not a dumb* USB drive. As an intelligent network device, it can support additional drives of its own.
* that's an IT term, not an insult... is the device capable of identifying itself and responding to network commands from a variety of sources ('intelligent'), or does it have to be hosted by a PC or something ('dumb'). A My Cloud is seen as its own independent device on the network, just like your laptop/PC, tablets/smartphones, set top boxes, video consoles, etc.

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Okay, read the manual... You can connect up seven(7) USB devices (via a hub) to this drive - Making those devices NAS accessible.
i.e. USB flash drives, cameras, and/or an external hard drive (what size, I do not know)
I want to thank everyone for their reviews. There are quite helpful!

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I have used a LAN(ethernet) cable from the WD MY Cloud to my laptop LAN port or my Roku3 LAN port with no problems.
I can see my video, foto and music files on my Roku and I can read and write files from my laptop!
At fisrt I always used it trough my router wired or wireless but now can use it direct connect via LAN cable!

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Can I connect my WD My Cloud via USB?

Because the My Cloud Home works over the network, you do not connect the drive to your computer with a USB cable, but with a network cable to your router or modem. Place the WD My Cloud Home near your router. Connect the power adapter to the My Cloud Home and to a free power outlet.

How do I access WD My Cloud files locally?

Open the Windows File Explorer..

From the side menu, select Network. ... .

Double-click the My Cloud device and login with your local user account..

Locate the device's Public shared folder..

Double click the Public shared folder..

You can now drag and drop files into (and from) the Public shared folder..

How do I access WD My Cloud without the app?

In short you can't. you can mount the public share like a normal network drive but you must log in a guest. The private user space can only be mounted using WD Discovery. The My Cloud Home is not a traditional NAS.

Can I access WD My Cloud Home without internet?

A: Hello , Please we would like to inform you that My Cloud Home device requires internet all the time . It doesn't work without internet . However, If the device fails and the device is not connected with the internet you can not access the data from your device.