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Forum Discussion
How Do I Set Up A User Account?
First, I am a COMPLETE IDIOT when it comes to computer stuff! I'm sorry if this topic is in the wrong forum, I'm just lost at this point, and frustrated beyond belief. My wife got me a ReadyNAS 426, ...
Can you tell us what step in this guide is failing?
https://kb.netgear.com/22871/How-do-I-add-ReadyCLOUD-users-to-my-ReadyNAS-OS-6-storage-system
Thank You Stephen, I appreciate your time! I'm wondering if I'm getting the terminology wrong, or if in my head, what I think I'm trying to accomplish is not what I think it is! Can you explain to me the difference between a "User" and an "User Account" because when I try to understand it, it seems to me that these are two separate animals, e.g., I can set someone up to just access my NAS, or set-up a user account for another, so that they have their own private piece of the cloud through my NAS. Do I have this all wrong? My son is at university, and so I want to be able to set him up with his own cloud account so that he can access our NAS while at university, and be able to upload assignements, homework, watch movies from his own movie library and the same for music, and his account will be separate from mine. I hope this makes sense.
Jase1000 wrote:
Can you explain to me the difference between a "User" and an "User Account"
Well, a "User" is an actual person, and a "User Account" is an account (username) that person uses. The account has an associated password. And you can select which user accounts can access specific shares.
In the KB article there are two places where the text refers to a "user", but it really means a "user account". Both are at the bottom of the page. "The selected ReadyCLOUD user [account] is added to the User [account] list" is one, the other is "When you grant access to a ReadyCLOUD user [account], that user [account] is also added to the Cloud User [account] list ...".
Jase1000 wrote:
I can set someone up to just access my NAS, or set-up a user account for another, so that they have their own private piece of the cloud through my NAS.
Well, there are two kinds of user accounts on the NAS. There are local user accounts are are separate from ReadyCloud, and ReadyCloud accounts. Personally I think this is a design flaw on Netgear's part. It would be much better if there was only one kind of user account, with an option to enable ReadyCloud access for each account. However, that's not the way they designed it.
Since your son is accessing the NAS remotely, he'll need a ReadyCloud account. The username will be one of the email addresses he uses, the password isn't the same as his email password.
You'll first need to turn on the ReadyCloud service on the NAS (look on the cloud page of the NAS web ui for that). Then you follow the steps in the KB article I linked to create that ReadyCloud account for him. and allow him to access the network shares.
He could then access the NAS through the ReadyCloud website, or he could install the ReadyCloud application on his PC.
FWIW, there are alternatives to ReadyCloud. For instance if you have a Nighthawk or Orbi router you could instead use the OpenVPN capability of that router. Then your son would install OpenVPN on his PC. He can use that to access your home network - accessing the NAS the same way you do when you are home. That might work better for him. If you let us know your router manufacturer/model, we could see if that feature is available in your router.
Thanks Again Stephen for your assistance. It's sorta-kinda starting to make sense! As far as my router, it is a Netgear Nighthawk X10 R9000. Is this a good router? Would it be able to do what you are talking about? As stated, I am not really knowledgeable about these things. My Sons purchased the router for me as a present. Should I purchase a different kind? Sorry for all the questions...
Jase1000 wrote:
As far as my router, it is a Netgear Nighthawk X10 R9000. Is this a good router? Would it be able to do what you are talking about?
It's a great router, and it does support OpenVPN. OpenVPN is the way I use myself btw. ReadyCloud can be a bit tempermental (sometimes slow to connect, and sometimes goes down).
If your son is more tech-savvy than you, then perhaps he could help you set it up. This is all free btw (as is ReadyCloud).
The basic steps are
(a) enable a service called Dynamic DNS, and select a name for your home (for instance, Jase1000.mynetgear,com). You do this by logging into the router, clicking on the advanced tab, and then the advanced setup choice on the left. You'll see an option called "Dynamic DNS". Enable it, and choose Netgear as the service provider. https://kb.netgear.com/23860/How-to-Setup-a-NETGEAR-Dynamic-DNS-account
(b) Enable OpenVPN. This is also on the "advanced setup" menu (called "VPN Service"). All you need to do is enable it, and then download the three packages - one for Windows, one for Mac PCs, and one for Smart Phones (and tablets).
(c) Your son then installs OpenVPN on his devices (PC and mobile devices). He'd need the appropriate package that you downloaded in step (b) to connect to your network. Applying the packages you downloaded in (b) is the trickiest step, but there are KB articles that show you how to do it for Android, iPhone, Windows, and Mac. Note you can also install it on your devices if you like.
Then to use the feature, he just connects to your router (similar to connecting to WiFi). Then he has full access to the NAS (and everything else on your network).
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