"We wanted to let you know that NETGEAR is discontinuing support for the ReadyCLOUD feature on your NETGEAR router on April 4th, 2023. The ReadyCLOUD remote file access function allows you to remotely access the data on a USB storage device attached to your router. If you currently use ReadyCLOUD on your NETGEAR router, we encourage you to move your files to a cloud storage application such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. You will not lose any data due to the end of ReadyCLOUD support, but you will no longer be able to access your files remotely. You will still be able to connect a USB drive to your router and access its files from your home network."
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to access files stored on a drive attached to Nighthawk X10 from the internet after 04/04/2023?
"We wanted to let you know that NETGEAR is discontinuing support for the ReadyCLOUD feature on your NETGEAR router on April 4th, 2023. The ReadyCLOUD remote file access function allows you to remotely access the data on a USB storage device attached to your router.
Interesting, for some reason I didn't receive this.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to access files stored on a drive attached to Nighthawk X10 from the internet after 04/04/2023?
I'd start with using OpenVPN+DDNS. That should be enough for remote access (though not sharing).
One caveat - OpenVPN requires that the client phone or PC be able to connect inbound to the router. If your ISP uses carrier grade NAT, that isn't possible. Broadband internet services do use CGNAT, and some landline ISPs do also. In those cases, you could still use cloud storage solutions as suggested by Netgear.
This is admittedly not the ideal solution but I'll mention it just as a potential alternative.
I'm using an Asus AX89X router with the new .388 firmware branch that supports WireGuard. It's incredible. When I'm outside the house, it's giving me almost seamless high-speed access to my entire local network, my ReadyNAS included, on all my devices. So if you think the cost–benefit is there, it might be something to consider. The AX89X, like a lot of new Asus routers, has 10Gbps LAN ports and a multi-Gig WAN port, so you get more out of >1Gbps NAS and ISP connections if you have happen to have them.
Using OpenWRT on your Nighthawk X10 and installing ZeroTier is another option for remote access. Using Entware, ZeroTier can also be installed on some other router firmware (Tomato and DD-WRT for sure). If there is an always-on device on your network, you could instead use that as a ZeroTier bridge. Or you could move the USB drive from the router to an always-on device running ZeroTier and not need to bridge the networks. Many favor a Raspberry Pi as that always on device, but a micro-PC or even just an old PC ready for retirement could also serve that purpose running Linux or Windows. A NAS (but not a Netgear ReadyNAS since they seem to have dropped the product line) that supports ZeroTier or it's own remote access protocol is another option.
For file sharing, OwnCloud or NextCloud are options, also running on that always-on device.
I am seeing a notice on the top of the screen when accessing ReadyCloud: "NETGEAR will be terminating ReadyCLOUD service by July 1st, 2023. ReadyCLOUD mobile app, desktop application, and ReadyCLOUD web portal readycloud.netgear.com will all be terminated by July 1st, 2023. After that date, you can continue to access locally your ReadyNAS, or access locally the USB drive connected to the routers, but remote access won’t be available."
The VPN method seems to me to be the best to keep remote access, since it is independent of external services and you also get full access to the admin panel of the devices, which was not even possible with ReadyCloud.
I wonder if it's possible to run the VPN server on the ReadyNAS? That would be most convenient.
I don't think ZeroTier is a good idea because then you'll be dependent on their servers up and running, and also their service always being available for free. Like as being dependent on a Netgear service which is shut down…
The ReadyNAS is built on a quite old (and no longer supported) version of debian linux. So installing newer linux packages on it is becoming more and more difficult over time.
