WD V Lacie NAS Network HDD

samscales · 26 Jun 2006 at 17:40

Hi ya,

I need an external network HDD unit that can run without any software (apart from setting the thing up) on the clients, so I can stream to my xbox.

The Lacie are recomended in another post on this site, but I wondored if the Western Digital NetCenter would also work without any software installed, but cant find any information if it will still work without the bundled software, like the Lacia does.

Does anyone have any info on the WD, even a link to another forum with the info would be handy.

Cheers... :0)

SiriusB · 27 Jun 2006 at 00:44

Western Digital's website would have been a good place to start you realise.

From their own site, specifically the big page all about their NetCentre, I can see that you need to install something called EasyLink on your computer.

I am not sure it is absolutely necessary to have this software installed to use it, but why take a chance when you know for a fact the lacie doesn't need it.

SiriusB

samscales · 27 Jun 2006 at 08:45

The lacia website also says you need to install software but through the forums on this website (someone asking the same question as me but about the Lacia) it has become apparent that this is not needed, and if someone owns the WD device they may want to pass the info on as it seems a fair few people want a nas device that doesn’t require software once setup.

The reason I am interested in the WD drive is I like WD products, thats all.

Slackworth · 28 Jun 2006 at 09:47

I've just checked with Western Digital for you. The drive will work as a USB solution without drivers but they are required to use it on a network.

samscales · 28 Jun 2006 at 10:35

Thanks for the info.
I am really sorry to go on but on WD site it says...

1. Includes WD's EasyLink utility to set up WD NetCenter as a local drive on any computer on the network.
But I only want to view through workgroup, not as local drive.

2. Uses Common Internet File System (CIFS) for platform-independent file sharing.

The device also obtains an ip address without any software when you first turn it on, so must be on the network.

Later i'll order the Lacia as it does what I want, although the WD's internal software and ability to add extra external drives is a plus, so if anyone does have a western digital netcenter please update this post.

Thanks.

Aidoscuz · 29 Jun 2006 at 01:16

I've got a NetCenter and I'm using it without the drivers on my computer at the moment. I recently got a new computer and I just used the "Map Network Drive" option in My Computer, and it works perfectly. The drivers are installed on other computers on the network though so I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

samscales · 29 Jun 2006 at 10:18

Thanks for your reply.

It looks as though the software is not required once the drive is setup.

Unfortunately I ordered the Lacia yesterday, so hope its as good.