Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsOverall An Excellent NAS Device
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2017
If you need a lot of storage you really do need a Network Attached Storage device, commonly called a NAS. I've been using this EX4100 from Western Digital for a while and am overall pleased with the unit. I will tell you right up front that it would have been an easy 5-star review if not for a problem with the system's fan that required a return.
The setup of the device was fast and simple. Normally I'd buy the NAS hardware and the hard disc drives separate but the Western Digital Red drives are what I wanted and this was both easier to order and at a great price-point. Once the device was turned on, using the WD software, I was able to quickly and easily access the web control panel from my PC.
The speeds I'm getting from this device are excellent and I have no problem streaming audio or video from the device. It runs nice and quiet and I do enjoy the LED display to let you know the status of the unit.
Unfortunately, after a system software update, the fan stopped operating which generated an error code that told me to contact WD support. I did, they suggested trying the latest firmware so I did. That fixed the issue for a while. A few firmware updates later and the fan stopped working immediately after one of the updates. I contacted WD support again and got an RMA number for the unit. I received a refurbished unit in exchange that has been working perfectly since I received it and swapping the four drives was a quick and easy process.
Overall, this device provides you with a nice amount of storage and performs quite well for the price-point. I think it would be perfect for all home environment and even some light commercial environments. My wife's company purchased the 2-bay version to backup all of their company PCs and their unit has been rock solid as well. Recommended.
