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The DL4100 does nearly everything well. I wasn't a huge fan of the web interface, and large transfers crushed my Wi-Fi, but other than that, every task I conducted on the device performed admirably. There are definitely some features I would improve for the next release, but the specs, the design and the functionality of the DL4100 are top-notch.
We liked
It is so easy to set this machine up. Once you have all your settings in place, and if you're not on Wi-Fi, the Western Digital My Cloud DL4100 NAS just runs. Period.
The DL4100 NAS is a business class NAS through and through. It comes with a ton of cool features that are perfect for a wide range of NAS users, from the novice to the expert. The addition of integrated apps, the ability to set up alerts via SMS and email if the device has a problem, the ability to connect it anywhere - amazing.
We disliked
Using this over Wi-Fi is annoying. The DL4100 cuts out from time-to-time depending on the volume and weight of the data you are trying to back up.
I don't really like the web interface. In terms of look and feel, it's fine, but I found it really difficult to actually use. It took forever to load when I made a setting change, or my network would knock out, and I would have to manually reconnect to the web interface continuously. It's not that the interface is awful in conception or execution, but I found that the performance was not up to par with what the DL4100 offers.
Final verdict
The Western Digital My Cloud DL4100 NAS is an impressive machine that offers a ton of features. As long as you keep it plugged in via ethernet you will be able to perform an abundance of tasks - from transferring files to backing up data to streaming content - without having to manually log each and every step. Although the price is somewhat high, the DL4100 is an investment that home and small office users would be wise to make.
