Connecting WD MyCloud EX2 to USB Port via-Gigabit EtherNet Adapter

Hello, I’m setting-up a new MyCloud EX2 on my home network:

I’m using a NetGear AC1900 Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router. Besides having 5 ethernet ports available, this router has a USB 2.0 on the rear panel, and a USB 3.0 on the front panel.

As it is all 5 ethernet ports on my router are occupied:

1. To the master PC (Dell AlienWare Aurora R4 PC)

2. To an Arris TG1672G cable modem (Time Warner Cable)

  1. To a NetGear GS105NA 5-port GigaBit Ethernet Switch, for a home theater system (ethernet connections to DLNA capable AV components)

  2. To a NetGear GS605 5-port GigaBit Ethernet switch (provide additional ethernet connections for various devices- ie. WD MyBook’s, an additional Dell PC, etc.,…)

  3. To a NetGear AV200 (Wall) Line Adapter (to provide hard ethernet connection throughout house- ie. additional home AV system, additional PC’s)

Here’s my question:

Can I connect the MyCloud EX2 to the rear-panel USB 2.0 port (on the NetGear router) using a USB-to-Gigabit Adapter?

I made an attempt to install a C2G USB 2.0 to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (No. 39950), bottom-line it did’nt work. No activity- period. I’ve realized the software for this device would have to install onto the router to work (it’s designed to install on a PC).

Does anyone know how to do this? Is it possible?

I was hoping to take advantage of running the MyCloud EX2 via-USB 2.0 and take advantage of improved through-put over going through the NetGear Ethernet Switch > then to the router.

Appreciate your input

No you cannot, it doesn’t work. 

Why not connect it to one of your switches? Why would you ever want to limit the EX2 to USB2.0 speeds? Seems useless. 

Thanks for your response. I’m not thoroughly versed on all the various types of network port parameters and related performance. All this is a little perplexing.

As it is I have the MyCloud-EX2 connected to one of my NetGear switches. I was under the impression that, essentially being daisy chained, performance would be inferior to connecting directly to a single dedicated USB 2.0 port?

The MyCloud-EX2 will, primarily, be used for storing music and video archive (ie. WMA, FLAC, WAVE, MPEG, etc.,…), and will stream across home network to various AV system as well as PC’s and devices (Netwok details explained in original post above). My intention here was to optimize network streaming capability.

  1. Leave the WD EX2 connected to a gigabit switch via cat5e or cat6 cable, which is connected to a gigabit router via cat5e or cat6 cable or else you will not get gigabit capable speeds.

2a. If you’re router is a dual-band router, connect your device(s) to the 5GHz band and copy data to the WD EX2 this way or

2b. Connect your USB2.0, but prerabbly USB3.0 HDD to the back of the WD EX2 and just copy the data over. This is the fastest way to get all your date over initally, then from here on out, in theory it will all be smaller incremental backups. 

Hi:

Thanks for your suggestions.

[A]  The NetGear AC1900 (R7000) is a dual-band router:

http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/R7000.aspx

[B]  I have the MyCloud-EX2 connected to a NetGear GS605 5-port GigaBit Ethernet switch using the stock etherNet cable (I’m sure it’s minimal Cat-5e, if not Cat-6)

[C] All major devices (ie. modem, master PC, NetGear switches, wall line-adapter) are connected to 5Ghz ports on rear of router. I have mostly transferred, or loaded, archives between devices in this manner.

I’m a little confused, how are you loading to MyCloud-EX2 rear USB3.0 port? Using some sort of USB adapter- connected to an external drive or something (for example)? 

I put all my data on an external USB3.0 HDD

I then plugged that HDD into the USB3.0 port in the back of the EX2

I copied all my data from the HDD to EX2 with the WD Software

Ah, I see, thanks!

Right now all my data (music archives) resides on multiple WD MyBookLive drives.

Plug them into the WD EX2 then, if they’re USB2.0 it will just be slower, but still likely faster than LAN transfer speeds (depending on your network).

Hello:

So you just use an adapter cable (etherNet to USB) to connect MyBookLive into MyCloud-EX2 rear USB port?

Yes,

http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-SuperSpeed-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00BBD7NFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422468723&sr=8-1&keywords=ethernet+to+usb+3.0&pebp=1422468661525&peasin=B00BBD7NFU

thanks. I have a 2.0 USB-to-Gigabit etherNet adapter:

http://www.cablestogo.com/product/39950

Was’nt sure if it would work going from MyBookLive to MyCloudEX2? It seems the driver code needs to be loaded somehow?