Can you connect the My Cloud’s ethernet port direct to your computer’s Ethernet port? Yes, but it is not recomended because one will typically loose network access to the My Cloud from other devices on the local network along with loose the ability to access the My Cloud remotely. Routers can be found for as little as $25 at Amazon.com and even cheaper at second hand stores (or even free from friends or family). Typically one’s broadband provider will also offer up a router or gateway that has networking ports on it.
When you connect the My Cloud direct to your computer you will have to wait for the My Cloud’s front LED to turn blue. It may take a few minutes. Typically when a network device cannot obtain an IP Address it will default to an IP address in the 169.254.x.x range. You may need to use a program like WD Access which can be downloaded/installed from the WD Support Downloads page (http://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx) to find the My Cloud.
