Hello all,
Is it possible to connect a ethernet cable to a router from mycloud HD. Then another ethernet from router to Mac laptop, with an adapter from ethernet into usbc on the Mac laptop. And drag large files back and fourth Mac to mycloud ? Plus has anyone done this in person ? thanks
The My Cloud device is designed and intended to be connected directly to a router (or gateway or network switch) so the entire local network (including your Mac laptop) can access it. If your Mac laptop is connected to the same router either by WiFi or by Ethernet cable it should be able to access the My Cloud that is also connected to that router. Many, many people have used a Mac to access a My Cloud on their local network.
WD Support Knowledge Base Articles:
Steps to Setup a My Cloud OS 3 with the Dashboard
Steps to Setup and Use a My Cloud OS 5 in the Dashboard
How to Access and Map a My Cloud and My Cloud Home Network Drive on macOS
The My Cloud User Manuals have a chapter explaining how to setup a single bay/single drive My Cloud:
User Manual 4779-705147 (PDF) (P/N: WDBCTLxxxxxxx-10, FW 02.xx.xx)
User Manual 4779-705103 (PDF) (P/N: WDBCTLxxxxxxx-00, FW 04.xx.xx)
Please note that the My Cloud Home is not the same as a My Cloud. The My Cloud Home is an entirely different device with different setup instructions and a different operating system. If you have a My Cloud Home see the correct subforum for your device and see the correct WD product support page for your device.
thank you Bennor,
Has anyone on the site actually done the hardwire method with success using a Mac ? anyone out there can say yes or no ?
Only post I can find is
“I had the drive connected to my router, and was able to access the dashboard, but couldn’t connect to see any files. I don’t know how I could access the dashboard but not the files, but that is where I’m at.”
link https://community.wd.com/t/connect-mycloud-to-mac-directly/273075
People generally do not come to a support forum and talk about something that works and isn’t having issues. If people were having trouble with Mac’s not accessing a My Cloud device there would be many posts about it.
Personally I can say definitively that yes you can use a Mac to access a My Cloud. Have a family member with a Mac laptop that accesses a first generation single bay My Cloud (OS3 V4.x firmware) that is connected to their network router. Their Mac laptop connects wirelessly (WiFi) to that same router. Because Apple as depreciated AFP one would typically use SMB to access a My Cloud. Example for Mac Finder:
smb://WDMYCLOUD.local
If one has changed the name of their My Cloud to something else then they would replace “WDMYCLOUD” in the above example with their My Cloud name.
@dumpy2 Here is a link to the User Manual for the first generation WDMYCLOUD. Look at Appendix A and see if that helps.
Do you have your device set up for use on your home network?
thank you CatOw, I think you mean appendix B ? if I am missing something do explain.
Good point the Mac OS here is Sonoma, which is not listed in the PDF.
Question still remains has anyone with a Mac used the adapter USBc to Ethernet into a router back to the WD-mycloud?
O
Probably explains this persons results. Appendix A
"I would love to find a way to directly transfer files. I have tried connecting ethernet direct to my Macbook (with usb-c adapter as the Mac has no ethernet port), and restarted the Mac, and also did a reset of the MyCloud. The light on the MyCloud is steady blue, and the drive shows up in Finder but won’t connect."
Probably safe to say WD probably not work with Mac OS in the year 2024 using the ethernet idea to USBC-
Last update in the manual says OS X Yosemite
2014
OS X Yosemite was announced and released to developers on June 2, 2014, at WWDC 2014 and released to public beta testers on July 24, 2014. Yosemite was released to consumers on October 16, 2014.
I have my 1st generation WDMYCLOUD connected to my home network. Below are images of how I get to my device and how I can drag and drop folders to it. I have Windows computers.
This shows how I can use File Explorer and open my device. It is connected to my router and set up for use on my home network. Those marked with yellow are my 1st generation device and shares.
This image shows how I drag and drop a file to my device from my computer.
@dumpy2, lets step back a minute here. What specific My Cloud device do you have? Do you have a My Cloud device or a My Cloud Home device? They are NOT the same.
If you have a My Cloud device, when you connect the My Cloud direct to your computer using Ethernet cable, can you access the My Cloud Dashboard either by the My Cloud unit name (ex: http://wdmycloud.local) or by it’s IP address (ex: http://169.254.0.1)? You may need to disable the Mac’s WiFi adapter to force the Mac to use the Mac’s Ethernet network adapter.
You may also need to perform a 4 second reset on the My Cloud to reset the DHCP setting of the My Cloud back to default if you previously configured the My Cloud for a static IP address.
If you are running any sort of firewall software on the Mac or antivirus/security software you may need to temporarily disable it while the My Cloud is directly connected by Ethernet cable to the computer’s Ethernet networking port. You may need to ensure the Ethernet adapter that is connected to the Mac is working properly and if needed update the drivers (if possible) for it. You can test if the Ethernet adapter on the Mac works properly by connecting it to the local network router, disable the Mac’s WiFi adapter, then see if the Mac will use the Ethernet adapter to connect to the router and the Internet.
A direct Ethernet connection between the My Cloud and the Mac is supposed to work assuming the Mac’s Ethernet adapter is operating properly. One may have to wait up to five minutes or more for the My Cloud to stop trying to obtain an IP address from the router and default to using an IP address in the 169.x.x.x range.
Hi CatOw, thanks for the info! I’m not very familiar with File Explorer, but I just watched an online video, and it seems similar to Finder on macOS. Out of curiosity, what average file transfer speed should I expect to achieve? please
Hello Bennor,
I have a WD My Cloud—likely version one, as I purchased it before COVID. I haven’t bought an Ethernet adapter yet because I wanted to hear from someone using a Mac who’s had success with it.
Thank you for sharing the workaround, Bennor. Honestly, if I have to go through this process every time I connect my laptop, it would make things really complicated. It’s like trying to get a car to start by disconnecting the battery, removing the alternator, replacing the spark plugs, putting everything back together, and then hoping it works. If it doesn’t, you’d have to update some software and try again. At that point, the car would be impractical to use.
This could explain why dmwesq
I have tried connecting ethernet direct to my Macbook (with usb-c adapter as the Mac has no ethernet port), and restarted the Mac, and also did a reset of the MyCloud. The light on the MyCloud is steady blue, and the drive shows up in Finder but won’t connect.
I had the drive connected to my router, and was able to access the dashboard, but couldn’t connect to see any files. I don’t know how I could access the dashboard but not the files, but that is where I’m at.
That will depend on your network and the devices you have. The first generation WDMYCLOUD is not that fast.
Hi cat0w , I never really understood the LAN network speeds. Just made a test 534.5 MB from WD mycloud to laptop 00:31.28 - write from laptop to WD mycloud. 00:20.01 (at worst signal in home) Just wondering about how longer the HD will keep working. Probably 7 years old now. And as the ethernet idea appears flakey at best. 1 TB SSD is about 60 dollars. for a crucial BX500 sata 2.5" is another option I am considering.
You cannot connect the My Cloud’s USB port to your computer’s USB port to access the files on the My Cloud. The My Cloud does not operate like that, it is not a USB external hard drive. It is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. You have to use the Ethernet port on the My Cloud to connect either to a network router (or switch) or connect direct to your computer’s Ethernet port.
If you can access the Dashboard then you should be able to access the My Cloud using Mac Finder. Access the My Cloud Dashboard and go to Settings > Network page. Then look for the My Cloud IP address under Network Profile. Copy that address. Use that to try and access the My Cloud using Mac Finder.
Example: smb://{MyCloudIPAddress}
Example: smb://192.168.2.79
Example My Cloud Dashboard:
Example My Cloud Dashboard > Settings > Network page showing the My Cloud IP address:
Oh Bennor, what are you like? 
The snippets you’ve reposted come from someone named dmwesq. Let’s take a step back for a moment—whoa, hold on, reign in the horse! Take a look at both your comments and theirs, Bennor. It seems like there’s been a misunderstanding or crossed wires here, I think. Connect MyCloud to Mac Directly?
Bennor, re reading through your kindly written contents, I am very confused. Providing I have read correctly. Your saying to dmwesq " You cannot connect the My Cloud’s USB port to your computer’s USB port" - he said "I have tried connecting ethernet direct to my Macbook (with usb-c adapter as the Mac " which conflicts I believe. As you said some place way back you need an adapter.?
Bennor, these posts you have posted are copy pastes, from Profile - dmwesq - WD Community be aware you are pasting from [quote=“dumpy2, post:12, topic:295872”]
I had the drive connected to my router, and was able to access the dashboard, but couldn’t connect to see any files. I don’t know how I could access the dashboard but not the files, but that is where I’m at.
[/quote]
If you can access the Dashboard then you should be able to access the My Cloud using Mac Finder. Access the My Cloud Dashboard and go to Settings > Network page. Then look for the My Cloud IP address under Network Profile. Copy that address. Use that to try and access the My Cloud using Mac Finder.
Example: smb://{MyCloudIPAddress}
Example: smb://192.168.2.79
Example My Cloud Dashboard:
So my question is now just for clarification you buy a ethernet to usbc and plug into 1: router and connect to WD my cloud? 2: Directly in wd my cloud ? just asking as others may wish to try. PS this is using a Mac laptop. You cannot and must not please use some reference to a manual that is dates some time zone in 2018 - it requires a person who has actually used the kit hands on in 2024. dmwesq tried in 2021 no success. CatOw can do in 2024 on PC windows - 
@dumpy2, Yes there is a misunderstanding as it was not clear you were quoting someone else with your prior post that I quoted using the forum quote syntax. It appears you may have done this several times with your posts, which confuses things.
Is your Mac laptop connected to a wireless router?
If so connect the My Cloud to that same wireless router’s LAN port (if there are available LAN ports).
With the laptop and My Cloud connected to the wireless router can you access the My Cloud Dashboard?
If so you should be able to access the files on the My Cloud using the previously provided information in my prior post.
If you can access the My Cloud dashboard over WiFi, there is no need to buy a USB-C to Ethernet adapter unless you plan on transferring a large amount of files where copy speed is paramount.
As previously indicated YES you can directly connect the My Cloud to a Mac or any other computer’s Ethernet port. In your case using a USB-C to Ethernet adapter. As previously stated you may need to wait 5 minutes or more for the My Cloud to stop trying to obtain an IP address and you may need to temporarily disable the Mac WiFi if active to force the Mac to use the USB-C to Ethernet adapter.
PS: How to Access My Cloud When Connected Directly to a Computer
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