Resolved NAS to iMac to Network - How?

[NissarK]

Hi,

I have my WD MyCloud NAS drive connected to my iMac using an Ethernet cable through a Thunderbolt Ethernet Adapter to one of the iMac's Thunderbolt ports.

I have shared my iMac's Internet connection (Wired Connection / Ethernet) through Internet Sharing to the Thunderbolt Ethernet Port, so that my WD MyCloud NAS drive has Internet access. So far so good.

However, I am not able to connect to this WD MyCloud NAS drive from another computer on my network (Microsoft Surface Pro with Windows 10 Latest Build).

My iMac's ethernet connection has an IP called something like 192.168.1.XX on the network / router. The WD MyCloud NAS drive has been assigned an IP by the iMac called 192.168.2.2 and I can access my files and the dashboard by typing this in the address bar.

I did manage at some point to make it work on my old Surface Pro, but then my the computer crashed for other reasons and now I have fixed it and cannot seem to make it work again. I don't remember how I did it.

Hope you can help?

Thanks!

Br,
Nissar

 

[MagicBoy]

Why are you trying to do it like that? Connect the NAS drive to an Ethernet port on your router then it's accessible to the entire local network.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

What he said. It's a NAS, Network Attacked Storage. Not iMac Attached Storage.

 

[NissarK]

I already have another WD MyCloud EX2 connected to my router. This one I want to attach directly to my iMac and use it as an external drive, but also be available on my network. I am doing this on purpose

 

[SandboxGeneral]

A NAS is essentially an external drive, accessible via the network.

 

[MagicBoy]

Sorry, but that makes no sense. You're adding a load of complexity where it's not required.

 

[NissarK]

A NAS is essentially an external drive, accessible via the network.

Sorry, but that makes no sense. You're adding a load of complexity where it's not required.

Hey guys,
I know about the complexity, and I understand why you might wonder. But I have my reasons. I just want to know how it is done.

One of the reasons is that I have loads of data on this WD My Cloud drive (which is my first ever NAS) that I want to "go through" and see if they are useful or no... We are talking about terabytes of photos and videos from my photography work, which I then want to sort and archive on my WD My Cloud EX2 NAS which is plugged into the router. The WD My Cloud was originally plugged to the router, and I tried this but it took ages to transfer data to the iMac over the network and then from there to the EX2. Having it connected directly to the iMac does make things go faster!

So.... All I want to know is if the setup is possible, not if it makes sense or no

Eventually, I'll only be using the router setup once things have been cleared up...!

Thanks!

 

[MagicBoy]

I don't think it can be done. If you've got performance problems look at using cabled gigabit connections if you're currently on Wi-Fi.

 

[NissarK]

I don't think it can be done. If you've got performance problems look at using cabled gigabit connections if you're currently on Wi-Fi.

I am indeed using ONLY cable. WiFi is only used at my place for smartphones and tablets. EVERYTHING else is wired with CAT6 cables.

 

[maflynn]

I am doing this on purpose

What's the purpose?

 

[techwarrior]

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) makes your Mac a NAT "router". The NAS has an address on a different subnet that the rest of the network, therefor, it is as inaccessible as your primary NAS is from the Internet (without sync apps designed to work through NAT).

I see no purpose for what you are attempting to do, a network storage device will be just as fast when connecting from the LAN as it will through the setup you are attempting. Just pug it in to the router an be done with it.

 

[MagicBoy]

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) makes your Mac a NAT "router". The NAS has an address on a different subnet that the rest of the network, therefor, it is as inaccessible as your primary NAS is from the Internet (without sync apps designed to work through NAT).

I see no purpose for what you are attempting to do, a network storage device will be just as fast when connecting from the LAN as it will through the setup you are attempting. Just pug it in to the router an be done with it.

Exactly...

I started to type the same thing then realised I was probably wasting my keystrokes...

 

[NissarK]

What's the purpose?

One of the reasons is that I have loads of data on this WD My Cloud drive (which is my first ever NAS) that I want to "go through" and see if they are useful or no... We are talking about terabytes of photos and videos from my photography work, which I then want to sort and archive on my WD My Cloud EX2 NAS which is plugged into the router. The WD My Cloud was originally plugged to the router, and I tried this but it took ages to transfer data to the iMac over the network and then from there to the EX2. Having it connected directly to the iMac does make things go faster!

So.... All I want to know is if the setup is possible, not if it makes sense or no

Eventually, I'll only be using the router setup once things have been cleared up...!

[doublepost=1527458196][/doublepost]

Exactly...

I started to type the same thing then realised I was probably wasting my keystrokes...

No need to have an attitude. I am asking since I managed to make it work at some point, so it is possible. I just don't remember how...

 

[sevoneone]

You don't want internet sharing, internet sharing turns your Mac into a router and adds NAT between the two sides of the network. You want to create a Bridge, that will let packets from one connection pass freely to the other. Try this, add the two Ethernet connections to the bridge, and your NAS should be able to talk to the rest of your network as if it was just attached to the router: https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25775?locale=en_US

The other thing you could do is take a look at why the NAS is slower when connected to the router. The probable reason is that the router only has ports capable of a 100mbps connection while your NAS, iMac and Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter have 1000mbps (gigabit).

A couple of solves for that:

1) Replace the router with something that has gigabit LAN ports. Depending on your ISP and plan, your router could even be preventing you from reaching the broadband speed you are paying for. If you're paying for 150mbps internet and your router's ports are limited to 100mbps, no single device on your network will ever be capable of reaching the top speed.

2) Buy a gigabit switch and attach all of your LAN devices to ports on it and then attach one port to your router. Your link out to the internet will still be limited to a max of 100mbps, but your local devices will be able to communicate at gigabit speeds.

 

[NissarK]

You don't want internet sharing, internet sharing turns your Mac into a router and adds NAT between the two sides of the network. You want to create a Bridge, that will let packets from one connection pass freely to the other. Try this, add the two Ethernet connections to the bridge, and your NAS should be able to talk to the rest of your network as if it was just attached to the router: https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25775?locale=en_US

The other thing you could do is take a look at why the NAS is slower when connected to the router. The probable reason is that the router only has ports capable of a 100mbps connection while your NAS, iMac and Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter have 1000mbps (gigabit).

A couple of solves for that:

1) Replace the router with something that has gigabit LAN ports. Depending on your ISP and plan, your router could even be preventing you from reaching the broadband speed you are paying for. If you're paying for 150mbps internet and your router's ports are limited to 100mbps, no single device on your network will ever be capable of reaching the top speed.

2) Buy a gigabit switch and attach all of your LAN devices to ports on it and then attach one port to your router. Your link out to the internet will still be limited to a max of 100mbps, but your local devices will be able to communicate at gigabit speeds.

YOU, my friend, are a great person!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

IT WORKED! I had tried previously tried that link from Apple you posted, but since Internet Sharing was on, I couldn't get it to work! I turned off Internet Sharing and boom.... Firing in all cylinders now!

Have a pleasant day!

 

[maflynn]

No need to have an attitude. I am asking since I managed to make it work at some point, so it is possible. I just don't remember how...

I gave you no attitude, I simply asked what was the purpose, you didn't provide it and I'm curious as to know why you want a NAS connected directly to a computer and then make it accessible to other computers

 

[Fishticks]

I've read this thread because I am interested in doing the same as NissarK.

To help people here understand such a need: myself I have two iMacs next to each other. Only one Ethernet plug on the wall linked to another switch that receives my NAS, alarm, and stuff and goes to my router located in a third location (next to TV with plenty of stuff plugged into it also).
I don't want to buy another switch, while I can just use a thunderbolt cable, just like NissarK. But for the time, my Thunderbolt sharing creates a secondary network, and I can't access my first network and my Nas from the 2nd iMac.
Unfortunately the help at Apple has disappeared, but I will look at removing internet sharing on the master computer (linked to ethernet) and see what happens.
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25775?locale=en_US no more exists.

 

[NissarK]

I've read this thread because I am interested in doing the same as NissarK.

To help people here understand such a need: myself I have two iMacs next to each other. Only one Ethernet plug on the wall linked to another switch that receives my NAS, alarm, and stuff and goes to my router located in a third location (next to TV with plenty of stuff plugged into it also).
I don't want to buy another switch, while I can just use a thunderbolt cable, just like NissarK. But for the time, my Thunderbolt sharing creates a secondary network, and I can't access my first network and my Nas from the 2nd iMac.
Unfortunately the help at Apple has disappeared, but I will look at removing internet sharing on the master computer (linked to ethernet) and see what happens.
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25775?locale=en_US no more exists.

Hi Fishticks,
I haven't tried this on a setup like your's with two iMacs, but what I have done is connected the NAS directly to my iMac and using the method described above makes the NAS drive show up on the network so I can access it from another Macbook Pro, Laptop and SmartTV.

Have you remembered to disable Internet Sharing?

Br,
NissarK

 

[sevoneone]

The process is still the same. Open Network Preferences and select Manage Virtual Interfaces from the additional setting dropdown.

Then, add a new bridge and add your Ethernet and Thunderbolt Bridge to it.

Once you do that, both interfaces are going to disappear from the connections list and be replaced by the bridge. All the IP and other network setting for the host Mac are applied to the bridge. If you use DHCP, it should pick that up within a few moments of clicking Apply. If you manually configured any setting, you will need to apply those fresh to the bridge.

Remember, internet sharing needs to be off or you'll end up with a double NAT and a headache.

Plug in your Thunderbolt cable. The other mac should see the connection and should see DHCP from your router and connect/configure just like any directly attached device.

If you delete the bridge later, it is important to note that the individual network connections will not come back by themselves. You'll have to click the plus '+' button and add Ethernet and Thunderbolt each back on the host Mac.

 

[plgrazon]

Hi Fishticks,
I haven't tried this on a setup like your's with two iMacs, but what I have done is connected the NAS directly to my iMac and using the method described above makes the NAS drive show up on the network so I can access it from another Macbook Pro, Laptop and SmartTV.

Have you remembered to disable Internet Sharing?

Br,
NissarK

Hi NissarK,

I’m on the same boat but unfortunately the links on the apple forums are gone. I’m really sorry if I sound really noob but would this work with wifi? Because of the pandemic I needed to move out and the current place that I’m currently in doesn’t allow me to have my own router. Currently I have the nas plugged into my mac and it works. It’s just that I want it to be available to my other devices. I hope you can direct me in the right direction.

 

[NissarK]

Hi NissarK,

I’m on the same boat but unfortunately the links on the apple forums are gone. I’m really sorry if I sound really noob but would this work with wifi? Because of the pandemic I needed to move out and the current place that I’m currently in doesn’t allow me to have my own router. Currently I have the nas plugged into my mac and it works. It’s just that I want it to be available to my other devices. I hope you can direct me in the right direction.

Hi,
Try to follow the guideline shown by sevoneone.

What you will have to do in this case is creating a bridge using the WiFi and Thunderbolt.

I am currently not at home, but will be next week. If you need specific assistance, I would be glad to help you out.

There is a very short article on Apple website:

Bridge virtual network interfaces on Mac

Use Network settings on your Mac to set up a virtual network bridge.

support.apple.com

What you are looking for is to setup Virtual Network Interface to bridge Wifi and Thunderbolt.

 

[edtorious]

Not sure if I have the same problem as yours but I have a Synology NAS that I connected directly to my Mac via ethernet. I first set up my NAS when it was connected via my router. So now when I connected the NAS directly to my Mac, I could access and see my shared folders in the NAS drive which is fine, my problem is I'm not able to access the DSM, which is the web-based software for the Synology NAS. Does anyone know how I can fix this? I'm doing this just a temporary setup and I don't need my other computers to be able to access the NAS, I just want to be able to access the DSM on this temporary set up. Any suggestions or help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[plgrazon]

Hi,
Try to follow the guideline shown by sevoneone.

What you will have to do in this case is creating a bridge using the WiFi and Thunderbolt.

I am currently not at home, but will be next week. If you need specific assistance, I would be glad to help you out.

There is a very short article on Apple website:

Bridge virtual network interfaces on Mac

Use Network settings on your Mac to set up a virtual network bridge.

support.apple.com

What you are looking for is to setup Virtual Network Interface to bridge Wifi and Thunderbolt.

No worries sir, I have the bridge for the wifi and thunderbolt but the NAS is still giving me no internet access on the network profile tab and the same with the cloud access. No rush sir. I hope everything is well on your side.
[automerge]1591492988[/automerge]

Not sure if I have the same problem as yours but I have a Synology NAS that I connected directly to my Mac via ethernet. I first set up my NAS when it was connected via my router. So now when I connected the NAS directly to my Mac, I could access and see my shared folders in the NAS drive which is fine, my problem is I'm not able to access the DSM, which is the web-based software for the Synology NAS. Does anyone know how I can fix this? I'm doing this just a temporary setup and I don't need my other computers to be able to access the NAS, I just want to be able to access the DSM on this temporary set up. Any suggestions or help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I'm really sorry I can't comment on this sir.