I have a computer workstation on the first floor and one one the second floor. There is CAT5 cable running between the two. Can I use a Thunderbolt to Ethernet Adapter on each end of the ethernet cable to connect a MackBook Pro Early 2105 on one end to a WD MyBook Thunderbolt Duo on the other side? I would like to keep the storage units upstairs and the computers downstairs.
No that will not work for a "regular" drive. Ethernet connection to a regular drive is not enough. It needs more "smarts".
The MyBook is "just a drive".
It would work with a NAS storage unit, which includes a tiny special-purpose computer. Western Digital is pushing theirs as their "MyCloud" series, which includes a built-in Gigabit Ethernet port.
They recommend you connect it to your Router, but that may be because of the complexity of using a second port (in addition to your computer's Internet connection) just for storage.
No that will not work for a "regular" drive. Ethernet connection to a regular drive is not enough. It needs more "smarts".
The MyBook is "just a drive".
It would work with a NAS storage unit, which includes a tiny special-purpose computer. Western Digital is pushing theirs as their "MyCloud" series, which includes a built-in Gigabit Ethernet port.
They recommend you connect it to your Router, but that may be because of the complexity of using a second port (in addition to your computer's Internet connection) just for storage.
Your desires can be met, but not with the physical setup you describe.
if you can get both computers onto the Internet at the same time, without re-cabling, you already have a highway between them. It runs through the Switch function of your Router. You can enable File Sharing in
System Preferences > Sharing > File Sharing
By default, this will allow you to use a Shared folder on each Mac to drag and drop files onto the other Mac's drive. With more advanced settings in this pane, you can specify additional folders to Share. "Share" in this context is a one-way connection -- there is no implicit reciprocity.
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If, instead of a Drive, you used a Network-Attached Storage device (NAS) which has its own processor, you could indeed connect this drive over a "private" Ethernet cable, and also connect it to you other Mac over a similar connection. i am not conviced the increased complexity is worth the effort.
I use a MacOS Server (separate computer) mostly as a File server on my Mome Network, and connect via Gigabit Ethernet using Gigabit Ethernet Switches. My Internet Router is on a spur off this network.
Not sure there are any network-attached adapters for Thunderbolt, or if there's any way to use adapters to connect to one. Most are USB, like this one:
Amazon.com: Addonics NAS 4.0 Adapter - NAS server - 0 GB (NAS40ESU): Computers & Accessories
Your question was more or less asked here:
Thank you for your reply. I should clarify. I hope to run the external storage devices upstairs but have no computer upstairs. I want to use Ethernet cable as a connection between a computer on first floor and Thunderbolt hard drives on the second floor. Only one computer for the purposes of this discussion.
If you had a fiber-optic ThunderBolt cable, you could remote that drive upstairs with no issues.
But be sure you are sitting down before you look at the prices of fiber-optic cables more than a few meters long.
Using ThunderBolt to Ethernet Adapter to connect External Drive
