Do I need server for time machine from multiple Macs

Huh?

I have a hard drive with two partitions connected to an Airport Extreme that I use as a Time Machine backup for two computers.

This link helped me set it up: http://pondini.org/TM/5.html

I did the initial backup via ethernet, the rest have been done over WiFi.

You have to first mount the hard drive using the Airport Utility, let TM bless each partition from each computer, and you should be good.

Also, set the display to sleep, but not the computer. That will help things.

You can not use Airport Extreme or Express as a Time Machine Hub Nor will OX Server

dimme said:

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately that is what I did. That why I thinking I may need to purchase OS X server. I love to here from someone using mountain lion server and time machine.

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You can not use the Airport Extreme as a link for time machine. The Airport Extreme instuctions say u can not hook a hard drive to it and use it for time machine not possible at least not yet. You can hook a external hard drive to the airport extreme and use it as a wireless hard drive but you can not use it for time machine. Only way u can use time machine is hook directly to the computer or use Apples Time Capsule. The Time Capsule is the only networked hard drive you can use for Time Machine as that is what it was designed for. I have external Hard drive hooked to my time capsule to add as extra storage for files I want to access over wifi but in no way does it effect the time capsule in time machine nor can i use the hard drive hooked to the time capsule as part of time machine.
Using OX Server will not help in any way as the the airport extreme is not set up to be used a time machine hub when pluged into the USB port.

Solution go to apple's refurb sight and purchase a current edition Time Capsule in either 2 or 3 tb or find a older time capsule and self upgrade the hard drive to a large capacity.

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SirYossi said:

You can not use the Airport Extreme as a link for time machine. The Airport Extreme instuctions say u can not hook a hard drive to it and use it for time machine not possible at least not yet. You can hook a external hard drive to the airport extreme and use it as a wireless hard drive but you can not use it for time machine. Only way u can use time machine is hook directly to the computer or use Apples Time Capsule. The Time Capsule is the only networked hard drive you can use for Time Machine as that is what it was designed for. I have external Hard drive hooked to my time capsule to add as extra storage for files I want to access over wifi but in no way does it effect the time capsule in time machine nor can i use the hard drive hooked to the time capsule as part of time machine.
Using OX Server will not help in any way as the the airport extreme is not set up to be used a time machine hub when pluged into the USB port.

Solution go to apple's refurb sight and purchase a current edition Time Capsule in either 2 or 3 tb or find a older time capsule and self upgrade the hard drive to a large capacity.

Click to expand...

Just a side note the Time Capsule works wonderful for me just hard wire the first backup and then do the rest over wireless. If you have a dual banded Time Capsule it will be even faster vs the single banded older ones.
I use it for 2011 imac, Dual G5 tower, 2007 Macbook Pro with no issues

SirYossi said:

You can not use the Airport Extreme as a link for time machine. The Airport Extreme instuctions say u can not hook a hard drive to it and use it for time machine not possible at least not yet. You can hook a external hard drive to the airport extreme and use it as a wireless hard drive but you can not use it for time machine. Only way u can use time machine is hook directly to the computer or use Apples Time Capsule. The Time Capsule is the only networked hard drive you can use for Time Machine as that is what it was designed for. I have external Hard drive hooked to my time capsule to add as extra storage for files I want to access over wifi but in no way does it effect the time capsule in time machine nor can i use the hard drive hooked to the time capsule as part of time machine.
Using OX Server will not help in any way as the the airport extreme is not set up to be used a time machine hub when pluged into the USB port.

Solution go to apple's refurb sight and purchase a current edition Time Capsule in either 2 or 3 tb or find a older time capsule and self upgrade the hard drive to a large capacity.

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Just a side note the Time Capsule works wonderful for me just hard wire the first backup and then do the rest over wireless. If you have a dual banded Time Capsule it will be even faster vs the single banded older ones.
I use it for 2011 imac, Dual G5 tower, 2007 Macbook Pro with no issues

Click to expand...

If you mount the hard drive via Airport Utility, partition it, then remount one of the partitions, Time Machine will format the drive (or partition) and it will work the same as the Time Capsule does.

I swear I'm not making this up, as that's been my set up for a little over three years. Worked with the last, round Apple Extreme and now the newer, square one with all the ports.

Happy to show you my set up via a screen recording or something.

dimme said:

Is the only soultion to purchace Mountain Lion server? Will It be buillet proof with server?

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I've been using a mini with Snow Leopard Server to Time Machine backup four other computers for over two years now. It has worked flawlessly. I even occasionally clone the drive with the Time Machine partition to off-site backup the backup.

SirYossi said:

You can not use the Airport Extreme as a link for time machine. The Airport Extreme instuctions say u can not hook a hard drive to it and use it for time machine not possible at least not yet. You can hook a external hard drive to the airport extreme and use it as a wireless hard drive but you can not use it for time machine. Only way u can use time machine is hook directly to the computer or use Apples Time Capsule.

Click to expand...

Maybe there's something different with TC and the AE, but I have an external drive connected by USB to my TC and am able to use the external for all my time machine backups with no problem (3 computers). I don't trust the TC hard drive for backups after the capacitor fiasco from a couple of years ago.

I use a Western Digital MyBook Live(3T) as a Time Machine for my macs at home. Also, used to stream movies, music ect... all stored in a private folders on the Live.

I run Mountain Lion on iMac ( family ) and both MacPros ( sexy lady, me ).

trying to help

talmy said:

I've been using a mini with Snow Leopard Server to Time Machine backup four other computers for over two years now. It has worked flawlessly. I even occasionally clone the drive with the Time Machine partition to off-site backup the backup.

Click to expand...

dimme said:

Thanks that's great to here. Do you think mountain lion server will work the same?

Click to expand...

While there have been many features removed (and a couple added) the Time Machine server functionality remains the same. All four of the systems that back up to this one are running Mountain Lion. There has been no reason to upgrade the server.