Need help with backing up via Time Machine

I've been backing up my MacBook to my Time Capsule for as long as I've had both (almost 5 years now). Due to some network issues (slow internet speeds, dropped connections, facetime problems, etc.), I recently purchased a new wireless router (Netgear r6300). My internet speeds, etc. have now improved dramatically; however, now I need to figure out how to back up my MacBook.

I did some searching here and I gather that it's not as easy as just purchasing an external HD, hooking it up to my Netgear via USB or ethernet and configuring Time Machine to back up to the external HD. Am I right about that?

I know that I could just purchase a new Time Capsule, but the reviews on it are very mixed and I don't really want to drop $300 on a device that may crap out on me in a year or two.

GGJstudios said:

Mac Basics: Time Machine
OS X Mountain Lion: Time Machine preferences

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Thanks but I've already read that. I was hoping that someone here may have some experience with what I'm looking to do.

Weaselboy said:

For Time Machine to work with an external networked drive like that, the router would have to support Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), and from looking at the Netgear product page it does not appear that router supports AFP.

What you could do is use Samba networked file sharing with a USB drive on that router along with the app Carbon Copy Cloner to make backups. That router does support SAMBA. Not as simple to setup as Time Machine, but it would work.

The troubles you read about Time Capsules were with the earlier versions. They had trouble with a capacitor getting hot and failing. It seems to be resolved in the newer, current version. If you want a simple set it and forget it networked Time Machine backup, the Time Capsule is probably your best option.

Many users here also like NAS devices for backup, but that is a little more expensive and complex than a Time Capsule.

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Thank you for that answer! So I either need to find a router that supports AFP or I should just get another Time Capsule. I'm leaning towards the former rather than the latter because I'm getting such good performance with this new router, but using Time Machine to back up my computer is very important to me.

I'm going to look for an 802.11ac router that supports AFP (if there is such a thing).

Weaselboy said:

If you can wait (or want to wait), I suspect there will be a new Time Capsule with 802.11ac mid-year to coincide with new Haswell chipset Mac portables that are very very likely to have 802.11ac.

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I'd love to wait but I just don't know that I can. The wifi on my time capsule is just so sporadic and slow, especially compared to the Netgear router that I bought. I can't even use Facetime because I get "Reconnecting" messages all the time and my download speeds are about half of what they are with the Netgear (tested using Speedtest app).

I have no idea why my Time Capsule is performing so poorly but I feel like I've done just about everything I can do at this point to try to fix the problem.

Weaselboy said:

You can get a refub. current gen Time Capsule for $259 that could get you through.

I don't know what client devices you are using aside from your Macbook, but the Macbook does not have 802.11ac, so any improvement you are seeing is not from 802.11ac. I suspect the improvement is from the new Netgear having dual band wifi, and you would see this with the current gen. Time Capsule also if you want to go that way. I should have picked up on this earlier.

Or if you have an existing USB drive you want to make work for network backup, you could get this Netgear model that supports Time Machine (AFP) and is dual band. This would get you running relatively cheaply.

How old is your current Time Capsule?

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My Time Capsule is almost 5 yrs old I believe, because I got it around the same time I got my MacBook (April 2008). It only runs at 2.4GHz OR 5GHz (not both simultaneously) and I've been running it mostly at 2.4 because I have a Windows PC that requires 2.4. I did try running it at 5GHz and experienced the same sluggishness, dropouts, etc. so I just switched it back to 2.4 so my Windows machine could connect to it.

The new Netgear is really a beast of a router (it should be for $200!). It's dual band so I can connect my Windows machine at 2.4 and my MacBook and iphone 5 at 5, and everything is lightning fast.

One thing I did think of trying is disabling all wifi on the TC, connecting it to the Netgear via ethernet and then just using the TC to do my backups wirelessly via TM (the HD in the TC seems to be just fine). Would that work if I'm connecting wirelessly to the Netgear (assuming I turn off DHCP on the TC if that's even necessary with wifi off)?

Weaselboy said:

Hmm... good idea. I think that would work. Run a cable from a LAN port on the Netgear to the WAN port on the TC then like you said, turn off wireless on the TC and also put in in bridge mode (see my cap from Airport Util.).

I think that will let you see the TC on the network and backup to it.

Please let me know, because now I am curious.

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Well this doesn't seem to be working for some reason. Time Machine isn't able to connect to the disk in my TC for some reason. The light on the front of my TC is green but when I run a scan in Airport Utility, it doesn't see my TC. The only way I can get it to see it is if I connect the TC to my MacBook via ethernet cable.

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Figured out the problem. Had to go to the Internet tab and turn Connection Sharing to "Off (Bridge Mode") - now it's working.

It's backing up now but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep things set up this way. I spent $200 on this router. For $100 more, I can either buy a new TC now OR I can wait for an 802.11ac TC (assuming they come out with one of course).

Weaselboy said:

Glad it worked out. At least you have something that works while you think on it.

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Exactly. I guess there's no way to manually set the channel on my TC if I'm running in 5GHz mode (the only option is "Automatic"). That seems a bit strange.

Weaselboy said:

I have that option on mine (latest gen TC). I get this screen under wireless/wireless options. I wonder if your older TC does not support this as it is not dual band?

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That must be the issue. It's ok though because I went back to using the Netgear as my wifi router with the Time Capsule connected to it via Ethernet. Even at 5GHz, the wifi on the time capsule was sporadic at best so I can only assume that the wifi radios in the TC are on their last legs or something.

It looks like I'm going to have to stick with the Netgear for now because the wifi with the TC is just that bad. Sucks too because I can see myself wanting to get an 802.11ac TC in the future. Hopefully the HD in the TC holds out for a while.